2020年广东省ACCA考试准考证打印时间考前两周

正确答案：
(iii) Flexibility may relate to the company being able to cope with flexibility of volume, delivery speed or job specification. In
this particular context, flexibility appears to have been problematic for HLP as evidenced by the fact that 320
consultations relating to commercial were subcontracted during the year. This could be due to the lack of the ability of
HLP advisors to be able to provide consultations to a potentially wide-range of commercial clients, i.e. the variability in
the ‘job specification’ requires greater flexibility than HLP can deliver. Furthermore, a total of 600 consultations relating
to litigation work were also subcontracted throughout the year. These subcontract consultations might be due to the
inability of HLP to deal with fluctuations in demand.

正确答案：
(a) E-commerce is transforming many of the traditional relationshps between supplier and customer and retailing is no exception.
In broad terms, electronic commerce is defined as ‘the use of electronic networks to facilitate commercial transactions’. In
terms of tangible goods, such as supermarket shopping, it enables online ordering and delivery direct to the customer and
represents a significant move away from the well-established retail formats. Benefits to companies using electronic commerce
have seen companies increase their sales by 10–20% and reduce costs by 20–45%. However, in a significant sized business
like Supaserve the investment costs are high, affecting profit margins and making for more intense competition.
Business-to-consumer electronic commerce is argued to face more barriers to growth than its business-to-business equivalent
and is at an earlier stage in its lifecycle. Issues surrounding the potential for fraud, security of payments, privacy of personal
data and difficulties in accessing electronic retailers, explain this slower start for the retailing side of electronic commerce.
Clearly, for the move to be successful in Supaserve there needs to be a sufficiently large number of customers who can be
persuaded to use the service. This, in turn, will reflect the number of homes with computers and online capabilities. However,
the traditional retailer with a trusted brand and reputation is often in a better position than the specialist online retailer with
no physical stores.
Assessing the size and defining characteristics or attributes of the customer segment likely to use the online shopping service
is an interesting task. There is evidence to suggest that age may be a key factor, with electronic retailing appealing to younger
customers familiar with using information technology. Income may be an important way of segmenting the market, with online
shopping appealing to those families with high disposable income, access to computers and a lifestyle. where leisure time
is valued. Chris’s knowledge of his current customer base will be important in positioning them at various stages of their
lifecycle – does the company appeal to young families with heavy shopping demands? Further insight into buying behaviour
will come from geodemographic segmentation where the combination of where a customer lives and the stage in their
particular shopping lifecycle will give real insights into their buying behaviour and willingness or otherwise to use electronic
shopping.
Essentially, Chris has to come to a decision on whether there is a combination of characteristics that form. a significant
segment willing to use online shopping. This will enable him to decide how it can be measured, whether it is big enough to
make the investment in online shopping worthwhile, can it be accessed and whether it is sufficiently distinct to cater for itsparticular needs.

正确答案：
(b) Principal additional information
■ Any service contracts with the directors or other members of the management team (e.g. the quantity surveyor). These
may contain ‘exit’ or other settlement terms in the event that their services are no longer required after a takeover/buyout.
■ Prior period financial statements (to 30 June 2005) disclosing significant accounting policies and the key assumptions
concerning the future (and other key sources of estimation uncertainty) that have a significant risk of causing a material
adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities in the year to 30 June 2006.
For example, concerning:
– the outcome on the Sarwar dispute;
– estimates for guarantees/claims for rectification;
– assumptions made in estimating costs to completion (e.g. for increases in costs of materials or labour).
Tutorial note: Under IAS 1 ‘Presentation of Financial Statements’ the judgements made by management that have the
most significant effect on amounts recognised in financial statements (other than those involving estimations) should
also be disclosed.
■ The most recent management accounts and cash flow forecasts to assess the quality of management information being
used for decision-making and control. In particular, in providing Robson with the means of keeping its cash flows within
its overdraft limit.
Tutorial note: Note that Prescott has substantial cash resources. Therefore Robson’s lack of finance might be a reason
why its management are interested in selling the business.
■ A copy of the signed bank agreement for the overdraft facility (and any other agreements with finance providers). Any
breaches in debt covenants might result in penalties of contingent liabilities that Prescott would have to bear if it acquired
Robson.
■ The standard terms of contracts with customers for construction works. In particular, for:
– guarantees given (e.g. for rectification under warranty);
– penalty clauses (e.g. in the event of overruns or non-completion);
– disclaimers (including conditions for invoking force majeure).
Prescott will want to make some allowance for settlement of liabilities arising on contracts already completed/in-progress
when offering a price for Robson.
Tutorial note: A takeover might excuse Robson from fulfilling a contract.
■ Legal/correspondence files dealing with matters such as the claims of the residents of the housing development and
Robson’s claim against Sarwar Services Co. Also, fee notes rendered by Robson’s legal advisers showing the costs
incurred on matters referred to them.
■ Robson’s insurer’s ‘cover note’ to determine Robson’s exposure to claims for rectification work, damages, injuries to
employees, etc.
■ The quantity surveyor’s working papers for the last quarterly count (presumably at 31 March 2006) and the latest
available rolling budgets. Particular attention should be given to loss-making contracts and contracts that have not been
started. (Prescott might seek to settle rather than fulfil them.) The pattern of taking profits on contracts will be of
interest, for example, to determine the accuracy of the quantity surveyor’s estimates.
Tutorial note: A regular pattern of taking too much profit too soon might be due to underestimating costs to completion
or be evidence of cost overruns due to rectification.
■ Type and frequency of constructions undertaken. Prescott is interested in the building and refurbishment of hotels and
leisure facilities. Robson’s experience in this area may not be extensive.
■ Non-current asset register showing location of plant and equipment so that some test checking on physical existence
might be undertaken (if an agreed-upon-procedure).

正确答案：
(b)(i)Price/earningsratiomethodEarningspershareofNGN=80cpersharePrice/earningsratioofKFPCo=8SharepriceofNGN=80x8=640cor$6·40NumberofordinarysharesofNGN=5/0·5=10millionsharesValueofNGN=6·40x10m=$64millionHowever,itcanbearguedthatareductionintheappliedprice/earningsratioisneededasNGNisunlistedandthereforeitssharesaremoredifficulttobuyandsellthanthoseofalistedcompanysuchasKFPCo.Ifwereducetheappliedprice/earningsratioby10%(othersimilarpercentagereductionswouldbeacceptable),itbecomes7·2timesandthevalueofNGNwouldbe(80/100)x7·2x10m=$57·6million(ii)DividendgrowthmodelDividendpershareofNGN=80cx0·45=36cpershareSincethepayoutratiohasbeenmaintainedforseveralyears,recentearningsgrowthisthesameasrecentdividendgrowth,i.e.4·5%.Assumingthatthisdividendgrowthcontinuesinthefuture,thefuturedividendgrowthratewillbe4·5%.Sharepricefromdividendgrowthmodel=(36x1·045)/(0·12–0·045)=502cor$5·02ValueofNGN=5·02x10m=$50·2million(c)Adiscussionofcapitalstructurecouldstartfromrecognisingthatequityismoreexpensivethandebtbecauseoftherelativeriskofthetwosourcesoffinance.Equityisriskierthandebtandsoequityismoreexpensivethandebt.Thisdoesnotdependonthetaxefficiencyofdebt,sincewecanassumethatnotaxesexist.Wecanalsoassumethatasacompanygearsup,itreplacesequitywithdebt.Thismeansthatthecompany’scapitalbaseremainsconstantanditsweightedaveragecostofcapital(WACC)isnotaffectedbyincreasinginvestment.Thetraditionalviewofcapitalstructureassumesanon-linearrelationshipbetweenthecostofequityandfinancialrisk.Asacompanygearsup,thereisinitiallyverylittleincreaseinthecostofequityandtheWACCdecreasesbecausethecostofdebtislessthanthecostofequity.Apointisreached,however,wherethecostofequityrisesataratethatexceedsthereductioneffectofcheaperdebtandtheWACCstartstoincrease.Inthetraditionalview,therefore,aminimumWACCexistsand,asaresult,amaximumvalueofthecompanyarises.ModiglianiandMillerassumedaperfectcapitalmarketandalinearrelationshipbetweenthecostofequityandfinancialrisk.Theyarguedthat,asacompanygearedup,thecostofequityincreasedataratethatexactlycancelledoutthereductioneffectofcheaperdebt.WACCwasthereforeconstantatalllevelsofgearingandnooptimalcapitalstructure,wherethevalueofthecompanywasatamaximum,couldbefound.Itwasarguedthattheno-taxassumptionmadebyModiglianiandMillerwasunrealistic,sinceintherealworldinterestpaymentswereanallowableexpenseincalculatingtaxableprofitandsotheeffectivecostofdebtwasreducedbyitstaxefficiency.Theyrevisedtheirmodeltoincludethistaxeffectandshowedthat,asaresult,theWACCdecreasedinalinearfashionasacompanygearedup.Thevalueofthecompanyincreasedbythevalueofthe‘taxshield’andanoptimalcapitalstructurewouldresultbygearingupasmuchaspossible.Itwaspointedoutthatmarketimperfectionsassociatedwithhighlevelsofgearing,suchasbankruptcyriskandagencycosts,wouldlimittheextenttowhichacompanycouldgearup.Inpractice,therefore,itappearsthatcompaniescanreducetheirWACCbyincreasinggearing,whileavoidingthefinancialdistressthatcanariseathighlevelsofgearing.Ithasfurtherbeensuggestedthatcompanieschoosethesourceoffinancewhich,foronereasonoranother,iseasiestforthemtoaccess(peckingordertheory).Thisresultsinaninitialpreferenceforretainedearnings,followedbyapreferencefordebtbeforeturningtoequity.TheviewsuggeststhatcompaniesmaynotinpracticeseektominimisetheirWACC(andconsequentlymaximisecompanyvalueandshareholderwealth).TurningtothesuggestionthatdebtcouldbeusedtofinanceacashbidforNGN,thecurrentandpostacquisitioncapitalstructuresandtheirrelativegearinglevelsshouldbeconsidered,aswellastheamountofdebtfinancethatwouldbeneeded.Earliercalculationssuggestthatatleast$58mwouldbeneeded,ignoringanypremiumpaidtopersuadetargetcompanyshareholderstoselltheirshares.Thecurrentdebt/equityratioofKFPCois60%(15m/25m).Thedebtofthecompanywouldincreaseby$58minordertofinancethebidandbyafurther$20maftertheacquisition,duetotakingontheexistingdebtofNGN,givingatotalof$93m.Ignoringotherfactors,thegearingwouldincreaseto372%(93m/25m).KFPCowouldneedtoconsiderhowitcouldservicethisdangerouslyhighlevelofgearinganddealwiththesignificantriskofbankruptcythatitmightcreate.ItwouldalsoneedtoconsiderwhetherthebenefitsarisingfromtheacquisitionofNGNwouldcompensateforthesignificantincreaseinfinancialriskandbankruptcyriskresultingfromusingdebtfinance.