A Parent Company Owns a Controlling Interest in a Subsidiary

question 92

Multiple Choice

A parent company owns a controlling interest in a subsidiary whose stock has a book value of $27 per share. The last day of the year, the subsidiary issues new shares entirely to outside parties at $33 per share. The parent still holds control over the subsidiary. Which of the following statements is true?

• A) Since the sale was made at the end of the year, the parent's investment account is not affected.
• B) Since the shares were sold for more than book value, the parent's investment account must be increased.
• C) Since the shares were sold for more than book value, the parent's investment account must be decreased.
• D) Since the shares were sold for more than book value but the parent did not buy any of the shares, the parent's investment account is not affected.
• E) None of these.

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Definitions:

Fixed Overhead Costs

Expenses that do not change with the level of output within a certain range of activity, such as rent, salaries, and insurance.

Variable Costs

Expenses that fluctuate in unison with the amount of production or the quantity of goods produced.

Sales Volume Variance

A measure used in variance analysis to assess the difference between the actual units sold and the budgeted sales volume, impacting revenue.

Actual Sales Volume

The real number of units sold or services provided by a business during a specific period, as opposed to forecasted or planned sales volumes.