Learn how Series 86 tests receivables, inventory, payables, cash conversion, accounting-policy comparability, non-GAAP adjustments, and earnings quality.
Series 86 does not assume that reported numbers can be accepted at face value. Working capital, accounting policies, non-GAAP adjustments, and earnings quality determine whether financial results are comparable and whether reported growth is backed by cash. This section is where the analyst asks whether the company’s apparent progress is real, sustainable, and measured consistently with peers.
The exam frequently rewards a candidate who sees the cash-flow implication behind an accounting number. Rising receivables may signal weak collections. Rising inventory may signal slowing demand or a deliberate build ahead of growth. Longer payables may preserve cash temporarily but can also reveal supplier pressure. These details help distinguish high-quality growth from weak conversion.
| Metric | What it tests | Exam interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Receivables turnover and days sales outstanding | collection quality | slower collections can weaken revenue quality and operating cash flow |
| Inventory turnover and days inventory outstanding | inventory management and demand signal | weaker turnover can point to excess inventory, discounting risk, or demand softness |
| Payables turnover and days payables outstanding | supplier terms and cash management | longer payables can help cash temporarily but may not be sustainable |
| Cash conversion cycle | total time cash is tied up in operations | a longer cycle often pressures free cash flow even when earnings look healthy |
Working capital changes flow through operating cash flow. A company can report accounting earnings while cash conversion deteriorates because receivables and inventory consume cash. Conversely, some working-capital improvement is temporary if it comes from delaying payments rather than improving collections or inventory discipline.
Series 86 expects the candidate to recognize when accounting choices change reported results. Inventory costing can affect COGS, margins, taxes, and inventory balances. Depreciation methods can affect EBIT and book value. Capitalizing versus expensing a cost can affect EBITDA and earnings even when cash economics are similar. Lease accounting, pension obligations, deferred taxes, and effective tax-rate changes can also affect how a company compares with peers.
The exam point is not advanced accounting mechanics. The point is comparability. If two companies use different accounting approaches, the analyst should adjust or at least interpret the ratios with caution before treating one as clearly superior.
Research reports often discuss adjusted EPS, adjusted EBITDA, normalized earnings, or other management-defined measures. Series 86 expects the analyst to ask whether those adjustments explain economic reality or merely improve optics. If recurring stock compensation, restructuring charges, acquisition costs, or impairment patterns are excluded every year, the adjusted view may be less informative than management suggests.
The stronger exam answer usually does not reject adjustments automatically. It asks whether the adjustment is justified, comparable across periods, comparable with peers, and consistent with cash-flow evidence. Quality of earnings improves when net income is supported by operating cash flow, conservative assumptions, and stable working-capital behavior.
A company reports strong adjusted earnings, but receivables and inventory both rise faster than sales while operating cash flow declines. Which Series 86 conclusion is strongest?
A. The adjusted earnings figure should be accepted because management supplied it B. The analyst should question earnings quality and cash conversion before relying on the reported growth C. Working capital should be ignored because it does not affect valuation D. The company is automatically undervalued because adjusted earnings increased
Answer: B. Series 86 expects the analyst to connect working-capital behavior and operating cash flow to the quality of reported results.