Obtain the most recent consolidated financial statements

Obtain the most recent consolidated financial statements for Saputo, following the instructions on page 2 of this document. You will be using the consolidated income statement on page 47 and the consolidated statement of financial position on page 50. Also, find Note 22 “Financial Instruments”, starting on page 87. You will also be accessing information from the Management Discussion and Analysis section of the 2020 Annual Report.

REQUIRED:

1. Review the 6 paragraphs under the heading ‘Credit Risk’ within Note 22 on page 87 of the 2020 Annual Report. Summarize the content of these paragraphs in your own words. Would this information alarm or reassure investors? Explain.
2. Using information from Saputo’s consolidated income statements and consolidated statements of financial position, calculate the accounts receivable turnover ratio for both fiscal 2020 and 2019. Comment on the change (if any) in the ratio between 2019 and 2020. [Note: At the end of fiscal 2018, the ‘Receivables’ balance was $944.9 (in millions of Cdn dollars)]

Also calculate the average collection period for receivables in each of fiscal 2019 and 2020. Do these two ratios (the accounts receivable turnover ratio and the average collection period) provide different information to the investor? Which ratio format do you find easier to understand and interpret?

For the ratio format that you decided was easier to understand and interpret, redo your 2019 and 2020 calculations using the end-of-year Receivables, rather than an average for the year. Is there a significant change to your ratios? Would it change your evaluation of the company?

3. Find the discussion of “Risks and Uncertainties” starting on page 31 of the 2020 Annual Report. This is part of ‘Management’s Discussion and Analysis’. It is not part of the formal financial statements, so is not subject to the same testing by external auditors. The content is decided on by company management with the intention of providing investors with an easier to understand and more comprehensive explanation of the business than might be evident in the financial statements.

Read the paragraphs titled: ‘Supply of raw materials’, ‘USA and international markets’, ‘Supplier concentration’ and ‘Unanticipated business disruption’ and explain them in your own words. Would this information alarm or reassure investors? Explain.

You can access the financial statements of Saputo through the company’s website:

www.saputo.com

Move your cursor over the ‘Investors’ icon (on the top menu bar), and then click on ‘Shareholder Reports’ from the dropdown menu. Change the filter to ‘2020’ and click on ‘Annual Report’ which is available at the top of the list as a pdf.