ANALYZING DISCLOSURES REGARDING FIXED ASSETS. Exhibit 7.29 presents selected financial statement data for three chemical companies: Monsanto Company, Olin Corporation, and NewMarket Corporation. (NewMarket was formed from a merger of Ethyl Corporation and Afton Chemical Corporation.)
Required
a. Compute the average total depreciable life of assets in use for each firm.
b. Compute the average age to date of depreciable assets in use for each firm at the end of the year.
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NewMarket
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Monsanto
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Olin
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Corporation
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Company
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Corporation
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Depreciable Assets at Cost:
|
Beginning of year
|
$752
|
$4,611
|
$1,796
|
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End of year
|
777
|
4,604
|
1,826
|
|
Accumulated Depreciation:
|
|
|
|
|
Beginning of year
|
584
|
2,331
|
1,301
|
|
End of year
|
611
|
2,517
|
1,348
|
|
Net Income
|
33
|
267
|
55
|
|
Depreciation expense
|
27
|
328
|
72
|
|
Deferred tax liability relating
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|
|
|
|
to depreciable assets:
|
|
|
|
|
Beginning of year
|
13
|
267
|
83
|
|
End of year
|
9
|
256
|
96
|
|
Income tax rate
|
35%
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35%
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35%
|
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Depreciation method for
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|
|
|
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financial reporting
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Straight-Line
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Straight-Line
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Straight-Line
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|
Depreciation method for
|
|
|
|
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tax reporting
|
Accelerated
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Accelerated
|
Accelerated
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c. Compute the amount of depreciation expense recognized for tax purposes for each firm for the year using the amount of the deferred taxes liability related to depre- ciation timing differences.
d. Compute the amount of net income for the year for each firm assuming that depre- ciation expense for financial reporting equals the amount computed in Part c for tax reporting.
e. Compute the amount each company would report for property, plant, and equipment (net) at the end of the year if it had used accelerated (tax reporting) depreciation instead of straight-line depreciation.
f. What factors might explain the difference in average total life of the assets of NewMarket Corporation and Olin Corporation relative to the assets of Monsanto Company?
g. What factors might explain the older average age for depreciable assets of NewMarket Corporation and Olin Corporation relative to Monsanto Company?