Shareholders want managers to maximize the of their investments. The firm faces a trade-off. Either it can invest its cash in or it can give the cash back to in the form of a and they can invest it in . Shareholders want the company to invest in only if the is than they could earn for themselves. The return that shareholders could earn for themselves is therefore the for the firm.

If the ceo of a large, diversified, firm were filling out a fitness report on a division manager (i. e., "grading" the manager), which of the following situations would be likely to cause the manager to receive a better grade? in all cases, assume that other things are held constant. a. the division's basic earning power ratio is above the average of other firms in its industry. b. the division's total assets turnover ratio is below the average for other firms in its industry. c. the division's debt ratio is above the average for other firms in the industry. d. the division's inventory turnover is 6, whereas the average for its competitors is 8.e. the division's dso (days' sales outstanding) is 40, whereas the average for its competitors is 30.