CFA CFA-Level-II Exam Actual Questions
CFA Level II Chartered Financial Analyst (Page 24 )

Matthew Emery, CFA, is responsible for analyzing companies in the retail industry. He is currently reviewing the status of Ferguson Department Stores, Inc. (FDS). FDS has recently gone through extensive restructuring in the wake of a slowdown in the economy that has made retailing particularly challenging. As part of his analysis, Emery has gathered information from a number of sources.

Ferguson Department Stores, Inc.
FDS went public in 1969 following a major acquisition, and the Ferguson name quickly became one of the most recognized in retailing. Ferguson had been successful through most of its first 30 years in business and has prided itself on being the one-stop shopping destination for consumers living on the West Coast of the United States. Recently, FDS began to experience both top and bottom line difficulties due to increased competition from specialty retailers who could operate more efficiently and offer a wider range of products in a focused retailing sector. When the company's main bank reduced FDS's line of credit, a serious working capital crisis ensued, and the company was forced to issue additional equity in an effort to overcome the problem. FDS has a cost of capital of 10% and a required rate of return on equity of 12%. Dividends are growing at a rate of 8%, but the growth rate is expected to decline linearly over the next six years to a long-term growth rate of 4%. The company recently paid an annual dividend of $1.

At the end of 2008, FDS announced that it would be expanding its retail operations, moving to a warehouse concept, and opening new stores around the country. FDS also announced it would close some existing stores, write-down assets, and take a large restructuring charge. Upon reviewing the prospects of the firm, Emery issued an earnings per share forecast for 2009 of $0.90. He set a 12- month share price target of $22.50. Immediately following the expansion announcement, the share price of FDS jumped from $14 to $18.



In 2008, FDS also reported an unusual expense of $189.1 million related to restructuring costs and asset write downs.



In response to questions from a colleague, Emery makes the following statements regarding the merits of earnings yield compared to the P/E ratio:
Statement 1: For ranking purposes, earnings yield may be useful whenever earnings are either negative or close to zero.
Statement 2: A high E/P implies the security is overpriced.

Are Emery's statements regarding the earnings yield and E/P ratio correct?

Matthew Emery, CFA, is responsible for analyzing companies in the retail industry. He is currently reviewing the status of Ferguson Department Stores, Inc. (FDS). FDS has recently gone through extensive restructuring in the wake of a slowdown in the economy that has made retailing particularly challenging. As part of his analysis, Emery has gathered information from a number of sources.

Ferguson Department Stores, Inc.
FDS went public in 1969 following a major acquisition, and the Ferguson name quickly became one of the most recognized in retailing. Ferguson had been successful through most of its first 30 years in business and has prided itself on being the one-stop shopping destination for consumers living on the West Coast of the United States. Recently, FDS began to experience both top and bottom line difficulties due to increased competition from specialty retailers who could operate more efficiently and offer a wider range of products in a focused retailing sector. When the company's main bank reduced FDS's line of credit, a serious working capital crisis ensued, and the company was forced to issue additional equity in an effort to overcome the problem. FDS has a cost of capital of 10% and a required rate of return on equity of 12%. Dividends are growing at a rate of 8%, but the growth rate is expected to decline linearly over the next six years to a long-term growth rate of 4%. The company recently paid an annual dividend of $1.

At the end of 2008, FDS announced that it would be expanding its retail operations, moving to a warehouse concept, and opening new stores around the country. FDS also announced it would close some existing stores, write-down assets, and take a large restructuring charge. Upon reviewing the prospects of the firm, Emery issued an earnings per share forecast for 2009 of $0.90. He set a 12- month share price target of $22.50. Immediately following the expansion announcement, the share price of FDS jumped from $14 to $18.



In 2008, FDS also reported an unusual expense of $189.1 million related to restructuring costs and asset write downs.



In response to questions from a colleague, Emery makes the following statements regarding the merits of earnings yield compared to the P/E ratio:
Statement 1: For ranking purposes, earnings yield may be useful whenever earnings are either negative or close to zero.
Statement 2: A high E/P implies the security is overpriced.

Assuming a tax rate of 34%, the underlying earnings per share (EPS) for FDS in 2008 is closest to:

Matthew Emery, CFA, is responsible for analyzing companies in the retail industry. He is currently reviewing the status of Ferguson Department Stores, Inc. (FDS). FDS has recently gone through extensive restructuring in the wake of a slowdown in the economy that has made retailing particularly challenging. As part of his analysis, Emery has gathered information from a number of sources.
Ferguson Department Stores, Inc.

FDS went public in 1969 following a major acquisition, and the Ferguson name quickly became one of the most recognized in retailing. Ferguson had been successful through most of its first 30 years in business and has prided itself on being the one-stop shopping destination for consumers living on the West Coast of the United States. Recently, FDS began to experience both top and bottom line difficulties due to increased competition from specialty retailers who could operate more efficiently and offer a wider range of products in a focused retailing sector. When the company's main bank reduced FDS's line of credit, a serious working capital crisis ensued, and the company was forced to issue additional equity in an effort to overcome the problem. FDS has a cost of capital of 10% and a required rate of return on equity of 12%. Dividends are growing at a rate of 8%, but the growth rate is expected to decline linearly over the next six years to a long-term growth rate of 4%. The company recently paid an annual dividend of $1.

At the end of 2008, FDS announced that it would be expanding its retail operations, moving to a warehouse concept, and opening new stores around the country. FDS also announced it would close some existing stores, write-down assets, and take a large restructuring charge. Upon reviewing the prospects of the firm, Emery issued an earnings per share forecast for 2009 of $0.90. He set a 12- month share price target of $22.50. Immediately following the expansion announcement, the share price of FDS jumped from $14 to $18.



In 2008, FDS also reported an unusual expense of $189.1 million related to restructuring costs and asset write downs.

In response to questions from a colleague, Emery makes the following statements regarding the merits of earnings yield compared to the P/E ratio:
Statement 1: For ranking purposes, earnings yield may be useful whenever earnings are either negative or close to zero.
Statement 2: A high E/P implies the security is overpriced.

According to FDS's price-to-sales ratio for 2008, based on the post-expansion announcement stock price, FDS is:

Michael Robbins, CFA, is analyzing Universal Home Supplies, Inc. (UHS), which has recently gone through some extensive restructuring.

Universal Home Supplies, Inc.
UHS operates nearly 200 department stores and 78 specialty stores in over 30 states. The company offers a wide range of products, including women's, men's, and children's clothing and accessories as well as home furnishings, electronics, and other consumer goods. The company is considering cutting back on or eliminating its electronics business entirely. UHS manufactures many of its own apparel products domestically in a large factory located in Kentucky. This central location permits shipping to distribution points around the country at reasonable costs. The company operates primarily in suburban shopping malls and offers mid- to high-end merchandise mainly under its own private label. At present more than 70% of the company's customers live within a 10-minute drive of one of the company's stores. Web site activity measured in dollar sales volume has increased by over 18% in the past year. Shares of UHS stock are currently priced at $25. Dividends are expected to grow at a rate of 6% over the next eight years and then continue to grow at that same rate indefinitely. The company has a cost of capital of 10.2%, a beta of 0.8, and just paid an annual dividend of $1.25.

UHS has faced serious cash flow problems in recent years as a consequence of its strategy to pursue an upscale clientele in the face of increased competition from several "niche retailers." The firm has been able to issue new debt recently and has also managed to extend its line of credit. The two financing agreements required a pledge of additional assets and a promise to install a super- efficient inventory tracking system in time to meet holiday shopping demand.




Robbins is asked by his supervisor to carefully consider the advantages and drawbacks of using the price-to-sales ratio (P/S) and to determine the appropriate valuation metrics to use when returns follow patterns of persistence or reversals.
Robbins also estimates a cross-sectional model to predict UHS's P/E:

predicted P/E = 5 - (10 x beta) + [3 x 4-year average ROE(%)]
+ [2 X 5-ycar growth forecast(%)]

Based on the H-model, the implied expected rate of return for UHS is closest to:

Michael Robbins, CFA, is analyzing Universal Home Supplies, Inc. (UHS), which has recently gone through some extensive restructuring.

Universal Home Supplies, Inc.
UHS operates nearly 200 department stores and 78 specialty stores in over 30 states. The company offers a wide range of products, including women's, men's, and children's clothing and accessories as well as home furnishings, electronics, and other consumer goods. The company is considering cutting back on or eliminating its electronics business entirely. UHS manufactures many of its own apparel products domestically in a large factory located in Kentucky. This central location permits shipping to distribution points around the country at reasonable costs. The company operates primarily in suburban shopping malls and offers mid- to high-end merchandise mainly under its own private label. At present more than 70% of the company's customers live within a 10-minute drive of one of the company's stores. Web site activity measured in dollar sales volume has increased by over 18% in the past year. Shares of UHS stock are currently priced at $25. Dividends are expected to grow at a rate of 6% over the next eight years and then continue to grow at that same rate indefinitely. The company has a cost of capital of 10.2%, a beta of 0.8, and just paid an annual dividend of $1.25.

UHS has faced serious cash flow problems in recent years as a consequence of its strategy to pursue an upscale clientele in the face of increased competition from several "niche retailers." The firm has been able to issue new debt recently and has also managed to extend its line of credit. The two financing agreements required a pledge of additional assets and a promise to install a super- efficient inventory tracking system in time to meet holiday shopping demand.





Robbins is asked by his supervisor to carefully consider the advantages and drawbacks of using the price-to-sales ratio (P/S) and to determine the appropriate valuation metrics to use when returns follow patterns of persistence or reversals.
Robbins also estimates a cross-sectional model to predict UHS's P/E:

predicted P/E = 5 - (10 x beta) + [3 x 4-year average ROE(%)]
+ [2 X 5-ycar growth forecast(%)]

Robbins should conclude that a key drawback to using the price-to-sales (P/S) ratio in the investment process is that P/S is: