Final answer:
The statements that are true regarding the effect of financial leverage on a firm's operating earnings (EBIT) are: the rate of return on assets is unaffected by leverage, the slope of the EPS line is unaffected by financial leverage, and below the EBIT break-even point, the levered capital structure is best.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct statements regarding the effect of financial leverage and the firm's operating earnings (EBIT) are:
- The rate of return on assets is unaffected by leverage.
- The slope of the EPS line is unaffected by financial leverage.
- Below the EBIT break-even point, the levered capital structure is best.
Financial leverage refers to the use of debt to finance a firm's operations. It can impact a company's profitability and risk. However, it does not affect the rate of return on assets or the slope of the earnings per share (EPS) line.
Below the EBIT break-even point, a levered capital structure is generally preferred as it allows the firm to benefit from the financial leverage effect, where a higher proportion of fixed costs can magnify the impact of a small increase in sales on operating earnings.