Can someone help me with this M&I 400 question?

This question is in the accounting section; I will write down the question with the context and give the answer that M&I gave, as well as list what I don't understand about it. For the record, this is question #14 in the Basic Accounting Questions section. I give some additional context that was stated on an earlier problem.

Question: "Apple has bought $100 worth of factories with debt. Assume the factories depreciated at a rate of 10% per year until Year 3. At the start of Year 3, all the factories break down and the value of the equipment is $0. The loan must be paid back now. Walk me through the three statements."

Answer in the book: "After 2 years, the value of the factories is $80 with depreciation. On the income statement, $80 is on the pre-tax income line. With a 40% tax rate, Net Income declines by $48. On the cash flow statement, Net Income is down $48, but the non-cash expense is added back in under the Cash Flow from Operations section. Under the Cash Flow from Financing section, the loan is paid back so it is down $100. Overall, the Net Change in Cash is down $68. On the Balance Sheet, Cash is down $68, PP&E is down by $100, and Shareholders' Equity by $48, so both sides balance."

A few things here that I do not understand.

1. If the factory is depreciating at a rate of 10% per year, then why is the value after 2 years $80? Wouldn't it be $90 after the first year and $81 after the second year (aka 10% of that year's value rather than 20% of the starting value)?

2. Where did they get $68 from as the Net Change in Cash the Cash Flow Statement? Net Income is down by $48 and the $20 of depreciation is added back in so we have $68. Then we subtract the loan paid back so shouldn't our Net Change in Cash be ($168)? Instead of just $68?

Thanks in advance, any help would be greatly appreciated.

4 Comments
 
Most Helpful

1.) In straight-line depreciation the building depreciates at a fixed rate of 10% of the ORIGINAL asset cost every year, so deprecation is 10% or $10 every year for 10 years until the value of the asset is 0. 

2.) For cash flow, in cash from operations net income is down by $48, but there is no deprecation add back because you are writing down the building, but you do add back the write down of $80, so cash from operations is up $32. But you also have to pay back the entire loan, meaning cash from financing will be down $100, and the total change in cash is down $68.

 

1. Depreciation, like loan amortization, is based on the original value.  So "10% depreciation per year" means 10% of the starting value, i.e. $10 per year, not 10% of the net value at the beginning of the year

2. Net income is -48, but you add back the non-cash 80 writeoff so you're at +32.  You then pay the $100 loan off, so your net cash flow is -68

 

Et nemo voluptatibus velit rem et dignissimos. Et corrupti quia nemo amet qui excepturi. Corrupti unde aut dicta vitae voluptatem inventore. In ex temporibus voluptatum natus maxime sint quia quis. Quia sit quis vel dolor corrupti et aspernatur. Consequatur explicabo earum a harum accusamus. Molestiae beatae officia expedita accusamus.

Rerum sit a et iusto. A et quia ut eaque sit optio et pariatur. Sed deserunt sint rerum ullam inventore doloremque. Sint illum dignissimos animi eius illo. Et facere possimus et non. Porro numquam deleniti repellendus id eius.

Officiis et quaerat perferendis earum. Voluptas modi corporis eos vel distinctio.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”