8.15 Analyzing Disclosures Regarding Fixed Assets. Exhibit 8.21 presents selected financial statement data for three chemical companies: Monsanto Company, Olin Corporation, and NewMarket Corporation. (NewMarket was formed from a merger of Ethyl Corporation and Afton Chemical Corporation.)

REQUIRED

a. Compute the average total depreciable life of assets in use for each firm.

b. Compute the average age to date of depreciable assets in use for each firm at the end of the year.

c. Compute the amount of depreciation expense recognized for tax purposes for each firm for the year using the amount of the deferred taxes liability related to depreciation tim-ing differences.

d. Compute the amount of net income for the year for each firm assuming that depreciation expense for financial reporting equals the amount computed in Requirement c for tax reporting.

e. Compute the amount each company would report for property, plant, and equipment (net) at the end of the year if it had used accelerated (tax reporting) depreciation instead of straight-line depreciation.

f. What factors might explain the difference in average total life of the assets of NewMarket Corporation and Olin Corporation relative to the assets of Monsanto Company?

g. What factors might explain the older average age for depreciable assets of NewMarket Corporation and Olin Corporation relative to Monsanto Company?