Motion Designs Inc. has paid quarterly cash dividends since 20Y7. These dividends have steadily increased from $0.05 per share to the latest dividend declaration of $0.50 per share. The board of directors would like to continue this trend and is hesitant to suspend or decrease the amount of quarterly dividends. Unfortunately, sales dropped sharply in the fourth quarter of 20Y8 due to worsening economic conditions and increased competition. As a result, the board is uncertain as to whether it should declare a dividend for the last quarter of 20Y8. On October 1, 20Y8, Motion Designs Inc. borrowed $4,000,000 from Valley National Bank to use in modernizing its retail stores and to expand its product line in response to changes in its industry. The terms of the 10-year, 6% loan require Motion Designs to do the following: • Pay monthly interest on the last day of the month • Pay $400,000 of the principal each October 1, beginning in 20Y9 • Maintain a current ratio (current assets ÷ current liabilities) of 2 • Maintain a minimum balance (a compensating balance) of $100,000 in its Valley National Bank account On December 31, 20Y8, $1,000,000 of the $4,000,000 loan had been disbursed in modernization of the retail stores and in expansion of the product line. Motion Designs Inc.’s balance sheet as of December 31, 20Y8, follows: Motion Designs Inc.     Balance Sheet December 31, 20Y8 Assets Current assets: Cash ......................................... $ 250,000 Marketable securities .......................... 3,000,000 Accounts reveivable ........................... $ 800,000 Allowance for doubtful accounts ............... (50,000) Accounts receivable, net .................... 750,000 Inventory .................................... 2,980,000 Prepaid expenses ............................. 20,000 Total current assets ........................ $ 7,000,000 Property, plant, and equipment: Land ......................................... $1,500,000 Buildings ..................................... $ 5,050,000 Accumulated depreciation—buildings ............ (1,140,000) Buildings, book value ...................... 3,910,000 Equipment ................................... $ 3,320,000 Accumulated depreciation equipment .......... (730,000) Equipment, book value ..................... 2,590,000 Total property, plant, and equipment ...... 8,000,000 Total assets ...................................... $15,000,000 Liabilities Current liabilities: Accounts payable ............................. $ 1,590,000 Notes payable (Valley National Bank) ............ 400,000 Salaries payable ............................... 10,000 Total current liabilities ...................... $2,000,000 Long-term liabilities: Notes payable (Valley National Bank) ............ 3,600,000 Total liabilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 5,600,000 Stockholders’ Equity Paid-in capital: Common stock, $25 par (200,000 shares authorized, 180,000 shares issued) ............$ 4,500,000 Excess of issue price over par ................... 270,000 Total paid-in capital ........................ $4,770,000 Retained earnings ................................ 4,630,000 Total stockholders’ equity ......................... 9,400,000 Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity ............. $15,000,000   The board of directors is scheduled to meet January 10, 20Y9, to discuss the results of operations for 20Y8 and to consider the declaration of dividends for the fourth quarter of 20Y8. The chairman of the board, Matt Cengage, has asked for your advice on the declaration of dividends. Write a brief memo to the chairman of the board, outlining the factors that the board should consider in deciding whether to declare a cash dividend.

EBK CONTEMPORARY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
14th Edition
ISBN:9781337514835
Author:MOYER
Publisher:MOYER
Chapter7: Common Stock: Characteristics, Valuation, And Issuance
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Motion Designs Inc. has paid quarterly cash dividends since 20Y7. These dividends have steadily increased from $0.05 per share to the latest dividend declaration of $0.50 per share. The board of directors would like to continue this trend and is hesitant to suspend or decrease the amount of quarterly dividends. Unfortunately, sales dropped sharply in the fourth quarter of 20Y8 due to worsening economic conditions and increased competition. As a result, the board is uncertain as to whether it should declare a dividend for the last quarter of 20Y8.

On October 1, 20Y8, Motion Designs Inc. borrowed $4,000,000 from Valley National Bank to use in modernizing its retail stores and to expand its product line in response to changes in its industry. The terms of the 10-year, 6% loan require Motion Designs to do the following:

• Pay monthly interest on the last day of the month

• Pay $400,000 of the principal each October 1, beginning in 20Y9

• Maintain a current ratio (current assets ÷ current liabilities) of 2

• Maintain a minimum balance (a compensating balance) of $100,000 in its Valley National Bank account

On December 31, 20Y8, $1,000,000 of the $4,000,000 loan had been disbursed in modernization of the retail stores and in expansion of the product line.

Motion Designs Inc.’s balance sheet as of December 31, 20Y8, follows:

Motion Designs Inc.

    Balance Sheet

December 31, 20Y8

Assets


Current assets:

Cash ......................................... $ 250,000

Marketable securities .......................... 3,000,000

Accounts reveivable ........................... $ 800,000

Allowance for doubtful accounts ............... (50,000)

Accounts receivable, net .................... 750,000

Inventory .................................... 2,980,000

Prepaid expenses ............................. 20,000

Total current assets ........................ $ 7,000,000

Property, plant, and equipment:

Land ......................................... $1,500,000

Buildings ..................................... $ 5,050,000

Accumulated depreciation—buildings ............ (1,140,000)

Buildings, book value ...................... 3,910,000

Equipment ................................... $ 3,320,000

Accumulated depreciation equipment .......... (730,000)

Equipment, book value ..................... 2,590,000

Total property, plant, and equipment ...... 8,000,000

Total assets ...................................... $15,000,000

Liabilities Current liabilities:

Accounts payable ............................. $ 1,590,000

Notes payable (Valley National Bank) ............ 400,000

Salaries payable ............................... 10,000

Total current liabilities ...................... $2,000,000

Long-term liabilities:

Notes payable (Valley National Bank) ............ 3,600,000

Total liabilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 5,600,000

Stockholders’ Equity Paid-in capital:

Common stock, $25 par (200,000 shares authorized, 180,000 shares issued) ............$ 4,500,000

Excess of issue price over par ................... 270,000

Total paid-in capital ........................ $4,770,000

Retained earnings ................................ 4,630,000

Total stockholders’ equity ......................... 9,400,000

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity ............. $15,000,000

 

The board of directors is scheduled to meet January 10, 20Y9, to discuss the results of operations for 20Y8 and to consider the declaration of dividends for the fourth quarter of 20Y8. The chairman of the board, Matt Cengage, has asked for your advice on the declaration of dividends.

Write a brief memo to the chairman of the board, outlining the factors that the board should consider in deciding whether to declare a cash dividend.

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