In-Depth Notes on Classified Balance Sheet

Learning Objective 1

  • Identify the Sections of a Classified Balance Sheet

Overview of the Classified Balance Sheet

  • A classified balance sheet presents a snapshot of a company's financial situation at a specific point in time.
  • Assets and liabilities are grouped into standard classifications for clarity:
    • Assets
    • Current assets
    • Long-term investments
    • Property, plant, and equipment
    • Intangible assets
    • Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
    • Current liabilities
    • Long-term liabilities
    • Stockholders’ equity

Detailed Breakdown of the Classified Balance Sheet

Assets

Current Assets
  • Definition: Assets that are expected to be converted to cash or consumed within one year or within the operating cycle, whichever is longer.
  • Typical components of current assets include:
    • Cash
    • Debt investments
    • Accounts receivable
    • Notes receivable
    • Inventory
    • Supplies
    • Prepaid insurance
  • Example from Franklin Corporation's balance sheet (as of October 31, 2027):
    • Total current assets: 22,100
Long-term Investments
  • Definition: Investments held for more than one year, including:
    • Stocks and bonds of other corporations
    • Long-term assets not actively used in operations (e.g., land, buildings)
    • Long-term notes receivable
  • Example from Franklin Corporation: Long-term investments of 7,200.
Property, Plant, and Equipment (PPE)
  • Definition: Long-lasting physical assets used in operations that have a useful life longer than one year.
  • Components include land, buildings, equipment, delivery vehicles, and furniture.
  • Important Concepts:
    • Depreciation: Allocation of an asset’s cost over its useful life.
    • Accumulated Depreciation: The total depreciation expense recorded against an asset to date.
  • Example from Franklin Corporation: PPE reported as 29,000.
Intangible Assets
  • Definition: Non-physical assets that provide value to a business, such as goodwill, patents, copyrights, and trademarks.
  • Example from Franklin Corporation: Intangible assets of 3,100.

Liabilities

Current Liabilities
  • Definition: Obligations that must be settled within one year or within the operating cycle, whichever is longer.
  • Common types include:
    • Notes payable
    • Accounts payable
    • Unearned sales revenue
    • Salaries and wages payable
    • Interest payable
  • Example from Franklin Corporation: Total current liabilities of 16,050.
Long-term Liabilities
  • Definition: Obligations not due within the next year.
  • Common types include bonds payable, mortgages payable, long-term notes payable, and lease liabilities.
  • Example from Franklin Corporation: Total long-term liabilities of 11,300.

Stockholders’ Equity

  • Consists of:
    • Common stock: Investments made by stockholders.
    • Retained earnings: Profits retained for use in the business.
  • Example from Franklin Corporation: Total stockholders' equity of 34,050.

Review Questions

Current Assets
  1. Listing Order: Current assets are listed by order of expected conversion to cash.
Long-term Liabilities
  1. Identify Non-long-term Liabilities: Which is not a long-term liability?
    • Correct Answer: Current maturities of long-term debt.

Application Exercise

Example - Asset Section of a Classified Balance Sheet

  • Beginning with given values of assets for Hoffman Corporation, construct the asset section of a classified balance sheet, categorizing:

    • Current assets: Cash, Accounts receivable, Inventory, Prepaid insurance
    • Long-term investments: Debt investments
    • Property, Plant and Equipment: Equipment less accumulated depreciation
    • Intangible assets: Trademarks
  • Resulting values:

    • Total current assets: 7,600
    • Total assets: 22,400.