Chapter 06 Financial Planning and Forecasting
Chapter 06 Financial Planning and Forecasting
Chapter 06 Financial Planning and Forecasting
1. The first, and most critical, step in constructing a set of forecasted financial statements is the sales forecast.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: EASY
REFERENCES: 6-2 The Sales
Forecast
TOPICS: Sales forecast
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
2. A typical sales forecast, though concerned with future events, will usually be based on recent historical trends and
events as well as on forecasts of economic prospects.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: EASY
REFERENCES: 6-2 The Sales Forecast
TOPICS: Sales forecast
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension
3. Errors in the sales forecast can be offset by similar errors in costs and income forecasts. Thus, as long as the errors are
not large, sales forecast accuracy is not critical to the firm.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: EASY
REFERENCES: 6-2 The Sales Forecast
TOPICS: Sales forecast
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension
4. As a firm's sales grow, its current assets also tend to increase. For instance, as sales increase, the firm's inventories
generally increase, and purchases of inventories result in more accounts payable. Thus, spontaneously generated funds
arise from transactions brought on by sales increases.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: EASY
REFERENCES: 6-3 The AFN Equation
TOPICS: Spontaneously gen. funds
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension
6. A rapid build-up of inventories normally requires additional financing, unless the increase is matched by an equally
large decrease in some other asset.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: EASY
REFERENCES: 6-3 The AFN Equation
TOPICS: Asset increase
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension
7. If a firm wants to maintain its ratios at their existing levels, then if it has a positive sales growth rate of any amount, it
will require some amount of external funding.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: EASY
REFERENCES: 6-3 The AFN Equation
TOPICS: Additional funds needed
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension
8. To determine the amount of additional funds needed (AFN), you may subtract the expected increase in liabilities, which
represents a source of funds, from the sum of the expected increases in retained earnings and assets, both of which are
uses of funds.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: EASY
REFERENCES: 6-3 The AFN Equation
TOPICS: Additional funds
needed
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
10. If a firm with a positive net worth is operating its fixed assets at full capacity, if its dividend payout ratio is 100%, and
if it wants to hold all financial ratios constant, then for any positive growth rate in sales, it will require external financing.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: MODERATE
REFERENCES: 6-3 The AFN Equation
TOPICS: Additional funds needed
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension
11. A firm's profit margin is 5%, its debt ratio is 56%, and its dividend payout ratio is 40%. If the firm is operating at less
than full capacity, then sales could increase to some extent without the need for external funds, but if it is operating at full
capacity with respect to all assets, including fixed assets, then any positive growth in sales will require some external
financing.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: MODERATE
REFERENCES: 6-3 The AFN Equation
TOPICS: Additional funds needed
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension
12. Two firms with identical capital intensity ratios are generating the same amount of sales. However, Firm A is
operating at full capacity, while Firm B is operating below capacity. If the two firms expect the same growth in sales
during the next period, then Firm A is likely to need more additional funds than Firm B, other things held constant.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: MODERATE
REFERENCES: 6-3 The AFN Equation
TOPICS: Capital intensity ratio
13. If a firm's capital intensity ratio (A0*/S0) decreases as sales increase, use of the AFN formula is likely to understate the
amount of additional funds required, other things held constant.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: MODERATE
REFERENCES: 6-3 The AFN Equation
TOPICS: Capital intensity ratio
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension
14. The fact that long-term debt and common stock are raised infrequently and in large amounts lessens the need for the
firm to forecast those accounts on a continual basis.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: MODERATE
REFERENCES: 6-4 Forecasted Financial Statements
TOPICS: Financial forecasting
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension
15. When we use the AFN equation to forecast the additional funds needed (AFN), we are implicitly assuming that all
financial ratios are constant. If financial ratios are not constant, regression techniques can be used to improve the financial
forecast.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: MODERATE
REFERENCES: 6-5 Using Regression to Improve
Forecasts
TOPICS: AFN and linear regression
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
16. Which of the following is NOT a key element in strategic planning as it is described in the text?
a. The mission statement.
b. The statement of the corporation's
scope.
c. The statement of cash flows.
d. The statement of corporate objectives.
e. The operating plan.
ANSWER: c
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CHAPTER 06—FINANCIAL PLANNING AND FORECASTING
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: EASY
REFERENCES: 6-1 Strategic Planning
TOPICS: Strategic planning
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension
OTHER: Multiple Choice: Conceptual
18. Jefferson City Computers has developed a forecasting model to estimate its AFN for the upcoming year. All else being
equal, which of the following factors is most likely to lead to an increase of the additional funds needed (AFN)?
a. A sharp increase in its forecasted sales.
b. A sharp reduction in its forecasted sales.
c. The company reduces its dividend payout ratio.
d. The company switches its materials purchases to a supplier that sells on terms of 1/5, net 90, from a supplier
whose terms are 3/15, net 35.
e. The company discovers that it has excess capacity in its fixed assets.
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Answer a is obviously correct. Also, note that with purchase terms of 1/5 net 90, the nominal cost of non-
free trade credit is only 4.34%, whereas with 3/15, net 35, the nominal cost of trade credit is over 56%.
Therefore, the firm should have been taking discounts originally, hence should have had few accounts
payable, whereas it would probably not take discounts and thus have more accounts payable with the
new supplier. That change would lower its AFN.
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: EASY/MODERATE
REFERENCES: 6-3 The AFN Equation
TOPICS: Additional funds needed
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Evaluation
OTHER: Multiple Choice: Conceptual
19. The term "additional funds needed (AFN)" is generally defined as follows:
a. Funds that are obtained automatically from routine business transactions.
b. Funds that a firm must raise externally from non-spontaneous sources, i.e., by borrowing or by selling new
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CHAPTER 06—FINANCIAL PLANNING AND FORECASTING
stock, to support operations.
c. The amount of assets required per dollar of sales.
d. The amount of internally generated cash in a given year minus the amount of cash needed to acquire the new
assets needed to support growth.
e. A forecasting approach in which the forecasted percentage of sales for each balance sheet account is held
constant.
ANSWER: b
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: EASY/MODERATE
REFERENCES: 6-3 The AFN Equation
TOPICS: Additional funds needed
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Comprehension
OTHER: Multiple Choice: Conceptual
21. Which of the following is NOT one of the steps taken in the financial planning process?
a. Assumptions are made about future levels of sales, costs, and interest rates for use in the forecast.
b. The entire financial plan is reexamined, assumptions are reviewed, and the management team considers how
additional changes in operations might improve results.
c. Projected ratios are calculated and analyzed.
d. Develop a set of projected financial statements.
e. Consult with key competitors about the optimal set of prices to charge, i.e., the prices that will maximize
profits for our firm and its competitors.
ANSWER: e
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: MODERATE
REFERENCES: 6-1 Strategic Planning
TOPICS: Financial planning
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Analysis
OTHER: Multiple Choice: Conceptual
23. A company expects sales to increase during the coming year, and it is using the AFN equation to forecast the
additional capital that it must raise. Which of the following conditions would cause the AFN to increase?
a. The company previously thought its fixed assets were being operated at full capacity, but now it learns that it
actually has excess capacity.
b. The company increases its dividend payout ratio.
c. The company begins to pay employees monthly rather than weekly.
d. The company's profit margin increases.
e. The company decides to stop taking discounts on purchased materials.
ANSWER: b
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: MODERATE
REFERENCES: 6-3 The AFN Equation
TOPICS: Additional funds needed
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Analysis
OTHER: Multiple Choice: Conceptual
30. Last year Godinho Corp. had $250 million of sales, and it had $75 million of fixed assets that were being operated at
80% of capacity. In millions, how large could sales have been if the company had operated at full capacity?
a. $312.5
b. $328.1
c. $344.5
d. $361.8
e. $379.8
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Sales $250
Fixed assets $75.0
% of capacity utilized 80.0%
31. Kamath-Meier Corporation's CFO uses this equation, which was developed by regressing inventories on sales over the
past 5 years, to forecast inventory requirements: Inventories = $22.0 + 0.125(Sales). The company expects sales of $400
million during the current year, and it expects sales to grow by 30% next year. What is the inventory forecast for next
year? All dollars are in millions.
a. $74.6
b. $78.5
c. $82.7
d. $87.0
e. $91.4
ANSWER: d
RATIONALE: Current year's sales $400
Growth rate 30%
Projected Sales $520.0
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: EASY
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CHAPTER 06—FINANCIAL PLANNING AND FORECASTING
REFERENCES: 6-5 Using Regression to Improve Forecasts
TOPICS: Forecasting inv.–regression
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Application
OTHER: Multiple Choice: Problem
32. Last year Wei Guan Inc. had $350 million of sales, and it had $270 million of fixed assets that were used at 65% of
capacity. In millions, by how much could Wei Guan's sales increase before it is required to increase its fixed assets?
a. $170.09
b. $179.04
c. $188.46
d. $197.88
e. $207.78
ANSWER: c
RATIONALE: Sales $350
Fixed assets (not used in calculations) $270
% of capacity utilized 65%
Sales at full capacity = Actual sales/% of capacity used = $538.46
Additional sales without adding FA = Full capacity sales − Actual sales = $188.46
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: MODERATE
REFERENCES: 6-3 The AFN Equation
TOPICS: Excess capacity
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Evaluation
OTHER: Multiple Choice: Problem
33. Last year Handorf-Zhu Inc. had $850 million of sales, and it had $425 million of fixed assets that were used at only
60% of capacity. What is the maximum sales growth rate the company could achieve before it had to increase its fixed
assets?
a. 54.30%
b. 57.16%
c. 60.17%
d. 63.33%
e. 66.67%
ANSWER: e
RATIONALE: Sales $850
Fixed assets (not used in calculations) $425
% of capacity utilized 60%
Sales at full capacity = Actual sales/% of capacity used = $1,416.67
Additional sales without adding FA = Full capacity sales − Actual
$566.67
sales =
34. Last year Jain Technologies had $250 million of sales and $100 million of fixed assets, so its Fixed Assets/Sales ratio
was 40%. However, its fixed assets were used at only 75% of capacity. Now the company is developing its financial
forecast for the coming year. As part of that process, the company wants to set its target Fixed Assets/Sales ratio at the
level it would have had had it been operating at full capacity. What target Fixed Assets/Sales ratio should the company
set?
a. 28.5%
b. 30.0%
c. 31.5%
d. 33.1%
e. 34.7%
ANSWER: b
RATIONALE: Sales $250
Fixed assets $100
% of capacity utilized 75%
Sales at full capacity = Actual sales/% of capacity used = $333.33
35. Fairchild Garden Supply expects $600 million of sales this year, and it forecasts a 15% increase for next year. The
CFO uses this equation to forecast inventory requirements at different levels of sales: Inventories = $30.2 + 0.25(Sales).
All dollars are in millions. What is the projected inventory turnover ratio for the coming year?
a. 3.40
b. 3.57
c. 3.75
d. 3.94
e. 4.14
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Current year's sales $600
Growth rate 15%
Projected sales $690
36. Clayton Industries is planning its operations for next year. Ronnie Clayton, the CEO, wants you to forecast the firm's
additional funds needed (AFN). Data for use in your forecast are shown below. Based on the AFN equation, what is the
AFN for the coming year? Dollars are in millions.
a. $102.8
b. $108.2
c. $113.9
d. $119.9
e. $125.9
ANSWER: d
RATIONALE: Last year's sales = S0 $350
Sales growth rate = g 30%
Forecasted sales = S0 × (1 + g) $455
ΔS = change in sales = S1 − S0 = S0 × g $105
Last year's total assets = A0* = A0* since full capacity $500
Forecasted total assets = A1* = A0* × (1 + g) $650
Last year's accounts payable $40
Last year's notes payable. Not spontaneous, so does not enter AFN
$50
calculation
Last year's accruals $30
L0* = payables + accruals $70
Profit margin = PM 5.0%
Target payout ratio 60.0%
Retention ratio = (1 − Payout) 40.0%
37. Chua Chang & Wu Inc. is planning its operations for next year, and the CEO wants you to forecast the firm's
additional funds needed (AFN). Data for use in your forecast are shown below. Based on the AFN equation, what is the
AFN for the coming year?
38. Howton & Howton Worldwide (HHW) is planning its operations for the coming year, and the CEO wants you to
forecast the firm's additional funds needed (AFN). Data for use in the forecast are shown below. However, the CEO is
concerned about the impact of a change in the payout ratio from the 10% that was used in the past to 50%, which the
firm's investment bankers have recommended. Based on the AFN equation, by how much would the AFN for the coming
year change if HHW increased the payout from 10% to the new and higher level? All dollars are in millions.
39. Last year Emery Industries had $450 million of sales and $225 million of fixed assets, so its Fixed Assets/Sales ratio
was 50%. However, its fixed assets were used at only 65% of capacity. If the company had been able to sell off enough of
its fixed assets at book value so that it was operating at full capacity, with sales held constant at $450 million, how much
cash (in millions) would it have generated?
a. $74.81
b. $78.75
c. $82.69
d. $86.82
e. $91.16
ANSWER: b
RATIONALE: Sales $450
Fixed assets $225
% of capacity utilized 65%
Sales at full capacity = Actual sales/% of capacity used = $692.31
Target FA/Sales ratio = Full capacity FA/Sales = FA/Capacity sales = 32.50%
Optimal FA = Sales × Target FA/Sales ratio = $146.25
Cash generated = Actual FA − Optimal FA = $78.75
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: CHALLENGING
REFERENCES: 6-3 The AFN Equation
TOPICS: Finding target FA/S ratio
KEYWORDS: Bloom's: Evaluation
OTHER: Multiple Choice: Problem
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CHAPTER 06—FINANCIAL PLANNING AND FORECASTING