CFA CFA-Level-II Exam (page: 9)
CFA Level II Chartered Financial Analyst
Updated on: 09-Feb-2026

Tobin Yoakam, CFA, is analyzing the financial performance of Konker Industries, a U.S. company which is publicly traded under the ticker KONK. Yoakam is particularly concerned about the quality of Konker's financial statements and its choices of accounting methodologies.

Below is a summary of Konker's financial statements prepared by Yoakam.

Konker has an operating lease for several of its large machining tools. The lease term expires in five years, and the annual lease payments are $2 million. The applicable interest rate on the operating lease is 9%. Yoakam believes that the operating lease should be capitalized and treated as a finance lease. For purposes of adjusting the financial statements, Yoakam believes that the machining tools should be depreciated using straight-line depreciation with a salvage value of $3 million.

At the beginning of 20X8, Konker formed a qualified special purposes entity (QSPE) and sold a portion of its accounts receivables to the QSPE. The total amount of accounts receivables sold to the QSPE was $13.5 million. Yoakam has noted in his research that the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) is considering the elimination of qualified special purposes entities.

Konker has three major operating divisions: Konker Industrial, Konker Defense, and Konker Capital. Yoakam has computed the EBIT margin for each division over the last three years as well as the ratio of the percentage of total capital expenditures to the percentage of total assets for each division.


Since Yoakam is concerned about the quality of Konker's earnings, he decides to analyze the accrual ratios using the balance sheet approach. The table below contains the last three years of accrual ratios for Konker and the industry average.


Regarding the three operating divisions of Konker, Yoakam should be most concerned that:

Tobin Yoakam, CFA, is analyzing the financial performance of Konker Industries, a U.S. company which is publicly traded under the ticker KONK. Yoakam is particularly concerned about the quality of Konker's financial statements and its choices of accounting methodologies.

Below is a summary of Konker's financial statements prepared by Yoakam.

Konker has an operating lease for several of its large machining tools. The lease term expires in five years, and the annual lease payments are $2 million. The applicable interest rate on the operating lease is 9%. Yoakam believes that the operating lease should be capitalized and treated as a finance lease. For purposes of adjusting the financial statements, Yoakam believes that the machining tools should be depreciated using straight-line depreciation with a salvage value of $3 million.

At the beginning of 20X8, Konker formed a qualified special purposes entity (QSPE) and sold a portion of its accounts receivables to the QSPE. The total amount of accounts receivables sold to the QSPE was $13.5 million. Yoakam has noted in his research that the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) is considering the elimination of qualified special purposes entities.

Konker has three major operating divisions: Konker Industrial, Konker Defense, and Konker Capital. Yoakam has computed the EBIT margin for each division over the last three years as well as the ratio of the percentage of total capital expenditures to the percentage of total assets for each division.


Since Yoakam is concerned about the quality of Konker's earnings, he decides to analyze the accrual ratios using the balance sheet approach. The table below contains the last three years of accrual ratios for Konker and the industry average.



Based on the balance sheet accruals ratios, Yoakam would most likely conclude which of the following regarding the earnings of Konker?

Galena Petrovich, CFA, is an analyst in the New York office of TRS Investment Management, Inc. Petrovich is an expert in the industrial electrical equipment sector and is analyzing Fisher Global. Fisher is a global market leader in designing, manufacturing, marketing, and servicing electrical systems and components, including fluid power systems and automotive engine air management systems.

Fisher has generated double-digit growth over the past ten years, primarily as the result of acquisitions, and has reported positive net income in each year. Fisher reports its financial results using International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

Petrovich is particularly interested in a transaction that occurred seven years ago, before the change in accounting standards, in which Fisher used the pooling method to account for a large acquisition of Dartmouth Industries, an industry competitor. She would like to determine the effect of using the purchase method instead of the pooling method on the financial statements of Fisher. Fisher exchanged common stock for all of the outstanding shares of Dartmouth.

Fisher also has a 50% ownership interest in a joint venture with its major distributor, a U.S. company called Hydro Distribution. She determines that Fisher has reported its ownership interest under the proportioned consolidation method, and that the joint venture has been profitable since it was established three years ago. She decides to adjust the financial statements to show how the financial statements would be affected if Fisher had reported its ownership under the equity method. Fisher is also considering acquiring 80% to 100% of Brown and Sons Company. Petrovich must consider the effect of such an acquisition on Fisher's financial statements.

Petrovich determines from the financial statement footnotes that Fisher reported an unrealized gain in its most recent income statement related to debt securities that are designated at fair value. Competitor firms following U.S. GAAP classify similar debt securities as available-for-sale.

Finally, Petrovich finds a reference in Fisher's footnotes regarding a special purpose entity (SPE). Fisher has reported its investment in the SPE using the equity method, but Petrovich believes that the consolidation method more accurately reflects Fisher's true financial position, so she makes the appropriate adjustments to the financial statements.

Regarding the prior purchase that was accounted for under the pooling of interests method, had Fisher Global reported this purchase under the acquisition method:

Galena Petrovich, CFA, is an analyst in the New York office of TRS Investment Management, Inc. Petrovich is an expert in the industrial electrical equipment sector and is analyzing Fisher Global. Fisher is a global market leader in designing, manufacturing, marketing, and servicing electrical systems and components, including fluid power systems and automotive engine air management systems.

Fisher has generated double-digit growth over the past ten years, primarily as the result of acquisitions, and has reported positive net income in each year. Fisher reports its financial results using International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

Petrovich is particularly interested in a transaction that occurred seven years ago, before the change in accounting standards, in which Fisher used the pooling method to account for a large acquisition of Dartmouth Industries, an industry competitor. She would like to determine the effect of using the purchase method instead of the pooling method on the financial statements of Fisher. Fisher exchanged common stock for all of the outstanding shares of Dartmouth.

Fisher also has a 50% ownership interest in a joint venture with its major distributor, a U.S. company called Hydro Distribution. She determines that Fisher has reported its ownership interest under the proportioned consolidation method, and that the joint venture has been profitable since it was established three years ago. She decides to adjust the financial statements to show how the financial statements would be affected if Fisher had reported its ownership under the equity method. Fisher is also considering acquiring 80% to 100% of Brown and Sons Company. Petrovich must consider the effect of such an acquisition on Fisher's financial statements.

Petrovich determines from the financial statement footnotes that Fisher reported an unrealized gain in its most recent income statement related to debt securities that are designated at fair value. Competitor firms following U.S. GAAP classify similar debt securities as available-for-sale.

Finally, Petrovich finds a reference in Fisher's footnotes regarding a special purpose entity (SPE). Fisher has reported its investment in the SPE using the equity method, but Petrovich believes that the consolidation method more accurately reflects Fisher's true financial position, so she makes the appropriate adjustments to the financial statements.

Had Fisher Global reported its investment in the joint venture under the equity method rather than under the proportionate consolidation method, it is most likely that:

Galena Petrovich, CFA, is an analyst in the New York office of TRS Investment Management, Inc. Petrovich is an expert in the industrial electrical equipment sector and is analyzing Fisher Global. Fisher is a global market leader in designing, manufacturing, marketing, and servicing electrical systems and components, including fluid power systems and automotive engine air management systems.

Fisher has generated double-digit growth over the past ten years, primarily as the result of acquisitions, and has reported positive net income in each year. Fisher reports its financial results using International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

Petrovich is particularly interested in a transaction that occurred seven years ago, before the change in accounting standards, in which Fisher used the pooling method to account for a large acquisition of Dartmouth Industries, an industry competitor. She would like to determine the effect of using the purchase method instead of the pooling method on the financial statements of Fisher. Fisher exchanged common stock for all of the outstanding shares of Dartmouth.
Fisher also has a 50% ownership interest in a joint venture with its major distributor, a U.S. company called Hydro Distribution. She determines that Fisher has reported its ownership interest under the proportioned consolidation method, and that the joint venture has been profitable since it was established three years ago. She decides to adjust the financial statements to show how the financial statements would be affected if Fisher had reported its ownership under the equity method. Fisher is also considering acquiring 80% to 100% of Brown and Sons Company. Petrovich must consider the effect of such an acquisition on Fisher's financial statements.

Petrovich determines from the financial statement footnotes that Fisher reported an unrealized gain in its most recent income statement related to debt securities that are designated at fair value. Competitor firms following U.S. GAAP classify similar debt securities as available-for-sale.

Finally, Petrovich finds a reference in Fisher's footnotes regarding a special purpose entity (SPE). Fisher has reported its investment in the SPE using the equity method, but Petrovich believes that the consolidation method more accurately reflects Fisher's true financial position, so she makes the appropriate adjustments to the financial statements.

Regarding the goodwill on the acquisition of Brown and Sons being considered by Fisher Global, which of the following statements is correct?