Question

Last year Kruse Corp had $355,000 of assets, $403,000 of sales, $28,250 of net income, and a debt-to-total-assets ratio of 39%. The new CFO believes the firm has excessive fixed assets and inventory that could be sold, enabling it to reduce its total assets to $252,500. Sales, costs, and net income would not be affected, and the firm would maintain the same debt ratio (but with less total debt). By how much would the reduction in assets improve the ROE?

Answer 1

It will improve the ROE by 5.29% to 18.34% from 13.05%

Step-by-step explanation:

current values

assets 355,000

sales 403,000

net income 28,250

debt to assets = 39%

debt = assets x 39% = 355,00 x .39 = 138,450

equity = assets - debt = 355,000 - 138,450 = 216,550

Current ROE

net income / own funds (equity)

28,250/216,500 = 0,1304849 = 13.05%

With the proposition of reducing assets to 252,500

debt = assets x 39% = 252,500 x .39 = 98,475

equity = assets - debt = 252,500 - 98,475 = 154,025‬

proposition expected ROE

28,250/154,025 = 0,183411783 = 18.34%

Change in ROE 18.34 - 13.05 = 5.29