考ACCA的小伙伴看过来！ACCA考试报名费了解一下！

正确答案：
(b) The term ‘Efficient Market Hypothesis’ (EMH) refers to the view that share prices fully and fairly reflect all relevant available
information1. There are other kinds of capital market efficiency, such as operational efficiency (meaning that transaction costs
are low enough not to discourage investors from buying and selling shares), but it is pricing efficiency that is especially
important in financial management.
Research has been carried out to discover whether capital markets are weak form. efficient (share prices reflect all past or
historic information), semi-strong form. efficient (share prices reflect all publicly available information, including past
information), or strong form. efficient (share prices reflect all information, whether publicly available or not). This research has
shown that well-developed capital markets are weak form. efficient, so that it is not possible to generate abnormal profits by
studying and analysing past information, such as historic share price movements. This research has also shown that
well-developed capital markets are semi-strong form. efficient, so that it is not possible to generate abnormal profits by studying
publicly available information such as company financial statements or press releases. Capital markets are not strong form
efficient, since it is possible to use insider information to buy and sell shares for profit.
If a stock market has been found to be semi-strong form. efficient, it means that research has shown that share prices on the
market respond quickly and accurately to new information as it arrives on the market. The share price of a company quickly
responds if new information relating to that company is released. The share prices quoted on a stock exchange are therefore
always fair prices, reflecting all information about a company that is relevant to buying and selling. The share price will factor
in past company performance, expected company performance, the quality of the management team, the way the company
might respond to changes in the economic environment such as a rise in interest rate, and so on.
There are a number of implications for a company of its stock market being semi-strong form. efficient. If it is thinking about
acquiring another company, the market value of the potential target company will be a fair one, since there are no bargains
to be found in an efficient market as a result of shares being undervalued. The managers of the company should focus on
making decisions that increase shareholder wealth, since the market will recognise the good decisions they are making and
the share price will increase accordingly. Manipulating accounting information, such as ‘window dressing’ annual financial
statements, will not be effective, as the share price will reflect the underlying ‘fundamentals’ of the company’s business
operations and will be unresponsive to cosmetic changes. It has also been argued that, if a stock market is efficient, the timing
of new issues of equity will be immaterial, as the price paid for the new equity will always be a fair one.

正确答案：
(c) Extent of alleged fraud – Matters to be considered
■ Details reported to police: The managing director may have made some estimate of the possible extent of the fraud in
reporting the chief accountant’s disappearance to the police.
■ The minimum loss (assuming no insurance) would be sales for the three days before he left. If not known (e.g. because
the only record of them was in the cash book) a simple estimate might be 3/20 × total recorded revenue for a typical
month.
■ The pattern of cash bankings extracted from bank statements: A falling trend starting during the year might mark the
time from which the chief accountant began to misappropriate cash.
■ Whether other managers have voiced their suspicions, if any, on the chief accountant’s behaviour. For example, if there
was any marked change in his lifestyle. (what he appeared to spend his money on, the hours he worked, etc).
■ The prior year auditor’s report was unmodified. If this was appropriate the chief accountant’s alleged fraudulent activities
may have only started in the current year.
■ The amount of fidelity insurance cover (i.e. against employees handling cash) that Indigo has taken out to meet any
claim for fraud.
■ The likelihood, if any, of recovering misappropriated amounts. For example, if the chief accountant has assets (e.g. a
house) that can be used to settle Indigo’s claims against him in the event that he is caught/successfully prosecuted.

正确答案：
(ii) Exercising of share options
The share option is not part of an approved scheme, and will not therefore enjoy the benefits of such a scheme. There
are three events with tax consequences – grant, exercise and sale.
Grant. If shares or options over shares are sold or granted at less than market value, an income tax charge can arise on
the difference between the price paid and the market value. [Weight v Salmon]. In addition, if options can be exercised
more than 10 years after the date of the grant, an employment income charge can arise. This is based on the market
value at the date of grant less the grant and exercise priced.
In Henry’s case, the options were issued with an exercise price equal to the then market value, and cannot be exercised
more than 10 years from the grant. No income tax charge therefore arises on grant.
Exercise. On exercise, the individual pays the agreed amount in return for a number of shares in the company. The price
paid is compared with the open market value at that time, and if less, the difference is charged to income tax. National
insurance also applies, and the company has to pay Class 1 NIC. If the company and shareholder agree, the national
insurance can be passed onto the individual, and the liability becomes a deductible expense in calculating the income
tax charge.
In Henry’s case on exercise, the difference between market value (￡14) and the price paid (￡1) per share will be taxed
as income. Therefore, ￡130,000 (10,000 x (￡14 – ￡1)) will be taxed as income. In addition, national insurance will
be chargeable on the company at 12·8% (￡16,640) and on Henry at the rate of 1% (￡1,300).
Sale. The base cost of the shares is taken to be the market value at the time of exercise. On the sale of the shares, any
gain or loss arising falls under the capital gains tax rules, and CGT will be payable on any gain. Business asset taper
relief will be available as the company is an unquoted trading company, but the relief will only run from the time that
the share options are exercised – i.e. from the time when the shares were acquired.
In Henry’s case, the sale of the shares will immediately follow the exercise of the option (6 days later). The sale proceeds
and the market value at the time of exercise are likely to be similar; thus little to no gain is likely to arise.