Suppose the information below is from the 2017 fi nancial statements and accompanying notes of The Scotts Company, a major manufacturer of lawn-care products

(in millions) 2017 2016 Accounts receivable $ 270.4 $ 259.7 Allowance for uncollectible accounts 10.6 11.4 Sales revenue 2,981.8 2,871.8 Total current assets 1,044.9 999.3 Note 19. Concentrations of Credit Risk Financial instruments which potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk consist principally of trade accounts receivable. The Company sells its consumer products to a wide variety of retailers, including mass merchandisers, home centers, independent hardware stores, nurseries, garden outlets, warehouse clubs, food and drug stores and local and regional chains. Professional products are sold to THE SCOTTS COMPANY Notes to the Financial Statements commercial nurseries, greenhouses, landscape services and growers of specialty agriculture crops. Concentrations of accounts receivable at September 30, net of accounts receivable pledged under the terms of the New MARP Agreement whereby the purchaser has assumed the risk associated with the debtor’s fi nancial inability to pay ($146.6 million and $149.5 million for 2017 and 2016, respectively), were as follows.
2017 2016 Due from customers geographically located in North America 53% 52%
Applicable to the consumer business 61% 54%
Applicable to Scotts LawnService®, the professional businesses (primarily distributors), Smith & Hawken®
and Morning Song® 39% 46%
Top 3 customers within consumer business as a percent of total consumer accounts receivable 0% 0%
The remainder of the Company’s accounts receivable at September 30, 2017 and 2016, were generated from customers located outside of North America, primary retailers, distributors, nurseries and growers in Europe. No concentrations of customers of individual customers within this group account for more than 10% of the Company’s accounts receivable at either balance sheet date.
The Company’s three largest customers are reported within the Global Consumer segment, and are the only customers that individually represent more than 10% of reported consolidated net sales for each of the last three fi scal years. These three customers accounted for the following percentages of consolidated net sales for the fi scal years ended September 30:
Largest 2nd Largest 3rd Largest Customer Customer Customer 2017 21.0% 13.5% 13.4%
2016 20.2% 10.9% 10.2%
2015 21.5% 11.2% 10.5%

Instructions Answer each of the following questions.

(a) Calculate the accounts receivable turnover and average collection period for 2017 for the company.

(b) Is accounts receivable a material component of the company’s total 2017 current assets?

(c) Scotts sells seasonal products. How might this affect the accuracy of your answer to part (a)?

(d) Evaluate the credit risk of Scotts’ 2017 concentrated receivables.

(e) Comment on the informational value of Scotts’ Note 19 on concentrations of credit risk.
REAL-WORLD FOCUS