While Many Economic Indicators Have Been Negative During the First

question 21

Multiple Choice

While many economic indicators have been negative during the first half of 2009,the Wall Street Journal recently reported that U.S.retail sales were actually up in April.In fact,the performance of 61 percent of the retailers in the study topped analysts' expectations.If Costco used this report as factor in their expansion plans they would be using _____ data.

• A) secondary
• B) primary
• C) dichotomous
• D) convenience
• E) observation

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Definitions:

DuPont Formula

A financial analysis method that breaks down return on equity into three components: profit margin, asset turnover, and financial leverage, to help understand a company's financial performance.

Operating Income

Earnings generated from a company's core business operations, excluding deductions of interest and taxes.

Return on Investment

A measure of the profitability and efficiency of an investment, calculated as the net profit of the investment divided by its initial cost.

Invested Assets

Assets that are acquired for the purpose of generating income or appreciating in value, such as stocks, bonds, and real estate.