CFA-Level-II Exam Questions and Answers

QUESTION: 96 Exam Topic: 1, Financial Reporting and Analysis

Lauren Jacobs, CFA, is an equity analyst for DF Investments. She is evaluating Iron Parts Inc. Iron Parts is a manufacturer of interior systems and components for automobiles. The company is the world's second largest original equipment auto parts supplier, with a market capitalization of $1.8 billion. Based on Iron Parts's low price-to-book value ratio of 0.9* and low price-to-sales ratio of 0.15x, Jacobs believes the stock could be an interesting investment. However, she wants to review the disclosures found in the company's financial footnotes. In particular, Jacobs is concerned about Iron Parts's defined benefit pension plan. The following information for 2007 and 2008 is provided.

Iron Parts has adopted SFAS No. 158, Employers' Accounting for Defined Benefit Pensions and Other Postretirement Plans.
Jacobs wants to fully understand the impact of changing pension assumptions on Iron Parts's balance sheet and income statement. In addition, she would like to compute Iron Parts's economic pension expense.
As of December 31, 2008, the funded status of Iron Parts's pension plan was:

$175 million underfunded.
$240 million underfunded.
$ 183 million overfunded.

Answer(s): B

Explanation:

Funded status equals fair value of plan assets minus PBO (395 - 635 = -240). (Study Session 6, LOS 22.c,f)

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QUESTION: 97 Exam Topic: 1, Financial Reporting and Analysis

Lauren Jacobs, CFA, is an equity analyst for DF Investments. She is evaluating Iron Parts Inc. Iron Parts is a manufacturer of interior systems and components for automobiles. The company is the world's second largest original equipment auto parts supplier, with a market capitalization of $1.8 billion. Based on Iron Parts's low price-to-book value ratio of 0.9* and low price-to-sales ratio of 0.15x, Jacobs believes the stock could be an interesting investment. However, she wants to review the disclosures found in the company's financial footnotes. In particular, Jacobs is concerned about Iron Parts's defined benefit pension plan. The following information for 2007 and 2008 is provided.

Iron Parts has adopted SFAS No. 158, Employers' Accounting for Defined Benefit Pensions and Other Postretirement Plans.
Jacobs wants to fully understand the impact of changing pension assumptions on Iron Parts's balance sheet and income statement. In addition, she would like to compute Iron Parts's economic pension expense.

Which of the following best describes ihe effects of the change in Iron Parts's discount rate for 2008, all else equal?

Service cost decreased and the pension plan appeared more funded.
Pension expense decreased and the PBO increased.
Interest cost increased and retained earnings decreased.

Answer(s): A

Explanation:

The discount rate increased from 3-5% to 6.0%. An increase in the discount rate will result in lower service cost. Lower service cost will result in a lower PBO. A lower PBO will result in a higher funded status (more funded). Lower service cost will result in lower pension expense and higher retained earnings. The impact on interest cost cannot be determined without more information. (Study Session 6, LOS 22.c)

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QUESTION: 98 Exam Topic: 1, Financial Reporting and Analysis

Lauren Jacobs, CFA, is an equity analyst for DF Investments. She is evaluating Iron Parts Inc. Iron Parts is a manufacturer of interior systems and components for automobiles. The company is the world's second largest original equipment auto parts supplier, with a market capitalization of $1.8 billion. Based on Iron Parts's low price-to-book value ratio of 0.9* and low price-to-sales ratio of 0.15x, Jacobs believes the stock could be an interesting investment. However, she wants to review the disclosures found in the company's financial footnotes. In particular, Jacobs is concerned about Iron Parts's defined benefit pension plan. The following information for 2007 and 2008 is provided.

Iron Parts has adopted SFAS No. 158, Employers' Accounting for Defined Benefit Pensions and Other Postretirement Plans.

Jacobs wants to fully understand the impact of changing pension assumptions on Iron Parts's balance sheet and income statement. In addition, she would like to compute Iron Parts's economic pension expense.

How much did Iron Parts contribute to its pension plan during 2008?

$31 million.
$36 million.
$53 million.

Answer(s): C

Explanation:

$327 beginning balance plan assets + $37 actual return + contributions - $22 benefits paid = $395 ending balance plan assets. Solving for the contributions we get $53. (Study Session 6, LOS 22.c)

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QUESTION: 99 Exam Topic: 1, Financial Reporting and Analysis

Lauren Jacobs, CFA, is an equity analyst for DF Investments. She is evaluating Iron Parts Inc. Iron Parts is a manufacturer of interior systems and components for automobiles. The company is the world's second largest original equipment auto parts supplier, with a market capitalization of $1.8 billion. Based on Iron Parts's low price-to-book value ratio of 0.9* and low price-to-sales ratio of 0.15x, Jacobs believes the stock could be an interesting investment. However, she wants to review the disclosures found in the company's financial footnotes. In particular, Jacobs is concerned about Iron Parts's defined benefit pension plan. The following information for 2007 and 2008 is provided.

Iron Parts has adopted SFAS No. 158, Employers' Accounting for Defined Benefit Pensions and Other Postretirement Plans.
Jacobs wants to fully understand the impact of changing pension assumptions on Iron Parts's balance sheet and income statement. In addition, she would like to compute Iron Parts's economic pension expense.

Which of the following best describes the effect(s) of the change in Iron Part's expected return on the plan assets, all else equal?

Pension expense decreased and the PBO increased.
Retained earnings increased and the pension plan appeared more funded.
Net income increased.

Answer(s): C

Explanation:

The higher expected return reduces pension expense. Lower pension expense results in higher net income. Higher net income results in higher retained earnings. Neither the PBO nor the funded status is affected by the expected return on plan assets. (Study Session 6, LOS 22.d)

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QUESTION: 100 Exam Topic: 1, Financial Reporting and Analysis

Lauren Jacobs, CFA, is an equity analyst for DF Investments. She is evaluating Iron Parts Inc. Iron Parts is a manufacturer of interior systems and components for automobiles. The company is the world's second largest original equipment auto parts supplier, with a market capitalization of $1.8 billion. Based on Iron Parts's low price-to-book value ratio of 0.9* and low price-to-sales ratio of 0.15x, Jacobs believes the stock could be an interesting investment. However, she wants to review the disclosures found in the company's financial footnotes. In particular, Jacobs is concerned about Iron Parts's defined benefit pension plan. The following information for 2007 and 2008 is provided.

Iron Parts has adopted SFAS No. 158, Employers' Accounting for Defined Benefit Pensions and Other Postretirement Plans.
Jacobs wants to fully understand the impact of changing pension assumptions on Iron Parts's balance sheet and income statement. In addition, she would like to compute Iron Parts's economic pension expense.

If, instead of following U.S. GAAP, Iron Parts followed International Financial Reporting Standards, its pension liability reported on the balance sheet would be:

higher.
lower
the same.

Answer(s): B

Explanation:

Under IFRS, Iron Parts s pension liability will be lower because the unamortized past service cost of $37 million is eliminated from the funded status. Stated differently, if we subtracted the unamortized past service cost from the PBO, the funded status would be higher by $37 million. (Study Session 6, LOS 22.e)

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CFA CFA-Level-II Exam (page: 20) CFA Level II Chartered Financial Analyst Updated on: 09-Feb-2026

QUESTION: 96 Exam Topic: 1, Financial Reporting and Analysis

Explanation:

QUESTION: 97 Exam Topic: 1, Financial Reporting and Analysis

Explanation:

QUESTION: 98 Exam Topic: 1, Financial Reporting and Analysis

Explanation:

QUESTION: 99 Exam Topic: 1, Financial Reporting and Analysis

Explanation:

QUESTION: 100 Exam Topic: 1, Financial Reporting and Analysis

Explanation:

CFA CFA-Level-II Exam (page: 20)
CFA Level II Chartered Financial Analyst
Updated on: 09-Feb-2026