Which of the Following Statements Is CORRECT

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) If one firm has a higher debt ratio than another, we can be certain that the firm with the higher debt ratio will have the lower TIE ratio, as that ratio depends entirely on the amount of debt a firm uses.
B) A firm's use of debt will have no effect on its profit margin.
C) If two firms differ only in their use of debt--i.e., they have identical assets, sales, operating costs, interest rates on their debt, and tax rates--but one firm has a higher debt ratio, the firm that uses more debt will have a lower profit margin on sales and a lower return on assets.
D) The debt ratio as it is generally calculated makes an adjustment for the use of assets leased under operating leases, so the debt ratios of firms that lease different percentages of their assets are still comparable.
E) If two firms differ only in their use of debt--i.e., they have identical assets, sales, operating costs, and tax rates--but one firm has a higher debt ratio, the firm that uses more debt will have a higher operating margin and return on assets.