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If a company has high operating leverage, what would be the likely effect on its risk and return?

Question

If a company has high operating leverage, what would be the likely effect on its risk and return?

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Solution

High operating leverage means that a company has a high proportion of fixed costs relative to its variable costs. Here's how it would likely affect its risk and return:

  1. Risk: High operating leverage increases a company's risk. This is because fixed costs must be paid regardless of the company's level of output. If sales are low, the company still has to cover these costs, which can lead to financial distress or even bankruptcy. Therefore, the risk of not being able to cover operating costs increases with high operating leverage.

  2. Return: On the other hand, high operating leverage can also lead to high returns. If a company's sales are high, the fixed costs are spread over a larger number of units, reducing the cost per unit. This can lead to higher profit margins and thus higher returns.

In summary, a company with high operating leverage can experience high risk and high return. The actual outcome depends on the company's sales volume.

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Similar Questions

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How does operating leverage impact a company?a.It increases fixed costs and reduces riskb.It only affects short-term financial decisionsc.It decreases variable costs and increases riskd.It has no impact on costs or riskCLEAR MY CHOICE

A CEO explains “we can increase our expected return on equity by increasing leverage.” Which of the following is the best response to this statement?A.This statement is not necessarily true—it depends upon a whole range of factors.B.This is false, equity holders are residual claimants and increased interest payments will leave less profit to distribute to shareholders.C.This is true, but the higher returns will be associated with increased risk.D.This is always true since leverage makes the firm more disciplined and increases returns.

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