W 1: How Are The Ratios Looking?
This worksheet looks at a ratio analysis of the accounts of Cameron Balloons. For more information about the work of the accounts department at Cameron Balloons you may want to look at the accounts explanation section.
A printable version of this worksheet is available for filling in answers.
Step 1 - Accounting for the accounts
Below is a simplified version of the annual accounts for Cameron Balloons. As a limited company they are required by law to submit an audited version of their accounts to Companies House in Cardiff. This is an approximate simplified version of the accounts.
| Balance Sheet |
| | | £ |
| | | |
| Fixed assets | | 387,000 |
| | | |
| Current assets | | |
| | Stock | 1,559,000 |
| | Debtors | 434,000 |
| | Cash | 119,000 |
| | | |
| Liabilities | | 2,497,000 |
| | | |
| | | |
| Share capital | | 100 |
| Profit and loss account | | 1,900 |
| |
| Profit And Loss Account |
| | £ |
| | |
| Turnover | 7,644,000 |
| | |
| less Cost of goods sold | 6,355,000 |
| | |
| Gross Profit | 1,289,000 |
| | |
| less Overheads | 972,000 |
| | |
| Net Profit | 317,000 |
Step 2 - Rationalising the ratios!
Now let's try calculating the ratios from these accounts. Starting with the profitability ratios:
(N.B. If you need a reminder of how to calculate the ratios, you may want to look at the accounting theories section .)
Profitability ratios
Using the table below calculate the return on capital employed and the profit margin:
| RETURN ON CAPITAL EMPLOYED | PROFIT MARGIN |
| Variable | £'000 | Variable | £'000 |
|---|
| | | | |
| Net profit | | Net profit | |
| Total capital employed (Total assets) | | Turnover | |
| | % | | % |
|---|
| Return on capital employed = Net profit / capital employed * 100 | | Profit margin = Net profit / Turnover * 100 | |
- What do these figures show us?
- Are they good figures?
Liquidity ratios
Now try to do the same thing for the main liquidity ratios:
| CURRENT RATIO | ACID TEST RATIO |
| Variable | £'000 | Variable | £'000 |
|---|
| | | | |
| Current assets | | Current assets | |
| Current liabilities | | Current liabilities | |
| | | Stock | |
| | | | |
| Current ratio = current assets / current liabilities | | Acid test ratio = current assets - stock / current liabilities | |
- What do these figures show us?
- Are they good figures?
- What does the comparison of the current ratio and the acid test ratio tell us about the company's situation? What can you say about the level of stock at Cameron Balloons?
Step 3 - Any more ratios?
There is also another category of ratios known as activity ratios. These show how effectively the resources are being used by the business, and can be a useful measure. Calculate the figures in the table below from the information given at the start of the worksheet.
| STOCK TURNOVER | DEBT COLLECTION PERIOD |
| Variable | £'000 | Variable | £'000 |
|---|
| | | | |
| Cost of goods sold | | Debtors | |
| Stocks | | Turnover | |
| | Times | | Days |
|---|
| Stock turnover = Cost of goods sold / Stock | | Debt collection period = Debtors / Turnover | |
- What do these figures show us?
- Are they good figures?
