Slappey Communications is a technology firm in Birmingham, Alabama, specializing in telecommunications, computer, and network security. Its owner, Bill Slappey, invested nearly $770,000 in property, plant, and equipment for the business in 2014 (See “Small Firms Poised to Spend More on Plants, Equipment,” A. Loten and V. Monga, Wall Street Journal, September 3, 2014.) Slappey […]
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How will a $37 million expansion to retool an assembly plan impact GM’s financial statements?
July 29, 2014 
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General Motors (GM) is considering a $37-million expansion to one of its Michigan assembly plants. The Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia crossovers are built at the Lansing Delta Township plant. GM officials have not announced what the $37-million expansion will include but they have applied for tax incentives from the City of Lansing […]
Continue readingWhat is the impact on American Apparel’s current ratio of the loan it received from Standard General?
July 10, 2014 0 Comments
American Apparel has been in the news in recent weeks. Its board fired CEO Dov Charney amid several reports of his misdeeds. The company has also lost $270 million over the past three years. Last week, one of American Apparel’s creditors, Lion Capital, called a $10 million loan it had made to American Apparel. (“Calling” […]
Continue readingWhat are implications of Casella Waste Systems changing its year end from April 30 to December 31?
July 2, 2014 0 Comments
Casella Waste Systems, Inc., is a solid waste services company operating primarily in the eastern United States. Its fiscal year end has historically been April 30. In recent years, the region has experienced severe weather in the spring. The severe weather would drive down earnings for Casella in the last few months of its fiscal […]
Continue readingHow does cost cutting at Best Buy impact its ROI?
June 28, 2014 0 Comments
Best Buy is struggling to thrive (and some would say it is even struggling to survive) as it competes with online giant Amazon.com. According to a recent article in Forbes, one way Best Buy is aiming to improve its financial outlook is to cut its cost of goods sold through supply chain efficiency gains. Questions […]
Continue readingIf Quiznos’ debts are discharged in bankruptcy, how do its creditors account for the effect of the bankruptcy?
June 2, 2014 0 Comments
The sandwich chain Quiznos has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, which will allow it to continue operating while it works out a debt-restructuring plan with creditors. Senior lenders would receive equity in exchange for the debt. On the other hand, some junior creditors may not get paid the monies due to them from Quiznos. […]
Continue readingWhat is the balance sheet impact of Delta’s improvements to its LAX Terminal 5?
May 27, 2014 0 Comments
Delta Air Lines is partnering with the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) to overhaul Terminal 5 at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for a total estimated cost of $240 million. The project is expected to start in 2015. Delta is contributing $12 million for check-in and lounge improvements and the […]
Continue readingHow will a stock split impact Under Armour’s stockholders’ equity?
May 23, 2014 0 Comments
On March 17, 2014, Under Armour, a company selling sports clothing, shoes, and accessories, announced a two-for-one stock split (see Under Armour press release dated March 17, 2014). Here is an excerpt from the Under Armour press release: “Baltimore, MD (March 17, 2014) – Under Armour, Inc. (NYSE: UA) today announced that its Board of Directors […]
Continue readingHow will cutting 18 months off the life of its Celebrex patent impact Pfizer’s profits?
May 20, 2014 0 Comments
Pfizer, headquartered in New York City, is one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies (as measured by revenues.) It holds patents on many of the drugs it manufactures. One of these patents gives Pfizer the exclusive right to market the painkiller, Celebrex. (Celebrex generated $1.9 billion in revenue in 2013.) In a recent patent ruling, […]
Continue readingWhat are the characteristics of the $2 billion in bonds that Tesla Motors is issuing?
May 7, 2014 0 Comments
Tesla Motors, Inc., is an American company that designs, manufactures, and sells electric cars and components. It is publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol TSLA. Tesla has plans to build a $4 to $5 billion battery production plant beginning in 2017. To help to pay for the new manufacturing facility, Tesla is issuing […]
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