CPA Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) : Business Combinations & Investments

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for CPA Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR)

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Business Combinations & Investments

Giant Company buys all outstanding shares of Little Company on October 1, Year 1 for $450,000. In Year 1, Little earned revenue of $15,000 per month and incurred expenses of $12,000 per month. On the date of the sale, Little had only one asset, a piece of land, with a book value of $350,000 and a fair value of $400,000. It had no liabilities. By the end of Year 1, the land had appreciated in value and was worth $410,000. Which of the following statements is true regarding the consolidated financial statements at the end of Year 1?

Possible Answers:

The land owned by Little will be reported in the Year 1 balance sheet at $410,000

Goodwill at the end of Year 1 is reported as $45,000

Consolidated net income will include $9,000 earned by Little

A gain of $160,000 will be reported in Year 1 on the land owned by Little

Correct answer:

Consolidated net income will include $9,000 earned by Little

Explanation:

Little had net income of $3K per month ($15K in revenue - $12K in expenses). The consolidated financial statements will only include the net income earned after the purchase of the business, which will include October-December. The net income of Little included in the consolidated statements will be $3K per month x 3 months.

Example Question #1 : Derivatives, Hedging, And Foreign Currency Transactions

During Year 1, the James Company buys all outstanding shares of the Holmes company for $4 million even though Holmes has net assets with a fair value of only $3.5 million. One reason for this excess payment is that Homes owns land worth $1.5 million with a book value of only $800,000. Prior to the purchase of Holmes, James owned its own land with a book value of $400,000 and a fair value of $700,000. Two years later, both companies still own this land and both have acquired additional acreage. James reports land at a book value of $1 million and fair value of $1.1 million; Holmes reports land with a book value of $2 million and a fair value of $2.5 million. At what amount will land be reported at the end of Year 3 in the consolidated balance sheet?

Possible Answers:

$3.6 million

$3.1 million

$3 million

$3.5 million

Correct answer:

$3 million

Explanation:

The consolidated statements will include the combined book values of the land owned by each company ($1M in land owned by James + $2M in land owned by Holmes).

Example Question #2 : Business Combinations & Investments

Hope Company owns 100% of the outstanding shares of Howard Company. During the current year, Hope sold inventory costing $80,000 to Howard for $90,000. This inventory has since been sold to a third party and Howard has not paid Hope for the purchase. At the balance sheet date, Hope has total current assets of $850,000 and Howard has total current assets of $550,000. Assume that there were no allocations established at the date of acquisition. What is the total amount of current assets reported in the consolidated balance sheet?

Possible Answers:

$850,000

$1,310,000

$1,400,000

$1,320,000

Correct answer:

$1,310,000

Explanation:

The consolidated statements will include the combined book values of each company's current assets, but outstanding intercompany balances will be removed. Thus the consolidated statements include $850K owned by Hope + $550K owned by Howard - $90K receivable due for the inventory.

Example Question #4 : Business Combinations & Investments

Which of the following financial instruments is not considered a derivative financial instrument?

Possible Answers:

Stock index options

Bank certificate of deposit

Currency futures

Interest rate swaps

Correct answer:

Bank certificate of deposit

Explanation:

A bank certificate of deposit is not a derivative financial instrument. The other options are.

Example Question #3 : Business Combinations & Investments

A derivative financial instrument is best described as:

Possible Answers:

Evidence of an ownership interest in an entity such as shares of common stock

A contract that conveys to a second entity a right to receive cash from a first entity

A contract that conveys to a second entity a right to future collections on A/R from a first entity

A contract that has its settlement value tied to an underlying notional amount

Correct answer:

A contract that has its settlement value tied to an underlying notional amount

Explanation:

A derivative is an instrument that derives its value from the value of some other instrument.

Example Question #2 : Derivatives, Hedging, And Foreign Currency Transactions

Of the following hedge examples, which would likely be a fair value hedge?

Possible Answers:

Flood insurance on building

None of the answer choices are correct

Insurance on inventory obsolescence

Both

Correct answer:

Insurance on inventory obsolescence

Explanation:

A fair value hedge protects the user from decreases in the fair value of an asset such as their inventory. Obsolescence is a common decrease in fair value.

Example Question #6 : Business Combinations & Investments

On December 1, Year 1, the Fairfax Company signs a contract to receive 1 million Euros on January 31, Year 2 at a price of $1.1 million in a two month forward contract. On December 1, the spot rate for Euros is $1.1 in US dollars. Why would Fairfax enter into this contract?

Possible Answers:

Fairfax believes that the European economy will grow at a rate faster than that of the US economy

Fairfax believes that the value of Euros will increase at the same rate as the US dollars

Fairfax could be hedging a future need to make a payment in Euros or speculating that Euros will increase in value

Fairfax believes that the value of Euros will decrease in relation to the US dollar

Correct answer:

Fairfax could be hedging a future need to make a payment in Euros or speculating that Euros will increase in value

Explanation:

If a company enters into a forward contract to pay a fixed price for a currency on a future date, they are hoping that the market price on that date is higher than the price they are agreeing to pay. They may also be looking to lock in a fixed price to reduce the risk of exchange rate fluctuation on an existing obligation.

Example Question #7 : Business Combinations & Investments

A US company is in the process of consolidating a subsidiary operating in China. The two companies have different functional currencies, so the Chinese accounts are being translated into US dollars. Some accounts are translated at historical rates while others are translated at the current rate as of the balance sheet date. Which of the following is true about the subsidiary's accounts?

Possible Answers:

Accounts receivable is translated at the current rate and inventory is translated at historical rates

Inventory and accounts receivable are translated at historical rates

Inventory and accounts receivable are translated at the current rate

Inventory is translated at the current rate and accounts receivable is translated at historical rates

Correct answer:

Inventory and accounts receivable are translated at the current rate

Explanation:

When translating financial statements of companies with different functional currencies, inventory and accounts receivable are translated at the current rate as of the balance sheet date.

Example Question #8 : Business Combinations & Investments

The Robinson Company produces a balance sheet that shows a large figure in accumulated other comprehensive income within stockholder's equity. Which of the following could not have led to this figure?

Possible Answers:

Robinson has invested in a bond that was issued at a discount from its face value and is reported as a trading security

Robinson has invested in debt securities that are listed as available-for-sale

Robinson has a defined benefit pension plan where the projected benefit obligation recently increased as a result of a plan amendment

Robinson has a subsidiary in Mexico whose functional currency is Pesos

Correct answer:

Robinson has invested in a bond that was issued at a discount from its face value and is reported as a trading security

Explanation:

Investments reported as trading securities do not affect other comprehensive income; all other items are included in other comprehensive income.

Example Question #9 : Business Combinations & Investments

Consolidated financial statements are typically prepared when one company has a controlling financial interest in another unless:

Possible Answers:

The subsidiary is a financial company

The subsidiary is in bankruptcy

The fiscal year ends of the two companies are more than three months apart

The two companies are in unrelated industries, such as manufacturing and real estate

Correct answer:

The subsidiary is in bankruptcy

Explanation:

The exceptions to not consolidating a majority owned subsidiary are when the subsidiary is in legal reorganization or bankruptcy and or the subsidiary operates under severe foreign currency exchange restrictions, controls, or other governmentally imposed uncertainties so severe that they cast significant doubt on the parent's ability to control the subsidiary.

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