单选题 Falcon Financial Group is considering the purchase of Company A or Company B based on a low price-to-book investment strategy that also considers differences in solvency. Selected financial data for both firms, as of December 31, 20×7, follows:
in millions, except per-share data
Company A
Company B
Current assets
$ 3000
$ 5500
Fixed assets
$ 5700
$ 5500
Total debt
$ 2700
$ 3500
Common equity
$ 6000
$ 7500

Outstanding shares
500
750
Market price per share
$ 26.00
$ 22.50
The finns" financial statement footnotes contain the following:
Company A values its inventory using the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method.
Company B" s inventory is based on the last-in, first-out ( LIFO ) method. Had Company B used FIFO, its inventory would have been $ 700 million higher.
Company A leases its manufacturing plant. The remaining operating lease payments total $1600 million. Discounted at 10 percent, the present value of the remaining payments is $1000 million.
Company B owns its manufacturing plant.
To make the firms financials ratios comparable, calculate the adjusted price-to-book ratios for Company A and Company B.
Company A Company B
①A. $2.17 $2.81
②B. $1.63 $2.06
③C. $2.17 $2.06
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】Company A should be adjusted for the operating lease liability and the related assets; however, adding the present value of the lease payments to both assets and liabilities does not change equity (book value). Thus, Company A"s adjusted P/B ratio is 2.17 =[$ 26 price/( $ 6000 million equity/$ 500 million shares)]. Company B"s inventory should be adjusted back to FIFO by adding the LIFO reserve to both assets and equity. Thus, Company B" s P/B ratio is 2.06 = $ 22.50/[ ( $ 7500 million equity + $ 700 million LIFO reserve)/750 million shares].