Which of the Following Statements Is CORRECT

question 56

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

• A) If two firms differ only in their use of debt⎯i.e., they have identical assets, sales, operating costs, and tax rates⎯but one firm has a higher debt ratio, the firm that uses more debt will have a higher profit margin on sales.
• B) If one firm has a higher debt ratio than another, we can be certain that the firm with the higher debt ratio will have the lower TIE ratio, as that ratio depends entirely on the amount of debt a firm uses.
• C) A firm's use of debt will have no effect on its profit margin on sales.
• D) If two firms differ only in their use of debt⎯i.e., they have identical assets, sales, operating costs, interest rates on their debt, and tax rates⎯but one firm has a higher debt ratio, the firm that uses more debt will have a lower profit margin on sales.
• E) The debt ratio as it is generally calculated makes an adjustment for the use of assets leased under operating leases, so the debt ratios of firms that lease different percentages of their assets are still comparable.

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Definitions:

Credit Policy

The guidelines a company follows to determine the amount and terms of credit to extend to customers.

ACP

Average Collection Period, a metric that measures the average number of days it takes for a company to collect its accounts receivable.

Processing Float

The time lag between when a check is written and when it is actually deducted from the payer's account, affecting the available balance.

Check Clearing

The process by which banks exchange checks and other negotiable instruments drawn on each other and settle their mutual debts and credits.