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10-K Minute: Target, Data Breach, and Contingent Liabilities

Background In the fourth quarter of 2013, hackers broke into Target Corporation’s system and stole the names and credit card information for up to 70 million customers. This data breach is among the largest data breaches in U.S. history and lawsuits against Target Corporation are being filed by several parties including customers, credit card companies, […]

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What is the impact on cash from Sony selling its old Tokyo headquarters?

In March 2014, Sony signed a deal to sell its old Tokyo headquarters and a nearby building for $156 million. This building served as Sony’s headquarters from 1990 to 2007 and is thought of as the birthplace of the company, where Sony founders worked on the Walkman and Trinitron TV. This building sale follows the […]

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Will Uber capitalize or expense the renovations to its headquarters in San Francisco?

Uber, is a startup with a mobile app for connecting passengers with drivers of vehicles for hire. Uber arranges rides in several North American cities (for example, New York, Chicago, and San Francisco) and has recently expanded to include countries outside of North America (for example, United Kingdom and France). Recently, it was reported that […]

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What costs will be expensed versus capitalized in Applebee’s investment in tableside tablets for its restaurants?

At Applebee’s, Presto tablets by E la Carte are being installed at every table. In total, Applebee’s will be purchasing 100,000 tablets. Customers will be able to pay their food bill and order appetizers and desserts using the tablets.  In addition to the initial purchase price of the tablet hardware and various other costs, Applebee’s […]

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How would Crocs recognize the preferred stock issued to Blackstone Group?

At the end of December 2013, Crocs Inc. announced that Blackstone Group is investing $200 million into the footwear company in the form of a preferred stock purchase. In three years, the preferred stock shares owned by Blackstone Group will convert into common shares if the Crocs common stock market price rises to a certain […]

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How does the SEC allege that Diamond Foods fraudulently increased earnings?

Diamond Foods produces and markets Emerald snack nuts, PopSecret popcorn, and several other snack brands. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently charged Diamond and two of the company’s former executives (the CEO and the CFO) with misleading investors by fraudulently manipulating income (see “Diamond Foods to Pay $5 Million to Settle SEC Fraud Charges,” […]

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What is the balance sheet impact of Crocs’ repurchase of its own shares of stock?

At the end of December 2013, Crocs Inc. announced that Blackstone Group is investing $200 million into the footwear company in the form of a preferred stock purchase. Crocs plans to use the $200 million plus another $150 million of cash it already has on hand to repurchase its own common shares during the first […]

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How is the term “depreciation” used in a news story about the resale value of electric cars?

A recent news story in USA Today was entitled “Depreciation hits electric cars hard.” According to USA Today, a Ford Focus Electric automobile will be worth about 20% of its initial $35,995 list price after five years, while a conventional Ford Focus (gas-engine) will be worth about 36% of its initial value. The 2013 Nissan […]

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What information can be gathered from Barnes & Noble’s statement of cash flows?

Barnes & Noble is a retailer of content, digital media, and educational products.  It has nearly 700 bookstores in 50 states and also has a large e-commerce presence on the Web.  In the past few years, there has been speculation that Barnes & Noble will not survive in the long-term. Among other news stories, the […]

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How much does Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida pay to redeem one share of its preferred stock?

The following is from a press release from Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida, the holding company for Seacoast National Bank, dated November 29, 2013: “…Seacoast National Bank…announced it has issued a notice to redeem, subject to regulatory approval, all of its 2,000 shares of Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A… for an aggregate […]

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