Financial-Management WGU Financial Management VBC1 Question and Answers

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is the primary federal regulator of U.S. securities markets, but it works closely with self-regulatory organizations to oversee market participants. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is the main self-regulatory organization responsible for supervising broker-dealers, enforcing rules, and protecting investors. FINRA operates under SEC oversight, creating a layered regulatory framework that combines government authority with industry-specific expertise. This collaboration enhances market integrity and investor protection. Option C correctly identifies FINRA as the SEC’s primary partner in broker-dealer oversight.

Multinational corporations (MNCs) often seek the lowest-cost and most flexible sources of long-term financing. The global bond market expands their choices beyond domestic lenders and investors, enabling firms to issue debt in multiple countries, currencies, and structures (fixed vs. floating rates, maturities, secured vs. unsecured, and different covenant packages). This broad access can reduce the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) if foreign markets provide lower yields, deeper investor demand, or better terms for the issuer’s credit profile. Global issuance can also support operational needs: an MNC earning revenues in euros or yen may issue bonds in those currencies to create a natural hedge, matching debt service with foreign-currency cash inflows and reducing exchange-rate exposure. However, the global bond market does not remove currency risk automatically (so B is incorrect), nor does it guarantee fixed interest rates (D is incorrect). While domestic issuance remains important, global markets increase strategic flexibility, allowing firms to optimize capital structure, diversify funding sources, manage refinancing risk, and tailor financing to geographic cash flows—core themes in international financial management.

FINRA’s core function is regulating brokerage firms and registered representatives to ensure fair and honest markets. It establishes and enforces rules governing trading practices, licensing, disclosure, and ethical conduct. FINRA also conducts examinations, investigates misconduct, and administers arbitration and mediation between investors and brokers. Unlike the Federal Reserve or FDIC, FINRA does not manage monetary policy or insure deposits. Financial management and regulatory texts consistently describe FINRA as a critical component of U.S. securities market oversight. Option D correctly identifies its primary role.

Free cash flow concepts are central to valuation. Free cash flow to the firm (FCFF) represents cash available to all capital providers—both debt and equity—before interest and principal repayments. In contrast, free cash flow to equity (FCFE) measures the cash available exclusively to common shareholders after all operating expenses, capital expenditures, working capital needs, and debt obligations (interest and principal) have been satisfied. This distinction determines which discount rate analysts use: FCFF is discounted at the weighted average cost of capital (WACC), while FCFE is discounted at the cost of equity. FCFE is especially useful when valuing equity directly or when a firm’s leverage is stable and predictable. Option C correctly captures this defining difference, while the other options misstate cash flow allocation or confuse accounting adjustments with distributable cash.

The payback period measures how long it takes for a project’s cumulative cash inflows to recover the initial investment. It is a simple capital budgeting technique commonly used as a preliminary screening tool. Although it does not account for the time value of money or cash flows beyond the cutoff period, it is useful for assessing liquidity and risk exposure.

Cumulative cash flows are calculated as follows:

End of Year 1: $125,000

End of Year 2: $250,000

End of Year 3: $390,000

End of Year 4: $530,000

The initial investment of $410,000 is recovered sometime during Year 4. Because the question instructs to round up, the payback period is reported as 4 years. Financial management textbooks emphasize that while payback should not be used alone to accept or reject projects, it provides insight into how quickly invested capital is recovered, which is especially relevant for projects with uncertainty or liquidity constraints.

Tax expense reported on the income statement is calculated using accrual accounting, which recognizes revenues and expenses when they are earned or incurred, not necessarily when cash is paid. In contrast, actual taxes paid are based on tax laws and cash payments made to tax authorities. Differences arise due to temporary and permanent timing differences between financial reporting rules and tax regulations. Examples include depreciation methods, revenue recognition timing, loss carryforwards, and deferred tax assets or liabilities. These differences cause tax expense to diverge from cash taxes paid in a given period. Financial managers and analysts must understand this distinction to accurately assess cash flows, particularly when forecasting free cash flow or valuing firms. Option A correctly explains this discrepancy, whereas the other options either deny the existence of differences or incorrectly characterize tax expense accounting.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is a self-regulatory organization responsible for overseeing brokerage firms and registered securities representatives in the United States. Its primary mission is to protect investors and ensure market integrity by enforcing rules governing ethical conduct, disclosure, trading practices, and licensing. FINRA operates under the oversight of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), creating a regulatory structure that combines federal authority with industry expertise. Unlike the FDIC, FINRA does not insure deposits, and unlike the Federal Reserve, it does not manage monetary policy or issue currency. Financial management texts emphasize FINRA’s role in supervising broker-dealers, administering qualification exams, and resolving disputes through arbitration and mediation. Option A correctly identifies FINRA’s core responsibility.

This question applies dividend-based stock valuation principles commonly covered under the Dividend Discount Model (DDM). The intrinsic value of a stock is determined by discounting expected future dividends at the investor’s required rate of return. When dividends are expected to grow at a constant rate, financial management texts recommend using the Gordon Growth Model, which states that stock value equals the next expected dividend divided by the difference between the required return and the growth rate. The calculated value of $66.55 reflects the present value of expected future dividends based on the assumptions provided in the problem. This valuation technique is widely used for mature, dividend-paying firms with stable growth. The result represents the theoretical fair value of the stock, which investors compare to the current market price to assess whether the stock is undervalued or overvalued.

Current liabilities are obligations that a firm must settle within one operating cycle or one year, whichever is longer. When a lender evaluates a firm’s short-term financial health, the primary concern is liquidity—whether the firm has sufficient short-term resources to meet near-term obligations as they come due. Examples of current liabilities include accounts payable, short-term loans, accrued expenses, and current portions of long-term debt. This information allows lenders to compute liquidity ratios such as the current ratio and quick ratio, which measure the firm’s ability to cover short-term obligations with current assets. Long-term investments, long-term debt, and depreciation relate more to long-term solvency and accounting allocation rather than immediate cash requirements. Because the lender is specifically concerned about the company’s ability to meetfinancial obligations in the near term, obligations requiring cash within the next year are the most relevant. Thus, option B accurately reflects the definition and purpose of current liabilities in financial statement analysis.

Junk bonds, also known as high-yield bonds, are issued by firms with lower credit ratings and therefore higher default risk. To compensate investors for this additional risk, these bonds offer higher interest rates than investment-grade bonds. From a financial management and portfolio perspective, investors may include junk bonds to enhance portfolio returns, particularly when they believe default risk is overstated or when economic conditions are favorable. Junk bonds do not guarantee returns and are not backed by government guarantees, making options A and D incorrect. They also do not consistently outperform equities, especially during periods of financial stress. Option B accurately reflects the risk–return tradeoff that underpins investment decisions in capital market theory: higher expected returns are associated with higher risk.

The cash conversion cycle measures the time between cash outflows for production and cash inflows from customer payments. A longer cash cycle means that cash is tied up for a longer period in inventory and receivables before being recovered through sales. As a result, firms with longer cash cycles require larger cash balances or greater access to short-term financing to support ongoing operations. Financial managers aim to shorten the cash cycle by improving inventory turnover, accelerating collections, and managing payables efficiently. Option D correctly reflects this fundamental relationship emphasized in working capital management.

The internal rate of return (IRR) represents the discount rate at which a project’s net present value (NPV) equals zero. Financial management theory states that a project should be accepted if its IRR exceeds the firm’s required rate of return (or hurdle rate), assuming conventional cash flows and no capital rationing.

In this scenario, the hospital has a minimum required return of 11% and sufficient capital to undertake all acceptable projects. Based on the provided IRR calculations, both Project A and Project B have IRRs exceeding 11%, making them financially acceptable under the IRR decision rule. Because there is no capital constraint and the investment horizon is sufficient, the hospital should accept both projects.

Financial management texts caution that IRR can sometimes produce misleading rankings when projects differ significantly in scale or timing. However, when evaluating independent projects with acceptable IRRs, the correct decision is to accept all projects that meet or exceed the required return. Option B correctly reflects this principle.

The sustainable growth rate (SGR) represents the maximum rate at which a firm can grow its sales, assets, and earnings without raising new external equity. It is calculated as ROE × retention ratio, where the retention ratio equals one minus the dividend payout ratio. When a firm increases its dividend payout ratio, it retains less earnings for reinvestment, thereby reducing internally generated equity growth. Unless return on equity increases enough to offset this reduction—which is not assumed here—the sustainable growth rate will decline. Financial management theory emphasizes the trade-off between paying dividends and reinvesting earnings to support future growth. Option C correctly reflects this fundamental relationship between dividend policy and sustainable growth.

Asset tangibility refers to the proportion of a firm’s assets that are physical and can be used as collateral, such as property, plant, and equipment. Firms with high asset tangibility typically have greater borrowing capacity because tangible assets reduce lender risk by providing collateral in case of default. This allows firms to secure debt financing at lower interest rates and with more favorable terms. Capital structure theory recognizes asset tangibility as a key determinant of leverage, particularly under the trade-off theory of capital structure. Option A accurately reflects the standard financial management view.