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Microsoft Accounting Case Solution

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*Microsoft’s Financial Reporting Strategy 1. What are the factors that likely explain the difference between Microsoft’s market value of equity and its reported book value of equity? The most obvious reason for the difference between the market value of equity and the book value of equity is the inability to record certain intangible assets such as brand value, customer loyalty, and perhaps most importantly, human capital. These intangible assets are likely to provide tremendous earnings growth in the future which determines the company’s market value. Notice also that the company’s choice of conservative accounting policies has the effect of depressing the company’s book value of equity. 2. What effect did Microsoft’s …show more content…

3. What effect did Microsoft’s revenue recognition policy have on its financial statements? Ignore any potential tax effects. a. Estimate the amount of revenue that Microsoft would have been reported in each year from 1996 through 1999 if Microsoft had not adopted its new revenue recognition policy in 1996. [pic] b. Why do you think Microsoft decided to defer a portion of its revenues in fiscal 1996? The company’s decision to defer revenues came at a time of significant growth in revenues—suggesting that the company’s decision to defer revenues was partially to dampen or “smooth” the company’s revenue growth. The company’s decision to defer revenue had the effect of reducing reported revenue growth from 88% to 64% in the first quarter of 1996 and increasing revenue growth from 4% to 15% in the first quarter of 1997. Even as reported the first quarter of 1997 represented the lowest quarterly revenue growth in the company’s history. While the timing of the company’s decision to defer revenues appears particularly opportune, the introduction of Windows 95 to the market provides a legitimate reason for the decision. As described in the case, the company expected to integrate its Internet technologies into both Windows 95 and Office 97 “at no additional cost to customers.” Arguably, then, sales of these products were improved by these

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