There is a job opening at the SEC. Who do you think would make an ideal candidate? Why? What attributes would be ideal?
Should Exxon have already written down (booked an impairment) on its fixed assets? What argument does the firm use to justify not writing them down (at least yet)?
If you were a research analyst, would you challenge a CFO on its EBITDAC (C=”Covid”) and other such non-GAAP measures? If so, why?
There is a saying in academia, the worst dean is the person who really wants to be dean. What do you think this means and why did a similar expression seem to apply to this CEO?
Shareholders are complaining about online shareholder meetings. Do (would) you share the sentiment? What would be your opinion if you were a member of the C-suite?
What’s the entry for the $262,000,000,000? Are you surprised that such magnitude was booked for first half of 2020? (PS: Do we impair liabilities? Equity?)
What are some of the pros and cons of this sort of “asset-based” financing? Why did Falcon take the inventory on its books?
Are you surprised at the amount of loan loss provisions at GS, JPM, C? What does it signal about the economic outlook in general and about the firm specific outlook? Can you do the journal entries? Are they cash or non-cash? What is the cash flow effect?
Do you think virtual IPOs will replace in-person IPOs? What is a disadvantage of the former over the latter?
Firms have stockpiled cash because of the pandemic. Why? What will they most likely use the cash for? Will it flow to investors (dividends, share repurchases)?
What is the downside of zero-based budgeting? Would you implement it at your firm when you become CFO? Why or why not?
