Cfa Level 1 Mock Test 1

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 44

FinQuiz.

com
CFA Level I 4th Mock Exam
December, 2016
Revision 1

Copyright 2010-2016. FinQuiz.com. All rights reserved. Copying, reproduction


or redistribution of this material is strictly prohibited. [email protected].

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

FinQuiz.com 4th Mock Exam 2016 (AM Session)

Questions

Topic

Minutes

1-18

Ethical and Professional Standards

27

19-32

Quantitative Methods

21

33-44

Economics

18

45-68

Financial Reporting and Analysis

36

69-76

Corporate Finance

12

77-88

Equity Investments

18

89-94

Derivative Investments

95-106

Fixed Income Investments

18

107-112

Alternative Investments

113-120

Portfolio Management

12

Total

180

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

Questions 1 through 18 relate to Ethical and Professional Standards


1.

Frank Liew is a research analyst who is working with a team of analysts to


produce a report on a large, multinational firm. Each member performs an
independent analysis of the firm based on comprehensive data about the firms
financials and its competitor strategies. However, after developing his
recommendation, Liew discovers that the consensus opinion differs significantly.
The report is published with Liews name included in the list of analysts.
By opting not to dissociate from the report, Liew has most likely:
A. not violated any Standards.
B. violated Standard V(A) Diligence and reasonable basis.
C. violated Standard V(A) Diligence and reasonable basis and Standard
II(B) Market Manipulation.

2.

To be compliant with the GIPS standards, a firms total assets must be the
aggregate of the:
A. market value of all discretionary fee and non-fee paying accounts.
B. fair value of all discretionary and non-discretionary fee-paying accounts.
C. fair value of all discretionary and non-discretionary accounts including
both fee paying and non-fee paying portfolios.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

3.

Rafael Stuart is a research analyst at Grand Investment Associates (GIA), a U.S.


based financial advisory firm that targets private wealth clients. Stuart, along with
a group of research analysts at GIA, is preparing a report on Tetragonal
Corporation (TETCO), a large-cap technology firm. Based on a comprehensive
analysis of the firms pro forma financial statements, Stuart reached the
conclusion that TETCOs next quarters EPS would be at least 5% lower than
consensus. Stuarts research team, however, disagrees, and publishes the report
including a buy recommendation.
To be in compliance with CFA Institute Standards of Professional Conduct, Stuart
should most likely:
A. remove his name from the report before it is published.
B. report the disagreement to supervisory authorities and ask for corrective
action.
C. remove his name from the report and report the disagreement to
supervisory authorities.

4.

If local laws are in conflict with the GIPS standards, a GIPS compliant firm
should comply with:
A. the law that is more stringent.
B. GIPS standards and disclose the conflict in the compliant presentation.
C. the local laws and make full disclosure of the conflict in the complaint
presentation.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

5.

Jim Chao works for an investment management firm that is developing marketing
material to promote its business and attract prospective clients. The firm utilizes
the past 15-years return to a composite that includes only the firms successful
client accounts that have generated an average return of at least 10% during the
time period. Chao does not prepare the marketing material, but is required to use
to it during preliminary meetings with prospective clients.
With regards the use of the marketing material, to be in compliance with Standard
I-A of the CFA Institute Standards of Professional Conduct, Chao should most
likely:
A. use the marketing material when soliciting business for the firm.
B. use the marketing material, and disclose the calculation methodology to
the clients.
C. not use the marketing material, and bring the situation to the attention of
the supervisor.

6.

In the absence of regulatory guidance, CFA Institute recommends that firms


should maintain records for at least:
A. 5-years.
B. 7-years.
C. 10-years.

7.

Edward Li is an analyst at an equity management firm in the U.S. During a


meeting with one of his clients, Vincent Yan, Li discovered that Yan has a surplus
of $30,000 to invest in a diversified mutual fund. A few days later, Li attended a
conference of reputable financial analysts and portfolio managers. There he met
Wilbert Ho, the manager of one of the areas best performing mutual funds. In an
attempt to help his client, Li told Ho to contact Yan, one of his clients who had
$30,000 cash, and offer him performance details of his mutual fund.
By revealing information about his client, Li has most likely:
A. violated Standard III (E)Preservation of Confidentiality.
B. not violated Standard III (E)Preservation of Confidentiality because the
information was not confidential.
C. not violated Standard III (E)Preservation of Confidentiality because Lis
intent was to help his client as is stipulated by his duty of loyalty to the
client.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

8.

J&J Investment Advisors (J&J) is an investment firm that is in the process of


being a GIPS compliant firm. As such, J&J has calculated the portfolio
performance of its largest institutional client in accordance with the GIPS
standards. During a meeting with the client, J&J refers to the calculation
methodology as being consistent with GIPS standards.
In making this statement, J&J is in:
A. violation of the GIPS standards, because such statements are strictly
prohibited.
B. violation of the GIPS standards, because such statements can only be
made in a firms prospectus and marketing material.
C. compliance with the GIPS standards, because J&J is in the process of
being GIPS compliant and as such, has prepared the performance data in
accordance with the standards.

9.

To be fully compliant with the required and recommended procedures of Standard


II(A) Material nonpublic information, a firm should:
A. create a restricted list and a watch list in combination.
B. broadly distribute a restricted list when in possession of material
nonpublic information.
C. Restrict all trading within the firm when in possession of material
nonpublic information.

10. Elaine Sen manages a trust fund worth $50,000. The trust documents transfer
effective control of the funds to Sen and prohibit investing in non-U.S. stocks and
bonds. Sam Kim, a 15 year old girl, is the primary beneficiary of the fund. Just
recently, Kim approached Sen to discuss her educational expenses, stating that an
additional cash flow of $20,000 would be needed each year for her to complete
high school. Owing to the heightened need of cash, Sen deems it appropriate to
invest in high-yield emerging market stocks to increase the fund returns.
Consequently, she invests only 5% of the fund in such stocks.
Sen has most likely violated:
A. no Standards.
B. Standard III(C) Suitability.
C. Standard III(A) Loyalty, Prudence and Care.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

11.

The CFA Institute Standards of Professional Conduct require that a clients


investment policy statement should be reviewed at least:
A. annually.
B. quarterly.
C. semiannually.

12. Alex Lama has just been hired as a research analyst by Exo-Tech Limited (ETL)
to produce a research report on their company. Lama has been provided with all
factual information about the firm that he plans to use to perform a thorough and
unbiased analysis of the firm. ETL has granted Lama 500 stock options in return
for writing the report.
As an independent analyst, has Lama most likely violated best practice with
regards to Standard l-B Independence and Objectivity of the CFA Institute
Standards of Professional Conduct?
A. No.
B. Yes, because her compensation arrangement is not what best practice
recommends.
C. Yes, because she did not disclose the nature of the compensation to
investors.
13. Jessica Wright is a marketing specialist at Capital Managers (CAPM) an asset
management firm in Houston, Texas. Wright has been asked to develop
promotional material for CAPMs Emerging Market Equities Fund created by the
firm around ten years ago. Due to a typographical error, the material prepared by
Wright states that the fund includes Russian securities when in fact, it does not.
Wright presents the material to upper management, who approve it for
distribution to clients. After several days, Wright identifies the mistake and
corrects it immediately.
With regards to Standard I(C)-Misrepresentation, Wright has most likely:
A. violated the Standard since she allowed the erroneous material to be
distributed and did not prepare the material with caution.
B. not violated the Standard since she corrected it immediately after
identifying it.
C. not violated the Standard as long as she informs those who have received
the erroneous information about the error.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

14.

Casey Hart is a fixed-income analyst at Golden Gust Investments (GGIN), an


asset management firm in Indianapolis, USA. Hart is planning to leave the firm to
start her own advisory business with an old friend and an entrepreneur. To ensure
that she does not engage in any unethical or controversial practices, Hart refrains
from soliciting clients while employed at GGIN. In addition, she does not take
documents or other confidential information from the firm. Hart plans to copy and
take with her only her own recommended list of securities and her personal
marketing presentations containing her performance record.
With regards to Standard IVDuties to Employers, Hart has most likely:
A. violated her duty of loyalty to the firm.
B. not violated her duty of loyalty since she plans to take only personal
information with her.
C. not violated her duty of loyalty since her work and experience gained at
GGIN is her property and not the firms.

15. Adam Blank directs all trades of one of his clients through a broker specified by
the client. Doing so does not help Blank achieve best execution and best price.
Blank discloses this fact to the client but continues trading through the same
broker.
Blank will least likely be in violation of Standard III(A)-Loyalty, Prudence, and
Care if he:
A. continues to trade through the broker.
B. finds and selects a broker that offers the best price.
C. seeks best execution by selecting a different broker and informs the client
about his selection.
16. West & Graham Associates (W&G) is a financial advisory firm that allows its
employees to reissue previously released reports by its own employees without
attributing to those prior W&G analysts.
The firm is most likely in violation of:
A. no standards.
B. Standard I(C)-Misrepresentation.
C. Standard I(B)-Independence & Objectivity and Standard l(C)Misrepresentation.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

17.

The duty to clients imposed by Standard III(B)Fair Dealing is most likely:


A. more critical when changing recommendations than when making initial
recommendations.
B. more critical when making initial recommendations than when changing
recommendations.
C. equally critical when making initial recommendations as well as when
changing recommendations.

18. Money-Etched Investments (MEIN) is a firm that attained considerable popularity


last year owing to high returns on its equity funds. The firm earned at least a 20%
return on its funds with the highest return being 28%. While developing
advertising material for the company, the firms CEO, Jeremy Chinn, asked to
include the following statement in the brochure:
Investors in MEINs equity funds can expect the value of their investments to
grow by at least 20% over a year, and hopefully, even more.
Is MEINs advertising material most likely in compliance with the CFA Institute
Standards of Professional Conduct?
A. Yes.
B. No, because it violates Standard III(D) Performance Presentation.
C. No, because it violates Standard III(D) Performance Presentation and
Standard I(C) Misrepresentation.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

Questions 19 through 32 relate to Quantitative Methods


19. According to the central limit theorem, which of the following is most accurate?
A. The variance of the distribution of the sample will decrease as the sample
size increases.
B. The mean of the distribution of the sample will almost be equal to the
mean of the population from which the sample is drawn.
C. The variance of the distribution of the sample will be equal to the variance
of the population dividend by (n-1).
20. A financial statistician made the following comments while addressing a group of
internees about the various statistical techniques used in equity analysis.
Statement 1: Sample variance calculated with a divisor of n is a biased
estimator of the population variance.
Statement 2: An estimator is more efficient and unbiased the larger the sample
size.
He is most accurate with respect to:
A. Statement 1 only.
B. Statement 2 only.
C. Neither statement 1 nor statement 2.
21. Which of the following is least likely a property of binomial distribution?
A. A binomial distribution has fixed number of trials.
B. The trials in a binomial distribution are independent.
C. Each trial in a binomial distribution has only one outcome.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

10

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

22.

An equity analyst is using the P/E ratio to rank the component firms of a broadbased equity market index. The exhibit below is an excerpt from the information
that the analyst gathered about the 35 companies included in the index.
Exhibit
P/E Data provided in ascending order.
No.
Company
P/E ratio
1

0.55

0.67

1.10

1.47

2.89

The estimate for the 10th percentile for the P/E ratio is closest to:
A. 1.322.
B. 1.360.
C. 1.391.
23. For a random sample of 200 small-cap U.S. stocks, the average dividend yield is
1.56% and the sample has a standard deviation of 0.40.
The 99% confidence interval for the population mean of all small-cap U.S. stocks
based on the standard normal distribution will be closest to:
A. 1.487% to 1.633%.
B. 1.504% to 1.615%.
C. 1.513% to 1.606%.
24. A stated annual interest rate is the:
A. quoted interest rate that does not account for compounding within the
year.
B. amount by which a unit of currency will grow in a year with interest on
interest included.
C. quoted interest rate per period that equals the periodic rate divided by the
number of compounding periods per year.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

11

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

25.

The Chebyshevs inequality will most likely hold for:


A. continuous data that is normally distributed.
B. discrete data regardless of the shape of the distribution.
C. continuous and discrete data regardless of the shape of the distribution.

26. Ronald Gibson is a statistical expert that works for an equity management firm.
Gibson believes that the normal distribution describes most common stock
returns, at least in the long-run. Under this assumption, Gibson is estimating the
probability that an emerging market equity portfolios return would exceed 22%.
The portfolio mean return is 14% and the standard deviation of returns is 26% per
year. Gibson is using the following excerpt from the table of normal probabilities
to help him with his calculation.
x or z

0.01

0.02

0.20

0.5793

0.5823

0.5871

0.30
0.40

0.6179
0.6554

0.6217
0.6591

0.6255
0.6628

Gibsons estimated probability should be closest to:


A. 37.83%.
B. 38.21%.
C. 39.88%.
27.

A portfolio manager is concerned about the occurrence of any structural changes


in the returns data series that he has gathered for non-U.S. stocks.
The managers concern is most likely related to the:
A. look-ahead bias.
B. time-period bias.
C. sample selection bias.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

12

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

28.

Edward Burger is meeting with his portfolio manager for the regular, annual
performance review of his portfolio. The portfolio manager has recommended
Burger to cash out of a few investments that he considers are not adding value to
his overall wealth. Burger is presented with the following information about these
investments:
Investment
A
B
C

Recent Annual
Sharpe Ratio
-0.23
-1.56
-2.01

Given that Burger wants to cash out of only one investment for the time being, he
selects Investment C.
Burgers decision regarding investment C is most likely:
A. appropriate.
B. inappropriate, because a shorter evaluation period should be used.
C. inappropriate, because a different evaluation metric should be used.
29. Peter Brook has shortlisted three investments to add to his $10,000 equity
portfolio. Brook needs to pay the first installment on his house in a years time
and needs the portfolio to generate enough cash to be able to do so. The table
below reveals certain performance measures for the portfolio after adding each of
the three investments.
Investment

Sharpe Ratio

Target Semi-Deviation

2.3

17%

4.6

23%

3.5

11%

Which of the above investments should Brook most likely invest in?
A. Investment A.
B. Investment B.
C. Investment C.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

13

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

30.

Jeanette King, a portfolio manager, is constructing the investment policy


statement of one of her firms new clients. Currently, the client has most of his
money invested in risk-free T-bills or investment grade corporate bonds. He is
considerably averse to volatility in his portfolios returns. King is considering the
following investments for the client.
Company

Kurtosis

Skewness

4.5

-0.5693

2.1

0.7955

Which of the above investments will be most suitable for Kings client?
A. Company A.
B. Company B.
C. Company C.
31. In candlestick charts, doji is a pattern where the stock opened:
A. and closed at the same price.
B. at its low and closed near its high.
C. at its high and dropped significantly to close near its low.
32. Bob Harper, a hedge fund manager, lists all the major hedge funds operating in
the industry and categorizes them into different styles. He then assigns a number
to each investment style.
Which of the following measures of central tendency would be most appropriate
for the data Harper is analyzing?
A. Mean.
B. Mode.
C. Median.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

14

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

Questions 33 through 44 relate to Economics


33. If the aggregate demand of an economy increases more than increase in the
aggregate supply, an investor should most likely reduce investments in:
A. cyclical companies.
B. fixed-income securities.
C. commodity-oriented equities.
34. When a firms TR = TC and MR > MC, the firm:
A. is at maximum profit level.
B. is operating at upper breakeven point.
C. should increase quantity to generate profits.
35. An economist is attempting to display, graphically, the income constraint of a
private wealth client with regards to two of his highly consumed products: Petrol
and electricity.
The slope of the income constraint equals the amount of petrol consumption that
the client would have to give up if he were to consume more electricity.
If the price of petrol were to rise, the slope of the income constraint would most
likely:
A. increase.
B. decrease.
C. remain unchanged.
36. As a firm increases the quantity of its product produced, the distance between its
ATC and AVC curve:
A. starts increasing.
B. starts decreasing.
C. remains constant.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

15

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

37.

Which of the following will least likely shift an economys short-run average
supply leftward but will have no effect on the long-run average supply?
A. A decrease in input prices.
B. An increase in human capital.
C. A decrease in the expectation of future prices.

38. Alex Gerald is examining his budget constraint given his current income and
expenditures. Gerald has a total budget of $125 per week to spend on milk or
juices. The price of milk is $3.5/litre and the price of juice is 2.5/litre.
If the quantity of milk is measured on the horizontal axis of the budget constraint,
the slope of the budget constraint would be closest to:
A. -0.71.
B. -0.95.
C. -1.40.
39. Diseconomies of scale lead to higher average total:
A. cost.
B. profit.
C. revenue.
40. A consumer buys both ice cream and cake each week for dessert. The price of ice
cream is $1.25 per scoop and the price of cake is $1.55 per piece. The consumers
marginal rate of substitution, MRSIC, equals 0.66.
To maximize utility, the consumer should most likely:
A. not change her consumption.
B. increase her consumption of cake and decrease her consumption of icecream.
C. decrease her consumption of ice-cream and increase her consumption of
cake.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

16

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

41.

Rosy Diaz is a research analyst that follows the Russian automobile industry. As
part of the industrys competitive analysis, Diaz determined that at a range of
output levels, size does not give a firm a competitive edge. However, over and
above those levels, the larger the business, the greater its potential investment
value.
Given the structure of the Russian automobile industry, the industrys:
A. long-run supply curve has either a zero slope or a decreasing slope.
B. short-run supply curve is downward sloping over a particular range of
output.
C. long-run supply curve is U-shaped, with the slope decreasing over a range
of output.

42. Which of the following asset categories price will most likely exhibit substantial
price increases when the economy is in boom phase?
A. Riskiest assets.
B. Government Bonds.
C. Shares of exporting companies.
43. Helen Oswald, a portfolio manager, is assessing the effect of a recent increase in
one of her clients salary on her consumption patterns. Oswald had constructed a
production opportunity frontier with spending on designer dress shirts on the
vertical axis and t-shirts on the horizontal axis.
Given the change in circumstances, the clients production opportunity frontier
would most likely:
A. shift upward, and the optimal indifference curve would shift rightward.
B. shift upward, and the optimal indifference curve would remain unchanged.
C. remain unchanged, and the optimal indifference curve would shift
leftward.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

17

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

44.

During his research Ross Katz, an economist, reviews the GDP data for the
European economy for the year ended 2005. The following exhibit is an excerpt
from the table provided by the Department of Finance in Europe.
Exhibit
GDP Release for the European economy
(in millions of euros)
Consumer spending
550,000
Government spending
190,678
Government gross fixed investment
30,000
Business gross fixed investment
145,300
Exports
320,666
Imports
312,865
Change in inventories
15,500
Statistical discrepancy
500
Interest income
77,500
Using the expenditure approach, nominal GDP for the European economy is
closest to:
A. 939,779 billion.
B. 1,001,779 billion.
C. 1,1017,279 billion.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

18

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

Questions 45 through 68 relate to Financial Reporting and Analysis


45. Which of the following statements is least likely correct regarding gross profit
margin?
Gross profit margin:
A. is inversely related to the competition in the industry.
B. provides a liquidity measure that is independent of the financing of the
firms assets.
C. reflects the percentage of revenue available to pay operating and other
expenses and to generate profit.
46. Which of the following would least likely affect a firms cash flow from financing
activities?
A. A firms employee exercising stock options.
B. A firm increasing its dividend payout ratio effective immediately.
C. An increase in the market interest rates on debt similar to a firms
outstanding loans.
47. If a firms leverage ratio increases, its return on equity will:
A. increase.
B. decrease.
C. either increase or decrease.
48. Holding everything else constant, assuming a firm does not sell on credit at all,
which of the following ratios for the firm would most likely be equivalent?
A. Cash ratio and quick ratio.
B. Current ratio and cash ratio.
C. Current ratio and quick ratio.
49. Under U.S. GAAP, which of the following items will most likely be reported as
extraordinary in the income statement?
A. Restructuring charges.
B. Losses from a major legal case.
C. A significant gain on the sale of a rare piece of machinery.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

19

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

50.

Sasha Audrey, a financial analyst, is preparing a report on Vault Managers


(VMA), a financial management firm in Chicago, USA. Audrey has accumulated
information about the firm to estimate key financial ratios. The following exhibit
displays this information.
Exhibit
Selective Financial Information of Vault Managers
(in thousands of US dollars)
December 31, 2011
Revenues
$405,000
Cost of services
$85,200
Interest
$135,500
Selling, general, and administrative
75,000
expenses
Depreciation
45,500
Tax Rate
35%
VMAs operating profit margin is closest to:
A. 10.24%.
B. 15.75%.
C. 49.21%.

51.

All Star Products (ASP) reported net income of $2,750,000 for the year ended
December 31, 2010. During the same year the company had an average of
1,050,000 shares of common stock outstanding. In addition to common stock,
ASP also had 50,000 of convertible preferred stock, with each convertible into ten
shares of the firms common stock. The firm pays a preferred dividend of
$15/share and a common dividend of $20.
ASPs diluted EPS is closest to:
A. $1.77.
B. $1.29.
C. $1.90.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

20

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

52.

An analyst is attempting to derive the operating cash flow from a companys


reported net income. The following information has been collected by the analyst
for the purposes of computation:
Year Ended
31/12/2015
Income statement item
Net income

450,000

Depreciation

38,000

Gain from disposal of


long-lived asset

3,250

31/12/2014 31/12/2015

Change

Balance Sheet Item


Accounts receivable

42,000

63,000

+ 21,000

Inventory

18,500

10,000

- 8,500

Accounts payable

29,500

51,330

+ 21,830

Deferred income tax


liability

55,550

40,000

- 15,550

The companys operating cash flow is closest to:


A. 478,530.
B. 488,000.
C. 494,080.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

21

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

53.

An analyst has been asked to perform a comparative analysis of the financial


statements of Pin Enterprises (PIEN) for the most recent years. She initiated the
analysis with the firms profitability ratios and compiled the following data:
2010

2011

Leverage

1.80

2.50

Total asset turnover

2.0

2.3

Tax burden

0.50

0.70

Interest burden

0.60

0.90

5.13%

7.29%

EBIT Margin

Which of the following least describes one of the conclusions given her compiled
data?
A. The major contributor to the increase in the firms return on assets was the
rise in net profit margin.
B. The firms return on equity increased by 20.87% in 2011, mostly because
of an increase in leverage.
C. The firms interest costs decreased more than the decrease in its tax costs
during the 2010-2011 financial period.
54. An overview of specific business lines and the segmentation of income are most
likely found in the:
A. statement of operations.
B. supplementary schedule.
C. management commentary .

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

22

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

55.

A portfolio manager is assessing the following information as part of a


comprehensive analysis of a firms financial health and investment attractiveness
using cash flow ratios.
Cash flow from operating activities
Interest paid
Taxes paid
Lease payments
Dividends paid

$89,250
$45,000
$22,000
$15,500
$12,000

If the firm follows US GAAP, the interest coverage ratio is closest to:
A. 2.47.
B. 2.62.
C. 3.47.
56. A portfolio manager has accumulated the following data to carry out a
comparative analysis of firms within the U.S. automobile industry.
Exhibit
SOP Auto Manufacturers Financial Information
Net Income
$25,000,000
Weighted average common shares
150,000,000
Beginning of year stock options
75,000
outstanding
Exercise price of stock options
$45
Market price of companys stock
$65
Stock option price
$11.55
Using the treasury stock method, the diluted EPS for SOP Auto Manufacturers is
closest to:
A. $0.167.
B. $0.159.
C. $1.220.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

23

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

57.

A company engages in the dealing and trading of financial assets that are highly
liquid. Such purchase and sale is not part of the companys primary business
activity.
In the cash flow statement the above activities would appear as:
A. Investing activities.
B. Operating activities.
C. Financing activities.

58. If a firms price to book value ratio is one, the equity investors in the firm will
most likely earn:
A. a normal profit only.
B. excess profits since the ratio is positive.
C. zero profits as return would not exceed risk.
59. The head of a firms sales and marketing department is attempting to determine
the appropriate method of reporting revenue under a long-term contractual sale.
Due to the nature of the counterparty involved, the outcome of the contract cannot
be measured reliably and a 30% loss on the contract is expected.
Given the above information, under U.S. GAAP, the:
A. percentage of completion method will be used to recognize the loss
immediately.
B. completed contract method will be used but the loss will be recognized
immediately.
C. loss will be recognized upon completion when revenue is recognized,
unlike IFRS, which will require the loss to be recognized immediately.
60. When the income tax expense in the income statement is greater than current
income tax liability, the difference will most likely increase a firms:
A. taxable income.
B. deferred tax assets.
C. deferred tax liabilities.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

24

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

61.

If a firm purchases services on credit, in effect borrowing from the provider, it


would most likely appear on the cash flow statement as an:
A. operating activity.
B. investing activity.
C. financing activity.

62. For a particular firm, holding everything constant and assuming rising prices, the
inventory turnover will be lowest under the:
A. FIFO method of inventory accounting.
B. LIFO method of inventory accounting.
C. average method of inventory accounting.
63. Superior Tech Limited (S-Tech) has a contract to develop a marketing campaign
for a newly established firm. The agreed upon sales price is $15 million and STech estimates that it would take 4 years to get the job done. Total costs are
estimated to be $9 million. Details about the expenditures incurred in years 1 and
2 are given below:
At the end of year 1, S-Tech spends $4 million.
At the end of year 2, the company spends an additional $3.5 million.
Under the percentage-of-completion method, how much revenue will S-Tech
recognize in year 2?
A. $5,833,333.
B. $6,666,667.
C. $12,500,000.
64. Compared to U.S. GAAP, under IFRS interest received or paid can be reported
either as an:
A. investing activity or operating activity.
B. financing activity or investing activity.
C. operating, investing or financing activity.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

25

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

65.

For an issuing company, interest expense reported for the bonds in its financial
statements is based on the:
A. coupon rate.
B. effective interest rate.
C. market rate of interest.

66. The following data relates to a manufacturing concerns financial performance


and efficiency.
Beginning inventory 2012
Ending inventory 2012
Cost of goods sold 2012
Cost of goods sold 1st quarter 2013
Average inventory 1st quarter 2013

$70,000
$50,000
$180,000
$45,000
$66,000

Relative to 2012, the firms inventory turnover ratio in 2013:


A. improved.
B. deteriorated.
C. remained unchanged.
67. Relative to expensing, which of the following least describes the effect of
capitalizing borrowing costs on a firms reported financials?
A. Leverage would appear higher for the firm.
B. Operating income would be lower in the future.
C. Operating cash flow would be higher but investing cash flow would be
lower.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

26

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

68.

Wicker Textiles (WTEX) is a well-established firm in central Minneapolis,


Minnesota. WTEX has increased inventory to meet the seasonal demand of its
products. Some information about WTEXs inventory value is given below:
The cost of the inventory is $60,000.
The estimated selling price less costs of completion and costs to make the
sale equals $80,000.
The market value of the inventory is $55,000.
A normal profit margin equals 15%.
Under U.S. GAAP, the inventory value on WTEXs financial statements should
be closest to:
A. $55,000.
B. $60,000.
C. $80,000.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

27

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

Questions 69 through 76 relate to Corporate Finance


69.

Which of the following about financial leverage and unit sales is most accurate?
The farther unit sales are from the break-even points for high leverage companies,
the:
A. magnifying effect becomes unpredictable.
B. lower the magnifying effect of this leverage.
C. greater the magnifying effect of this leverage.

70.

Ryan Myers, a financial analyst, has been appointed the task of developing a
valuation estimate for Colors Fashion Label (CFL), a private, U.S. based firm
operating in the fashion industry of the country. Myers gathered the following
information to aid his analysis:
The long-term yield on U.S. government bonds is 3.5%.
The historical equity risk premium in the U.S. is 5.6%.
A comparable firm has a beta of 1.35, a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20,
and a tax rate of 40%.
CFLs tax rate is 33%.
CFLs Debt/Equity ratio is 0.75.
Given the aforementioned information, Myers estimate of CFLs cost of equity
should be closest to:
A. 7.896%.
B. 9.874%.
C. 10.105%.

71.

Breakeven point analysis will be least important for a company with a high ratio
of:
A. debt to total assets and low business cycle sensitivity.
B. intangible assets to total assets and high operating income.
C. tangible assets to total assets and low business cycle sensitivity.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

28

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

72.

Xerox Technologies (XETECH) is a well-established firm in the gaming industry


of the United States. Just recently, XETECH upgraded its gaming device and
increased its price to $250. The production of this device cost the firm $65/unit in
variable costs. The total fixed operating costs equaled $10,000,000.
If the firm changes its output from 200,000 units to 220,000 units, operating
income will change by:
A. 1.37%
B. 10.00%.
C. 13.70%.

73. Major drags on liquidity for a firm most likely includes:


A. obsolete inventory.
B. reduced credit limits.
C. making payments early.
74.

Which of the following can be least managed or controlled by a firms


management?
A. Sales risk.
B. Financial risk.
C. Operating risk.

75. In the face of bankruptcy, the companies least likely to emerge as ongoing
concerns are the ones with high degree of:
A. financial leverage.
B. operating leverage.
C. financial leverage and a low degree of operating leverage.
76.

Which of the following is least likely correct regarding staggered boards?


A. Staggered board facilitates better continuity of board expertise.
B. Management uses staggered board as an anti-takeover instrument.
C. A staggered board provides more flexibility to nominate new board
members to meet changes in the marketplace.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

29

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

Questions 77 through 88 relate to Equity Investments


77. A fixed-income analyst is considering investing in a pooled investment vehicle.
His friend recommends a closed-ended mutual fund, an open ended mutual fund
and an exchange-traded fund. The analyst expects to hold the investment for a
year or so and has determined that all options are trading at a discount.
The largest discount will most likely be for the:
A. ETF.
B. Open-ended mutual fund.
C. Close-ended mutual fund.
78. A price-weighted index has an initial value of 45. The prices of the constituent
securities before a stock split on security B are given in Exhibit 1.
Exhibit 1
Before a 2 for 1 Split in Security B
Security
Price ($)
A
65.12
B
84.00
C
8.50
D
11.99
To ensure that the value of the index does not change after the split, the new
divisor will be closest to:
A. 1.329.
B. 2.836.
C. 3.769.
79. According to statistical approaches, companies are grouped based on their:
A. principal business activities.
B. relative sensitivities to the business cycle.
C. historical correlations of securities returns.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

30

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

80.

Cary Lee just received a performance-based bonus from her employer and desires
to invest that in real estate. Her current portfolio is invested in stocks and bonds
only.
If Lee wants to achieve maximum diversification, she should most likely invest in:
A. Direct real estate.
B. Real estate investment trusts (REITs).
C. Shares of companies that own and operate real estate.

81.

Anthony Francisco just received $10,000 as inheritance from his uncle who
passed away last month. Consequently, Francisco advises his portfolio manager to
increase his portfolios allocation to domestic stocks from 15% to 25%. The
manager determines that the most appropriate holding period for Francisco is ten
years. He thus invests in non-dividend paying stocks that would yield the required
return over ten years.
Given the information above, Francisco is most likely an:
A. Investor.
B. Speculator.
C. Information-motivated trader.

82.

In most financial models, the assumption is that the investors are:


A. risk averse.
B. loss averse.
C. risk takers.

83. A firm has just paid a dividend of $2.5 per share. The required rate of return is
15% per year and dividends are expected to grow at a constant rate of 9.4%. If an
analyst uses Gordon Growth model to calculate the firms intrinsic value, how
much does the dividend growth assumption add to the intrinsic value estimate?
A. $22.24
B. $32.17
C. $48.84

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

31

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

84.

Bobby Anderson, a portfolio manager, is considering investing in commodities to


diversify the risks held in his personal portfolio. Since he has had minimal prior
exposure to the commodities market and does not have the facilities to hold most
commodities, he is trying to determine the most appropriate way to invest in the
sector.
Which of the following markets will be most suitable for Anderson to achieve his
diversification objective?
A. The spot market.
B. The futures market.
C. The forwards market.

85.

Matt Elaine has developed software that enables him to determine the correlation
between economic variables and stock returns. Elaine believes that abnormal
returns could be generated using his investing approach.
Which of the following characteristics of the financial system would least likely
aid Elaine in achieving his objective?
A. Market liquidity.
B. Low cost trading.
C. Transparent financial and economic disclosures.

86.

For which of the following indices is rebalancing a major concern?


A. Equal-weighted indices.
B. Equal-weighted and market-capitalization weighted indices.
C. Equal-weighted, market-capitalization weighted and price-weighted
indices.

87. Which of the following is not a time series anomaly?


A. Momentum
B. Holiday effect
C. Earnings surprise

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

32

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

88.

The price of a large-cap index at the beginning of the period is $1,250 while the
dividends paid to investors amounts to $400. If the total return on the index is
15.00%, the price of the index at the end of the period is equal to:
A. $1,037.50.
B. $1,062.50.
C. $1,437.50.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

33

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

Questions 89 through 94 relate to Derivative Investments


89. Which of the following least represents the rationale of a traditional insurance
product?
A. Credit-linked note.
B. Credit default swap.
C. Credit spread option.
90. Off-market forward is a forward transaction that:
A. starts with a non-zero value.
B. is used to offset the current forward transaction.
C. is not entered into within normal business timings.

91. Compared to underlying spot markets, derivatives markets offer which of the
following operational advantages?
A. Lower transaction costs.
B. Greater liquidity and easy short selling opportunities.
C. Lower transaction costs, greater liquidity, and easy short selling
opportunities.
92.

Steve Hammond is the CEO of a U.S. based company in the oil exploration
business. Hammond is concerned with falling oil prices in the near future.
Specifically, he wants to hedge the risk of the companys oil production of a
million liters expected in 234 days from now. He wants to ensure near perfect
hedging with minimal investment.
The most appropriate way to hedge the companys exposure is to use:
A. Futures.
B. Options.
C. Forwards.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

34

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

93.

With regards to equivalence, a swap is closest to a series of:


A. futures expiring at a set of dates coinciding with the swap payment dates.
B. forwards expiring at a set of dates coinciding with the swap payment
dates.
C. options expiring at a set of dates with the options exercise prices equal to
the price inherent in the swap.

94. The higher the exercise price of a call option, the greater the:
A. price of an option.
B. opportunity to gain on the upside.
C. premium received by the seller of the call.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

35

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

Questions 95 through 106 relate to Fixed Income


95. Which of the following statements about the fixed-income market is least
accurate?
A. Since, globally, the fixed-income market is not as popular as the equity
market, equity securities are far more diverse than debt securities.
B. Institutional investors dominate the fixed-income markets because of
informational barriers to entry and invest directly in such securities.
C. Index weighting in the fixed-income market is based on price or value,
and is rarely ever equally-weighted.
96. A fixed-income analyst is analyzing the following bonds performance given
future market conditions.
Exhibit 1
Coupon Rate

Maturity

Bond A

5.5%

4 years

Bond B

6.5%

3 years

Bond C

5.0%

3 years

Which of the above bonds will have lowest interest rate risk?
A. Bond A.
B. Bond B.
C. Bond C.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

36

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

97.

An analyst is trying to estimate the implied forward rates as inputs to his bond
valuation process. For this purpose, she gathers the data provided in the following
exhibit.
Exhibit
Zero Coupon Government Bonds
Yield to
Maturity
Price
Maturity
2 year
98.77
3.556%
3 year
96.87
3.786%
4 year
93.11
3.980%
*The yields to maturity are stated on a semiannual bond basis
The 2y1y implied forward rate would be closest to:
A. 4.25%.
B. 4.56%.
C. 4.16%.

98. For bonds with the same time-to-maturity and yield-to-maturity, Macaulay
duration is the lowest for a:
A. zero coupon bond.
B. low coupon bond trading at a discount.
C. high coupon bond trading at a premium.
Similarly a low-coupon bond trading at a discount has a higher duration than a
high coupon bond trading at a premium.
99.

A portfolio manager is confused about whether to invest in a bond issue with a


serial maturity structure, or one with a term maturity structure, given everything
else is similar.
Which of the following, if introduced, will make the manager largely indifferent
between the two structures?
A. High credit quality.
B. Moderate liquidity needs.
C. A sinking fund provision.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

37

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

100. For a fully amortized bond, the annual payment, which includes both the coupon
payment and the principal repayment:
A. remains constant.
B. decreases at constant rate.
C. decreases at decreasing rate.
101. A 7% annual coupon bond is trading at a price of 105.67 and has three years to
maturity. A 5.5% annual payment, 3-year T-note is trading at a price of 107.89. A
5-year 7% annual coupon T-note is trading at a price of 109.77.
Given the above information, the G-spread will be closest to:
A. 0.16%.
B. 1.32%.
C. 2.19%.
102. A dealer believes that the bonds issued by Super-Tee Enterprises (SUTEE) are
considerably overvalued and wants to benefit from the mispricing. For achieving
this objective, the dealer borrows 100 par value bonds of SUTEE from an
institutional investor and lends cash in return. The bonds have a stated coupon
rate of 7.5%.
The above transaction will best be known as a:
A. repurchase agreement, and the coupon will belong to the seller of the
security.
B. reverse repurchase agreement, and the coupon will belong to the borrower
of the security.
C. reverse repurchase agreement, and the coupon will belong to the borrower
of cash.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

38

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

103. Tony Sam has invested in a floating rate bond based on Libor. Due to changing
market conditions, Sam is particularly concerned with his investment value
deviating from par value.
Sams concern is most likely:
A. justified.
B. exaggerated, since floating rate securities have little market risk.
C. exaggerated, since floating rate securities have little interest rate risk.
104. An analyst is attempting to determine the value of a four-year, 8% annual couponpaying bond with a par value of 100. The exhibit below summarizes the sequence
of spot rates which will be used to value the issue.
Time-to-Maturity

Spot Rate (%)

1 year

1.25

2 years

1.80

3 years

2.45

4 years

3.00

The yield-to-maturity of the bond is equal to:


A. 2.90%.
B. 3.00%.
C. 3.08%.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

39

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

105. An investors fixed-income portfolio includes two 180-day money market


instruments. Exhibit 1 displays some key information about the securities.

Money Market
Instrument
A
B

Exhibit
Quotation
Basis
Discount Rate
Add-on Rate

Quoted
Rate
6.78%
7.02%

Assuming that the credit risks of the instruments are comparable, the instrument
that offers a higher expected rate of return is:
A. A.
B. B.
C. neither, since they both offer almost equivalent returns.
106. Sean Lee has just started work at D&L Dealers Association (DLD), a U.S. based
firm that specializes in dealing in stocks and bonds. During a meeting with one of
the firms colleagues, Lee posed the following question:
I am not sure how the lender of cash in a repurchase agreement would account
for the credit risk of the counterparty and make sure it has a margin of safety?
The best response to Lees question is that the:
A. repo rate will account for this concern.
B. repo margin will account for this concern.
C. collaterals value will account for this concern.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

40

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

Questions 107 through 112 relate to Alternative Investments


107. Xoro Investors is a private equity firm that is nearing its exit stage for two of its
profitable investments. The fund plans to achieve the following objectives
through the use of appropriate exit strategies for the investments:
Investment A: Fast execution, no lock-up period and a higher level of
confidentiality.
Investment B: The potential for the highest price.
Which of the following describes the most appropriate exit strategies for the
investments?
A. A trade sale for investment A and an IPO for investment B.
B. A secondary sale for investment A and a trade sale for investment B.
C. A trade sale for investment A and a secondary sale for investment B.
108. Which of the following hedge fund strategies is least likely to have a zero beta
position?
A. Market Neutral.
B. Quantitative Directional.
C. Fixed Income Convertible Arbitrage.
109. XYZ hedge fund is a U.S. based fund with $200 million of initial investment
capital. The fund specifies a 2 and 20 fee structure with fees calculated using
end-of-period calculation.
If, in its first year, XYZ hedge fund earns a return of 25%, the investors net
return will be closest to:
A. 18.0%.
B. 18.4%.
C. 18.5%.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

41

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

110. During a seminar on the attractiveness of alternative investments, the guest


speaker made the following comment:
The hedge fund strategy that is closest to the strategy followed by a private
equity fund is the activist hedge fund.
The distinction between the two that sets them apart is that the hedge fund:
A. does not have a lock-up period.
B. operates in the public equity market only.
C. does not influence the target company as much as private equity.
111. Which of the following category of alternative investments most likely include
metals and crude oil?
A. Real Estate
B. Commodities
C. Other alternative investments
112. Activist is an event driven strategy that focuses on the:
A. purchase of sufficient equity to influence a companys policies or
direction.
B. securities of the companies either in bankruptcy or perceived to be near to
bankruptcy.
C. opportunities in the equity of companies that are currently engaged in
restructuring activities.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

42

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

Questions 113 through 120 relate to Portfolio Management


113. The execution step of portfolio management process most likely includes:
A. portfolio monitoring.
B. portfolio construction.
C. performance measurement.
114. An equity analyst is using the market model to analyze the returns to a stock.
During the recent year, the market rose by 5% and the stock rose by 8%. The beta
for the stock is 0.66 and alpha is 0.02. Risk free rate is 0 percent. The companyspecific return to the stock during the recent year is closest to:
A. 2.7%.
B. 4.5%.
C. 4.7%.
115. According to the CAL, an investor should choose the portfolio that lies at the
point where the:
A. efficient frontier is tangent to the capital allocation line.
B. investors indifference curve cuts the capital allocation line.
C. highest indifference curve is tangent to the capital allocation line.
116. A portfolio manager has constructed an investment portfolio for one of his firms
largest institutional clients. Exhibit 1 displays the composition of the portfolio.
Exhibit
Type
Stocks
Fixed Income
Alternative Investments

Percentage Invested
60%
25%
15%

The above portfolio is least suitable for:


A. A foundation.
B. An insurance company.
C. A newly offered defined benefit pension plan.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

43

CFA Level I Mock Exam 4 Questions (AM)

117. Which of the following statements is most likely correct regarding the
mathematically derived metrics.
A. Gamma is considered a second order risk because it reflects the risk of
changes in vega.
B. The sensitivity to changes in the volatility of the underlying is reflected in
a measure called rho.
C. Delta captures only small changes in the value of the underlying whereas
large changes are captured by gamma.
118. Which of the following investments is likely to have a negative beta?
A. A risk-free asset.
B. An insurance policy.
C. An asset with returns that have insignificant sensitivity to the market
return.
119. Carlos Long, a financial analyst, is meeting with Tony John, one of his private
wealth clients. During the meeting John stated that he expects return of 15% from
his portfolio. Long estimated that the market portfolio has an expected return of
25% and a standard deviation of 37%. The risk-free rate is 5.0%.
If Long uses the capital allocation line as a benchmark, Johns portfolio will have
a standard deviation closest to:
A. 18.5%.
B. 27.0%.
C. 37.0%.
120. An investor with a risk aversion coefficient of 4 is analyzing an investment with
an expected return of 12% and a risk of 15%.
If the risk-free asset has a return of 5.0%, the investor will most likely prefer:
A. the risk-free asset.
B. the risky investment.
C. either the risk-free asset or the risky investment.

FinQuiz.com 2016 - All rights reserved.

44

You might also like