Question

1. (30 points) Please elaborate what will happen to Net Earnings to Sales and Net Earnings to Total Book Assets when you observe these trends. (a) and (b) are separate unrelated circumstances. a) Sales increased by a total of 30% in the prior three years, while Days of Sales in Inventories increased also by 30% in each of these three years. Costs of Goods Sold to Sales remained constant. b) Gross property, plant, and equipment increased by a total of 30% during the prior three years. Operating and administrative expense increased relative to sales by 30% in the prior three years. Sales remained constant. Costs of goods sold to sales remained constant. ANSWER:

Answer 1

Impact on Net Earnings to Sales and Net Earnings to Total Book Assets:

a) A company's Net Earnings to Sales and Net Earnings to Total Book Assets will increase due to the 30% increase in sales. This result will be different with an increase by a similar margin in the Cost of Goods Sold.

b) Net Earnings to Sales and Net Earnings to Total Book Assets will decrease by 30% as a result of the increase in Property, Plant, and Equipment, because this increase also increased the operating and administrative expense (depreciation), even though Sales and Cost of Goods Sold remained constant.

Explanation:

The net earnings to sales is an expression of the ratio of the net income to the sales revenue. The net earnings result after deducting all costs from sales revenue. The net earnings to total book assets are the same expression as the Return on Assets.