Question 391
A company’s financing cash flow is positive. What is the likely cause?
A. Debt repayment
B. Equity issuance
C. Dividend payment
D. Share repurchase
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Equity issuance
Explanation: Issuing equity brings in cash. A, C, D: Use cash.
Question 392
A company’s free cash flow falls even though operating cash flow stays constant. What explains this?
A. Higher capital spending
B. Lower capital spending
C. Higher receivables
D. Lower inventory
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Higher capital spending
Explanation: FCF = operating cash flow – capital spending. B: Would increase FCF. C, D: Affect operating cash flow, not FCF directly.
Question 393
A company’s cash flow from operations rises while profit stays flat. What explains this?
A. Lower receivables
B. Higher receivables
C. Higher inventory
D. Higher payables
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Lower receivables
Explanation: Faster collections increase cash. B: Would reduce cash. C: Uses cash. D: Helps cash but receivables is the cleaner explanation.
Question 394
A company’s intangible assets rise sharply. What should an analyst consider?
A. Possible acquisition activity
B. Higher inventory
C. Higher depreciation
D. Lower receivables
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Possible acquisition activity
Explanation: Intangibles often rise due to acquisitions. B, C, D: Not directly related.
Question 395
A company’s goodwill rises significantly. What is the likely cause?
A. Acquisition of another company
B. Higher depreciation
C. Lower receivables
D. Higher inventory
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Acquisition of another company
Explanation: Goodwill increases mainly through acquisitions. B, C, D: Not related.
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Question 396
A company’s interest coverage ratio falls sharply. What does this suggest?
A. Stronger ability to pay interest
B. Weaker ability to pay interest
C. Higher liquidity
D. Higher margins
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Weaker ability to pay interest
Explanation: Lower coverage = weaker ability to meet interest obligations. A: Opposite. C, D: Not implied.
Question 397
A company’s receivables days fall. What does this indicate?
A. Slower collections
B. Faster collections
C. Higher receivables
D. Lower sales
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Faster collections
Explanation: Fewer days = faster collection. A: Opposite. C: Would increase days. D: Not implied.
Question 398
A company’s inventory turnover rises. What does this suggest?
A. Inventory is moving faster
B. Inventory is moving slower
C. Sales are falling
D. Inventory is rising faster than sales
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Inventory is moving faster
Explanation: Higher turnover = faster movement. B: Opposite. C, D: Not implied.
Question 399
A company’s payables days rise. What does this imply?
A. Faster payments
B. Slower payments
C. Higher cash usage
D. Lower liquidity
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Slower payments
Explanation: More days = slower payments. A: Opposite. C: Slower payments conserve cash. D: Liquidity improves, not worsens.
Question 400
A company’s working capital turns negative. What does this imply?
A. Current liabilities exceed current assets
B. Current assets exceed current liabilities
C. Strong liquidity
D. Higher profit
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Current liabilities exceed current assets
Explanation: Negative working capital = CL > CA. B: Opposite. C: Liquidity weakens. D: Not implied.
Question 401
A company’s operating cash flow is higher than profit. What is the likely cause?
A. Higher non‑cash expenses
B. Higher receivables
C. Higher inventory
D. Lower payables
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Higher non‑cash expenses
Explanation: Non‑cash expenses reduce profit but not cash. B, C, D: Would reduce cash.
Question 402
A company’s investing cash flow is positive. What is the likely reason?
A. Asset sales
B. Asset purchases
C. Debt repayment
D. Dividend payment
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Asset sales
Explanation: Selling assets generates cash. B: Uses cash. C, D: Financing items.
Question 403
A company’s financing cash flow is negative. What is the likely cause?
A. Debt repayment
B. Equity issuance
C. Borrowing
D. Receiving a loan
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Debt repayment
Explanation: Repaying debt uses cash. B, C, D: Bring in cash.
Question 404
A company’s free cash flow rises even though operating cash flow stays flat. What explains this?
A. Lower capital spending
B. Higher capital spending
C. Higher receivables
D. Higher inventory
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Lower capital spending
Explanation: FCF = operating cash flow – capital spending. B: Would reduce FCF. C, D: Affect operating cash flow, not FCF directly.
Question 405
A company’s cash flow from operations rises while profit falls. What explains this?
A. Higher non‑cash expenses
B. Higher receivables
C. Higher inventory
D. Lower payables
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Higher non‑cash expenses
Explanation: More non‑cash expenses reduce profit but not cash. B, C, D: Would reduce cash.
Question 406
A company’s cash balance rises even though operating cash flow is negative. What explains this?
A. Borrowing or equity issuance
B. Strong operations
C. Lower leverage
D. Higher profit
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Borrowing or equity issuance
Explanation: Cash rising despite negative operations = external financing. B: Opposite. C, D: Not implied.
Question 407
A company’s profit rises but cash flow falls. What is the likely cause?
A. Higher accruals
B. Higher cash collections
C. Lower receivables
D. Lower inventory
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Higher accruals
Explanation: Profit up + cash down = accruals increasing. B, C, D: Would increase cash.
Question 408
A company’s current ratio falls while its quick ratio stays the same. What explains this?
A. Inventory decreased
B. Inventory increased
C. Receivables increased
D. Cash increased
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Inventory increased
Explanation: Current ratio includes inventory; quick ratio excludes it. A: Would raise both ratios. C, D: Would raise both ratios.
Question 409
A company shortens its credit terms to customers. What is the likely effect?
A. Lower receivables
B. Higher receivables
C. Lower cash
D. Higher inventory
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Lower receivables
Explanation: Shorter terms → faster collections → lower receivables. B: Opposite. C: Cash rises. D: Not implied.
Question 410
A company’s inventory days fall sharply. What does this suggest?
A. Faster inventory turnover
B. Slower inventory turnover
C. Higher production costs
D. Lower sales
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Faster inventory turnover
Explanation: Fewer days = faster movement. B: Opposite. C, D: Not implied.
Question 411
A company’s working capital improves even though current assets stay constant. What explains this?
A. Current liabilities decreased
B. Current liabilities increased
C. Inventory increased
D. Receivables decreased
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Current liabilities decreased
Explanation: Working capital = CA – CL. B: Would reduce working capital. C, D: Would change CA, not CL.
Question 412
A company’s cash conversion cycle becomes negative. What does this indicate?
A. It collects cash before paying suppliers
B. It pays suppliers before collecting cash
C. It has no inventory
D. It has no receivables
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — It collects cash before paying suppliers
Explanation: Negative cycle = payables period > receivables + inventory days. B: Opposite. C, D: Not required.
Question 413
A company’s operating cash flow is consistently lower than profit. What is the likely cause?
A. Rising receivables
B. Falling receivables
C. Higher non‑cash expenses
D. Lower inventory
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Rising receivables
Explanation: Rising receivables = slower collections → lower cash. B: Would increase cash. C: Would increase cash. D: Would increase cash.
Question 414
A company’s investing cash flow is negative for several years. What does this suggest?
A. Ongoing investment in long‑term assets
B. Asset sales
C. Debt repayment
D. Dividend payments
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Ongoing investment in long‑term assets
Explanation: Negative investing cash flow usually means asset purchases. B: Would be positive. C, D: Financing items.
Question 415
A company’s financing cash flow is positive even though profit is negative. What explains this?
A. Borrowing or equity issuance
B. Strong operations
C. Lower inventory
D. Higher margins
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Borrowing or equity issuance
Explanation: Positive financing cash flow = external funding. B: Profit is negative. C, D: Not implied.
Question 416
A company’s free cash flow falls even though operating cash flow rises. What explains this?
A. Higher capital spending
B. Lower capital spending
C. Higher receivables
D. Lower payables
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Higher capital spending
Explanation: FCF = operating cash flow – capital spending. B: Would increase FCF. C, D: Affect operating cash flow, not FCF directly.
Question 417
A company’s operating cash flow rises while profit stays flat. What explains this?
A. Lower inventory
B. Higher receivables
C. Higher payables
D. Higher non‑cash expenses
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: D — Higher non‑cash expenses
Explanation: More non‑cash expenses reduce profit but not cash. A, C: Would increase cash but also affect working capital. B: Would reduce cash.
Question 418
A company’s cash balance falls even though operating cash flow is positive. What explains this?
A. High investing or financing outflows
B. Strong operations
C. Lower receivables
D. Lower inventory
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — High investing or financing outflows
Explanation: Cash can fall if investing or financing uses exceed operating inflows. B: Doesn’t explain cash decline. C, D: Would increase cash.
Question 419
A company delays writing down obsolete inventory. What happens?
A. Profit is overstated
B. Profit is understated
C. Cash increases
D. Liabilities increase
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Profit is overstated
Explanation: Not writing down inventory inflates profit. B: Opposite. C: Non‑cash. D: Not affected.
Question 420
A company’s intangible assets rise significantly. What should an analyst consider?
A. Recent acquisitions
B. Higher depreciation
C. Lower receivables
D. Higher inventory
Check answer
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Recent acquisitions
Explanation: Intangibles often rise due to acquisitions. B, C, D: Not directly related.
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