Monday quiz

Kick start the week with a quick test of your investment knowledge--corporate debt is in the spotlight this week

Holly Cook | 10-08-09 | E-mail Article

1. What does the gearing ratio measure?
a) Short term cash flow

b) Working capital cycle

c) The proportion of capital that is borrowed as a percentage of total capital employed

d) The affordability of the dividend policy

2. If company A is more geared than company B, which of the following is true?
a) A's earnings will be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than B's

b) A's earnings will be less sensitive to changes in interest rates than B's

c) Company A has less debt relative to equity than company B

d) Company B has more debt relative to equity than company A

3. Which of the following would reduce gearing?
a) Increase in equity

b) Decrease in equity

c) Increase in borrowing

d) Increase in dividends

Answers
1. c) The gearing ratio measures the proportion of capital that is borrowed as a percentage of total capital employed. Gearing is referred to as leverage in the United States.

2. a) A's earnings will be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than B's as the more debt a company has (the more geared it is), the more sensitive it will be to any changes in interest rates.

3. a) A highly geared company is one where there is a large proportion of debt compared to equity. Therefore, issuing new shares would result in an increase of equity and a reduction in the company's gearing.

Holly Cook is Site Editor of Morningstar.co.uk and Hemscott.com. She would like to hear from you but cannot give financial advice. You can contact the author via this feedback form.
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