Problem 1: Locating Information on Published Financial Statements

Refer to the Lowe's 2011 10-K. You should have located these statements for previous assessment problems. Use these statements and your prior knowledge of accounting, supplemented by textbooks or other references of your choosing, including the NOTES to the financial statements found in the Lowe's 2011 10-K, to answer the following questions, which all refer to the fiscal year end 2012. Indicate the source of each answer, including the page number from the Lowe's 2011 10-K.

1. Does the company have any marketable securities at the end of the year?

a. How many dollars of marketable securities?

b. How are they classified? Short-term, long-term, or both?

2. How much cash did the company use to purchase marketable securities during the year ended in 2011, if any? Where did you look to find this information?

Problem 2: Cash Flow Statement Concepts and Applications

Refer to the Lowe's 2011 10-K. You should have located these statements for previous assessment problems. Use these statements and your prior knowledge of accounting, supplemented by textbooks or other references of your choosing, including the NOTES to the financial statements found in the Lowe's 2011 10-K, to answer the following questions, which all refer to the fiscal year end 2012. Indicate the source of each answer, including the page number from the Lowe's 2011 10-K.

1. Is the total amount of cash flows from operations the exact same amount regardless of whether the direct or the indirect method is used? Explain.

2. How about the Financing and Investing Cash Flow sections? Are they the exact same regardless of whether the direct or the indirect method is used?

3. For each of the following, state in which part of the cash flow statement it is shown. Include the dollar amount and state whether it is a cash inflow or a cash outflow.

a. Buy long-term equipment for cash, $10,000.

b. Pay $20,000 on a long-term note payable.

c. Buy $40,000 of inventory for cash.

d. Pay salaries of $100,000.

e. Pay cash dividends of $25,000.

f. Issue new common stock for $50,000.

Problem 3: Locating Information on Published Financial Statements

Refer to the Lowe's 2011 10-K. You should have located these statements for previous assessment problems. Use these statements and your prior knowledge of accounting, supplemented by textbooks or other references of your choosing, including the NOTES to the financial statements found in the Lowe's 2011 10-K, to answer the following questions, which all refer to the fiscal year end 2012. Indicate the source of each answer, including the page number from the Lowe's 2011 10-K.

1. Does Lowe's use the direct or indirect method to report cash flows from operating activities? How can you be sure about this? Include in your answer the first three items in the Cash from Operations section.

2. What is the major use of cash in the Cash from Investing Activities section?

3. What is the major source of cash in the Cash from Investing Activities section?

4. Are there any sources of cash in the Cash from Financing Activities section? What are they?

5. Has the company paid cash dividends during the last three years? How do you know?

6. What was free cash flow for the fiscal year ended in 2011? (You may need to do some Internet research to find a definition of free cash flow).