Question

In 2013, Natural Selection, a nationwide computer dating service, had $500 million of assets and $200 million of liabilities. Earnings before interest and taxes were $120 million, interest expense was $28 million, the tax rate was 40%, principal repayment requirements were $24 million, and annual dividends were 30 cents per share on 20 million shares outstanding.

a) Calculate the following for Natural Selection:
1) Liabilities-to-equity ratio
2) Times-interest-earned ratio
3) Times burden covered
b) What percentage decline in earnings before interest and taxes could Natural Selection have sustained before failing to cover:
1) Interest payment requirements?
2) Principal and interest requirements?
3) Principal, interest, and common dividend payments?

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

The computation is shown below:

a) Liabilities to equity ratio is

= $200 ÷ ($500 - $200)

= 0.667

Times interest earned ratio is

= EBIT ÷ Interest expense

= $120 ÷ $28

= 4.285

Times burden covered is

= EBIT ÷ (Interest +Principal repayment ÷ ( 1 -tax rate))

= 120 ÷ (28+24 ÷ (1-0.4))

= 1.764

b)

Interest paying requirements

= ($128 - $20) ÷ 120

= 76.7%

Principal and interest requirements

= [$120 - ($28 + $24 ÷ (1-0.4))] ÷ 120

= 0.433 or 43.3%

Principal, Interest and Common dividend payments -

= [$120 - ($28 + (($24 + 0.3 × 20) ÷ (1 - 0.4))] ÷ 120

= 0.35 or 35%