Free CFA Financial Statement Analysis Practice Questions & Answers
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Question 481
Analysts often adjust financial statements by removing goodwill because:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: C — Goodwill may distort comparability
Explanation: Why C is correct: Goodwill varies widely across firms and affects comparability. Why others are wrong: A is incorrect; goodwill may have value. B is false; goodwill can be impaired. D is incorrect classification.
Question 482
Goodwill is recognized when:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — A company is acquired for more than the fair value of net assets
Explanation: Why B is correct: Goodwill arises only in business combinations. Why others are wrong: A, C, and D do not create accounting goodwill.
Question 483
Economic goodwill differs from accounting goodwill because it:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Is based on market perceptions
Explanation: Why B is correct: Economic goodwill reflects market valuation and performance. Why others are wrong: A describes accounting goodwill. C is incorrect. D is irrelevant.
Question 484
Financial assets measured at amortized cost must:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Have cash flows of principal and interest only
Explanation: Why A is correct: Amortized cost applies to SPPI (solely principal and interest) cash flows. Why others are wrong: B is incorrect; equity cannot be amortized cost. C is irrelevant. D contradicts SPPI.
Question 485
Deferred tax liabilities represent:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Taxes payable in future periods
Explanation: Why B is correct: DTLs reflect future tax payments due to temporary differences. Why others are wrong: A is current tax payable. C is incorrect. D is unrelated.
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A common-size balance sheet expresses each item as a percentage of:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: C — Total assets
Explanation: Why C is correct: Vertical common-size balance sheets use total assets as the base. Why others are wrong: A and B are not the base. D applies to income statements.
Question 487
A company with high PP&E as a percentage of assets likely:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Manufactures internally
Explanation: Why B is correct: High PP&E suggests internal production or capital-intensive operations. Why others are wrong: A contradicts the implication. C is false. D contradicts high PP&E.
Question 488
The presence of goodwill on a balance sheet suggests:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — The company has made acquisitions
Explanation: Why B is correct: Goodwill arises only from acquisitions. Why others are wrong: A is the opposite. C is incorrect. D is not implied.
Question 489
The quick ratio excludes:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: D — Inventory
Explanation: Why D is correct: Quick ratio removes inventory to measure immediate liquidity. Why others are wrong: A, B, and C are included.
Question 490
The cash ratio includes:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Only cash and marketable securities
Explanation: Why A is correct: Cash ratio = (cash + marketable securities) ÷ current liabilities. Why others are wrong: B and C include too many items. D excludes marketable securities.
Question 491
The financial leverage ratio equals:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Total assets ÷ total equity
Explanation: Why A is correct: This is the definition of financial leverage. Why others are wrong: B is total debt ratio. C is current ratio. D is ROE.
Question 492
A company with very low inventory and no accounts payable may be:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — In a liquidation stage
Explanation: Why A is correct: Low inventory and no payables may indicate winding down operations. Why others are wrong: B, C, and D are not implied.
Question 493
A company with significant goodwill likely pursued:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Growth through acquisitions
Explanation: Why B is correct: Goodwill arises only from acquisitions. Why others are wrong: A contradicts the implication. C and D are unrelated.
Question 494
An intangible asset with an indefinite useful life must be reviewed annually to determine whether:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Its useful life has become finite
Explanation: Why A is correct: IFRS and GAAP require reassessing whether the indefinite life assumption remains valid. Why others are wrong: B is not required. C is not allowed under GAAP. D contradicts capitalization rules.
Question 495
Which of the following is most likely to be capitalized as an intangible asset?
Select an option first.
Correct answer: C — Purchased patent
Explanation: Why C is correct: Purchased intangibles meeting identifiability criteria are capitalized. Why others are wrong: A, B, and D must be expensed.
Question 496
Which statement best describes economic goodwill?
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — It reflects the market’s perception of future excess returns
Explanation: Why B is correct: Economic goodwill reflects expected future performance and market valuation. Why others are wrong: A describes accounting goodwill. C is incorrect; goodwill is not amortized. D is false; the two often differ.
Question 497
Analysts often remove goodwill from financial ratios because:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Goodwill is not a tangible operating asset
Explanation: Why B is correct: Removing goodwill helps focus on tangible capital structure. Why others are wrong: A is not true. C is incorrect. D misclassifies goodwill.
Question 498
A derivative requires:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Little or no initial investment
Explanation: Why B is correct: Derivatives typically require minimal initial investment. Why others are wrong: A contradicts the definition. C is not required. D is unnecessary; underlyings may be financial.
Question 499
A financial asset measured at fair value through profit or loss (FVTPL) typically:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Has non-SPPI cash flows or is held for trading
Explanation: Why B is correct: FVTPL applies to trading assets or those failing SPPI. Why others are wrong: A is amortized cost. C is too narrow. D is not required.
Question 500
A company with high PP&E relative to assets likely:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Operates in a capital-intensive industry
Explanation: Why B is correct: High PP&E suggests capital-intensive operations. Why others are wrong: A contradicts the implication. C is unlikely. D is false.
Question 501
A company that records a deferred tax liability is likely to have:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Paid less tax than reported
Explanation: Why B is correct: DTLs arise when taxes payable now are lower than tax expense. Why others are wrong: A describes a deferred tax asset. C and D contradict the scenario.
Question 502
A company with a high cash ratio likely has:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Strong immediate liquidity
Explanation: Why A is correct: Cash ratio measures ability to meet obligations with cash alone. Why others are wrong: B and C are unrelated. D is not implied.
Question 503
A company with a high proportion of current assets relative to total assets likely:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Has strong liquidity
Explanation: Why A is correct: High current assets generally improve liquidity. Why others are wrong: B, C, and D are not implied.
Question 504
A company with a high proportion of PP&E relative to assets likely:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Has high capital intensity
Explanation: Why B is correct: High PP&E indicates capital-intensive operations. Why others are wrong: A contradicts the implication. C is false. D is not implied.
Question 505
A company with a high financial leverage ratio (assets ÷ equity) likely:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Uses significant debt
Explanation: Why B is correct: High leverage ratio indicates heavy use of debt financing. Why others are wrong: A is opposite. C and D are unrelated.
Question 506
A company with a high total-debt-to-total-assets ratio likely:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Has high leverage
Explanation: Why B is correct: High debt relative to assets indicates high leverage. Why others are wrong: A is opposite. C and D are unrelated.
Question 507
A company with a high quick ratio but low current ratio likely has:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Low inventory
Explanation: Why B is correct: Quick ratio excludes inventory; if quick > current, inventory must be low. Why others are wrong: A contradicts the ratio relationship. C and D are unrelated.
Question 508
The balance sheet is best described as a statement that reports:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Financial position at a point in time
Explanation: Why B is correct: The balance sheet shows assets, liabilities, and equity at a specific date. Why others are wrong: A describes the income statement. C describes the cash flow statement. D describes the statement of shareholders’ equity.
Question 509
When a company receives payment before delivering goods or services, it records:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: C — A deferred revenue liability
Explanation: Why C is correct: Advance payments create a liability until performance occurs. Why others are wrong: A cannot be recognized before performance. B arises when performance precedes payment. D arises when payment is due but not received.
Question 510
A mature company is generally expected to obtain most of its cash from:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Operating activities
Explanation: Why B is correct: Mature firms should consistently generate cash from core operations. Why others are wrong: A and C should not be primary long-term sources. D is not sustainable as a recurring source.
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