The following are the accounts of Bebebe Ltd (Bebebe), a company that manufactures playground equipment for the year ended 30 November 2020.

Statement of Comprehensive Income for the year ended 30 November:

Required:

a) Calculate, for both years, the return on equity and the return on capital employed. (4 marks)

b) Calculate, for both years, TWO (2) investment ratios to a potential investor. (4 marks)

c) Calculate, for both years, TWO (2) ratios of interest to a potential long-term lender. (4 marks)

d) Comment on the performance of Bebebe to a potential shareholder and lender using the ratios calculated above. (5 marks)

e) Explain THREE (3) weaknesses in these ratios.

(3 marks)

From the viewpoint of a potential shareholder who would be interested in the returns on their investment, ratios such as Return on Equity (ROE), Dividend per Share (DPS), and Earnings per Share (EPS) are crucial.

  • The ROE has improved from 15.93% in 2019 to 19.4% in 2020, indicating better utilization of shareholders’ funds.
  • EPS increased from GH¢0.30 to GH¢0.43, which could boost shareholder confidence as it suggests that the company is generating higher earnings per share.

From the viewpoint of a potential lender, the company’s Interest Cover ratio and Debt/Equity ratio would be key indicators of its ability to meet debt obligations:

  • Interest Cover has increased from 10.5 times in 2019 to 12.9 times in 2020, suggesting that the company is generating sufficient profits to cover its interest payments comfortably.
  • The Debt/Equity ratio decreased from 26.55% to 22.39%, indicating a decrease in financial risk as the company relies less on debt relative to equity.

e) Weaknesses in Ratios:

  1. Historical Nature:
    Ratios are based on historical financial information, and therefore may not reflect future performance.
  2. Comparability Issues:
    Different companies use different accounting policies, which can affect the comparability of ratios, such as using different depreciation methods.
  3. Industry Differences:
    Ratios may vary significantly across different industries, making it difficult to benchmark a company’s performance against others outside of its industry.