Newton Inc. uses a calendar year for financial reporting. The company is authorized to issue 9,000,000 shares of $10 par common stock. At no time has Newton issued any potentially dilutive securities. Listed below is a summary of Newton’s common stock activities. 1. Number of common shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2015 2,000,000 2. Shares issued as a result of a 10% stock dividend on September 30, 2016 200,000 3. Shares issued for cash on March 31, 2017 2,000,000 Number of common shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2017 4,200,000 4. A 2-for-1 stock split of Newton’s common stock took place on March 31, 2018 Instructions (a) Compute the weighted-average number of common shares used in computing earnings per common share for 2016 on the 2017 comparative income statement. (b) Compute the weighted-average number of common shares used in computing earnings per common share for 2017 on the 2017 comparative income statement. (c) Compute the weighted-average number of common shares to be used in computing earnings per common share for 2017 on the 2018 comparative income statement. (d) Compute the weighted-average number of common shares to be used in computing earnings per common share for 2018 on the 2018 comparative income statement.

See Explanation Below

Explanation:

Formula:

Shares is calculated by multiplying common stock by duration (in years)

1.

Given

Number of common shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2015 = 2,000,000

Shares issued as a result of a 10% stock dividend on September 30, 2016 = 200,000

Calculating the weighted average number of common stocks:

Jan 1 2016 to Sept 30,2016:

First, note that there are 9 months between these two dates

So, the number of shares is calculated as: Common Shares * Duration (in years)

Number of Shares = 2,000,000 * 9/12

Number of Shares = 1,500,000

Jan 1 2016 to Sept 30,2016 - Adjusted

Given that there is a share issued as a result of 10% Stock dividend

Number of shares is calculated as 1,500,000 + the additional 10%

Number of Shares = 1,5000,000 + 10% * 1,500,000

Number of Shares = 1,500,000 + 150,000

Number of Shares = 1,650,000

Oct 1, 2016 to Dec 31, 2016

There are 3 months between these two dates

Common Shares between these dates = 2,000,000 + 200,000 --; This is gotten from outstanding shares of December 31, 2016 (2,000,000) and shares issued as a result of 10% Stock dividend (200,000)

Duration = 3/12 --- (by converting month to years)

So, Number of Shares = Common Shares * Duration

Number of Shares = 2,200,000 * 3/12

Number of Shares = 550,000

Total = 1,650,000 + 550,000

Total = 2,200,000 Shares

2.

Jan 1, 2017 to Mar 31, 2017

We'll still make use of the formula used in (1) above

Common Stocks * Duration (in years)

Between these dates, there are three months and common stock =2,200,000 --- as calculated in (1) above

So, Number of shares = 2,200,000*3/12 = 550,000

March 1,2017 to Dec31,2017

Given

Number of common shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2017 = 4,200,000

Here, Common stocks = 4,200,000

Duration = 9/12

Number of Shares = 4,200,000*9/12 = 3,150,000

Total Number of Shares = 550,000 + 3*150,000 = 3,700,000

3.

Given

Weighted number of shares for 2017 = 3,700,000 --- calculated in (3) above

Weighted average number of shares = 2 * Weighted number of shares for 2017

Weighted average number of shares = 2 * 3,700,000

Weighted average number of shares = 7,400,000

4.

Jan 1, 2017 to Mar 31,2017.

Duration between these dates = 3/12 years

Number of common shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2017 = 4,200,000

Number of Shares = 4200,000*3/12 = 1,050,000

April 1, 2017 to Dec 31, 2017

Duration = 9/12 years

Common Stocks = 4,200,000 * 2

Number of Shares = 4200,000*2*9/12 = 6,300,000

Total = 1,050,000 + 6,300,000 = 7,350,000

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the third answer is correct.