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:

Macaulay Duration

A measure of the weighted average time until a fixed income asset's cash flows are received, used to assess interest rate risk.

Yield

The earnings generated and realized on an investment over a particular period, expressed as a percentage of the investment’s cost, its current market value, or its face value.

Modified Duration

A measure of the sensitivity of a bond's price to changes in interest rates, adjusting for the bond's yield to maturity.

Modified Duration

A measure that estimates the price sensitivity of a bond or bond portfolio to interest rate changes, adjusting for the changing yield to maturity.