Analysis of Accounts (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Business): Exam Questions

Elton is a sole trader. He sells specialist clothing and equipment for sports, including baseball and hockey. It is a niche market. Elton started his business 5 years ago and it has remained small. A wide range of inventory is important. Elton has been looking at the financial performance of his business. The profit margin for 2018 was 35%. An extract of the accounts is shown in the below table.

PJA make fashion clothing for 16-25 year olds. Many of its competitors are multinational companies. PJA produce new products every 3 weeks. All PJA’s products are made in a local factory because 2 of import quotas. The Managing Director is reviewing PJA’s financial statements using ratio analysis. An extract is shown in Table 2.1.

Table 2.1 Extract from PJA’s financial statements for 2020

VCG manufactures high-quality briefcases and travel bags. VCG has 50 skilled production workers in its factory. VCG is planning to expand by building a second factory. Different locations are being considered. The Managing Director is reviewing VCG’s financial statements. An extract is shown in the below table. Both internal and external stakeholder groups of VCG are interested in this information.

CPK operates 5 sports clubs. Each club offers a range of activities including gym and yoga classes. CPK uses job enrichment to keep its 60 employees well-motivated. Having the right marketing mix is important to CPK’s success. The Finance Director is analysing CPK’s financial statements. An extract is shown in the below table. He wants to know how an increase in taxation might affect CPK’s business.

Izaak owns a small fish restaurant. He employs two chefs (cooks) and three workers who serve in the restaurant.

Izaak has been trying to increase added value to improve profits. Izaak has been looking at the financial performance of his business. An extract is shown in the table below. Izaak has received a number of complaints about food and service. He knows he must improve quality but cannot decide on the best way to do this.

VCG manufactures high-quality briefcases and travel bags. VCG has 50 skilled production workers in its factory. VCG is planning to expand by building a second factory. Different locations are being considered. The Managing Director is reviewing VCG’s financial statements. An extract from its statement of financial position is shown in Table 3.1. Both internal and external stakeholder groups of VCG are interested in this information.

Table 3.1: Extract from VCG’s 2021 statement of financial position ($)

AHG is an established business, as it has been operating for a long time. It sells garden products, including plants and flowers. AHG uses competitive pricing. The business has 4 managers and 30 other employees. All AHG’s managers use delegation. The finance manager is analysing AHG’s statement of financial position as she is interested in its liquidity. An extract is shown in Table 1.1.

Table 1.1: Extract from AHG’s statement of financial position at 30 March 2022 ($000)