Week 2: The Accounting System and Accrual Accounting – Discussion
Prepaid Expenses vs. Unearned Revenue (graded)
From this week’s reading, you were introduced to the concept of unearned revenue and prepaid expenses. Imagine that you are CFO of a company that manufacturers picture frames. Your company wants to become more vertically integrated, meaning it no longer wants to purchase the products that go into the frame, but rather manufacture them. To do this, your company has decided to acquire a glass manufacturing company. There are two glass manufacturers that your company is deciding between: Glass R’ US and Glass Team. In reviewing the balance sheet of each company, you noticed the following:
a. Glass R’ US has a large amount of Unearned Revenue and no Prepaid Expenses.
b. Glass Team has a large amount of Prepaid Expenses and no Unearned Revenue
In your discussion post, explain what unearned revenue and prepaid expenses represent. Then, basing your decision solely on the amount of unearned revenue and prepaid expenses each company has, tell us which company you would acquire and why? (In answering “why”, be sure to include why you believe that company’s position is superior. For example, “I believe having a large amount of prepaid expenses is a better position because ….”)