Search This Blog

Showing posts with label Coach Corp. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coach Corp. Show all posts

Friday, August 21, 2015

The executive officers of Coach Corp have a performance-based compensation plan

CA16-2 (Ethical issues—compensation plan) The executive officers of Coach Corp have a performance-based compensation plan. The performance criteria of this plan is linked to growth in earnings per share. When annual EPS growth is 12%, the Coach executives earn 100% of the shares; ifgrowth is 16%, they earn 125%. If EPS growth is lower than 8%, the executives receive no additonal compensation.

In 2006, Joanna Becker, the controller of Coach, reviews year-end estimates of bad debt expense and warranty expense. She calculates the EPS growth at 15%. Peter Reiser, a member of the executive group, remarks over lunch one day that the estimate of bad debt expense might be decreased, increasing EPS growth to 16.1%. Becker is not sure she should do this because she believes that the current estimate of bad debts is sound. On the other hand, she recognizes that a great deal of subjectivity is involved in the computation.

Answer the following:
a) What, if any, is the ethical dilemma for Becker?
b) Should Becker's knowledge of the compensation plan be a factor that influences her estimate?
c) How should Becker respond to Reiser's request?


Click here for the solution: The executive officers of Coach Corp have a performance-based compensation plan