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CFA Institute 2019 Mock Exam A - Afternoon Session
CFA Institute 2019 Mock Exam A - Afternoon Session
CFA Institute 2019 Mock Exam A - Afternoon Session
The afternoon session of the 2019 Level II Chartered Financial Analyst Mock ®
Examination has 60 questions. To best simulate the exam day experience, candidates
are advised to allocate an average of 18 minutes per item set (vignette and 6 multiple
choice questions) for a total of 180 minutes (3 hours) for this session of the exam.
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currently registered CFA candidates. Candidates may view and print the exam for personal exam prepara-
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© 2018 CFA Institute. All rights reserved.
2 2019 Level II Mock Exam PM
of the IPO in the days immediately after the stock started trading. Kostecka responds
to the complaint by telling Fang, “the analyst who wrote the hold recommendation
on Jabbertalk has only passed his CFA Level II examination. As a charterholder, I
have earned the right to use the CFA designation, so I am more qualified to manage
clients’ investments.”
In order to build his client base, Kostecka prepares performance information to
show prospective clients. He includes the firm’s c omposite p erformance b ased o n
similar discretionary client portfolios that are in compliance with the GIPS Standards.
In addition, Kostecka prepares his own composite performance, including all accounts
he manages. This presentation includes Nathoo’s account assuming she had sold her
shares of Jabbertalk. Along with his performance record, Kostecka provides a footnote
disclosing the following language: “If your account is managed on a discretionary
basis, you might expect results similar to those shown above.”
1 With regard to the investment request made by Nathoo to invest in Chatterbox,
Kostecka should most likely:
A follow Bope’s investment goals.
B seek advice from the court.
C comply with her request.
2 By not acting on the information reported by Nathoo, which CFA Institute
Standard of Professional Conduct has Kostecka least likely violated?
A Loyalty, Prudence, and Care
B Duties to Employers
C Knowledge of the Law
3 With regard to investing in Jabbertalk and recommending experts, Kostecka
most likely needs to disclose conflicts related to his:
A attorney relationship.
B board membership.
C accountant relationship.
4 In relation to Kostecka’s handling of the Jabbertalk stock recommendation,
which of the following CFA Institute Standards of Professional Conduct did he
least likely violate?
A Priority of Transactions
B Fair Dealing
C Communication with Clients
5 When Kostecka defends himself against Nathoo’s complaint, he most likely vio-
lated the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct
concerning the:
A reference to candidacy in the CFA Program.
B misrepresentation of the meaning of the designation.
C right to use the CFA designation.
6 Kostecka’s performance presentation most likely conforms to CFA Institute
Standard III(D)–Performance Presentation with regard to:
A disclosure in the footnote.
B composites representing similar discretionary investment portfolios.
C fair and accurate representation of performance.
4 2019 Level II Mock Exam PM
Patrick asks Canton to provide him with a copy of a recent research report that
would have been distributed to the firm’s clients. Patrick is provided a copy of the PT
Matias (PT) report, written by Amanda Burt, CFA. PT is involved in the manufacture of
aluminum cans supplied to the soft drink industry. She mentions that PT has recently
gone through a reorganization and is in a turnaround situation, so the potential returns
are quite large. The shares were recently purchased for all client portfolios in a block
trade. After reviewing the report, Patrick meets with Burt to discuss her approach to
researching companies, meeting with company management, and determining earn-
ings estimates. Burt explains to Patrick how carefully she documents her meetings
with management and shares her notes with him. He compares the meeting notes
with Burt’s recent report and notices she has included management’s guidance for
earnings and margins along with her own estimates.
While talking with Burt, Patrick asks if she ever plays a role when the marketing
department makes new business presentations. She tells him that because of her stock
selection track record, she is frequently involved in those types of meetings. She adds
2019 Level II Mock Exam PM 5
that she typically reviews the methodology used to research a company and deter-
mine a recommendation. They discuss the p otential clients, and she jokes that she
even made a presentation to an investment committee for the retirement assets of a
company under her coverage. The firm’s business development manager was unhappy
that she had a sell rating on the potential client’s stock when the sales pitch took place.
Patrick’s review of the firm’s C ode a nd C ompliance P olicies a nd P rocedures i s
almost complete. The final item to review is how the firm handles employees’ trading.
He notices the current Policies and Procedures are lacking. He notes that the firm
currently restricts employee participation in IPOs, has a very narrow blackout period
for employees trading securities on their buy list, and ensures personal trading policies
are kept confidential. Sang tells Patrick of the difficulty he experienced in trying to
get more robust personal trading policies and procedures approved. The board has
historically been reluctant to put restrictions in place that limit the staff’s ability to
invest their personal funds.
7 Under CFA Institute Standard IV: Duties to Employers, with regard to the
subject matter of the first item on Patrick’s list, whose interest is least likely of
importance?
A Northside’s
B The capital markets’
C Northside’s clients’
8 Which of Patrick’s recommendations is most likely insufficient to comply with
Standard IV(C): Responsibilities of Supervisors?
A Recommendation 1
B Recommendation 2
C Recommendation 3
9 To indicate the area of the investment research process he wants to address,
Patrick should most likely label the proposals as follows:
A Proposal 1 = Compensation, Proposal 2 = Reasonable Basis, Proposal 3 =
Distribution
B Proposal 1 = Reasonable Basis, Proposal 2 = Distribution, Proposal 3 =
Compensation
C Proposal 1 = Compensation, Proposal 2 = Distribution, Proposal 3 =
Reasonable Basis
10 Which of the following CFA Institute Standards of Professional Conduct has
most likely been violated in relation to the research report and purchase of PT
Matias?
A Suitability
B Fair Dealing
C Misrepresentation
11 Has Burt most likely violated the CFA Institute Standards of Professional
Conduct during the new business presentations?
A No
B Yes, with regard to Duties to Clients
C Yes, with regard to Disclosure of Conflicts
12 Which of Northside’s current personal trading policies is least consistent
with CFA Institute recommended procedures for Standard VI(B): Priority of
Transactions?
A IPO restriction
6 2019 Level II Mock Exam PM
B Policy confidentiality
C Blackout trading window
Standard
Adjusted Error of the Durbin– Significance of
R2 R2 Estimate Watson F-Value F-Value
One of the students asks Reyes about the adjusted R2 reported in Exhibit 1. Reyes
explains that adjusted R2 adjusts for the effects of serial correlation in the data.
A second student recalls that the presence of heteroskedasticity affects interpre-
tation of the test statistics computed by a regression. Reyes confirms that that is true
and suggests the students examine a plot of the predicted BOLSAA return values
minus their actual values (the BOLSAA residuals) against the independent variable
(USD/MXN exchange rate). Exhibit 2 provides such a graph.
2019 Level II Mock Exam PM 7
Reyes next suggests they use a first-order autoregressive model [AR(1)]. To reduce
the effect of the exponential trend, the students continue to use the natural logarithms
of the prices, but now they also take the first differences of these logarithms of the
prices (xt). They fit an AR(1) to the differences of logs. The results of the regression
are reported in Exhibit 4.
8 2019 Level II Mock Exam PM
C significantly negative.
17 Based on the regression results reported in Exhibit 4, the mean-reverting level
of the differences of logarithms of the Maya 22 prices [i.e., the time series as
modeled in the AR(1) model] is closest to:
A 0.30812.
B 0.00239.
C 0.00311.
18 Based on the results reported in Exhibit 5, the AR(1) model is best described as
having:
A a unit root.
B heteroskedasticity in the error term variance.
C reliable standard errors.
Regulatory Proposals
CA’s president, Celina Suarez, has brought together representatives from both groups
to consider a regulatory solution. Joseph Antoli represents the farmers, and Andrew
Benez represents the manufacturers.
Suarez proposes having the legislature empower a new agency, the Water Regulatory
Board (WRB), to deal with this conflict. The WRB would be funded by the govern-
ment and would have seven members (three members representing the farmers, three
members representing the manufacturers, and one appointed by the government).
The WRB will determine the appropriate price and volume of water, with the agency’s
decisions being legally binding.
Antoli asks Suarez why the seventh member of the WRB would be a government
appointee, and Suarez responds:
“The government-appointed member would prevent preferential treatment
to either of the regulated groups. To prevent preferential treatment from
developing over time, the government-appointed member will have only
a three-year term and cannot serve consecutive terms.”
Antoli states that the dams, which are currently privately owned, need significant
maintenance, and so the price of water must increase from current price levels.
10 2019 Level II Mock Exam PM
22 Suarez’s proposal for the ownership of the dams is best classified as which of the
following regulatory tools?
A Regulated monopoly
B Provision of public goods
C Public financing of private projects
23 Of the three proposals concerning dam ownership and maintenance, the pro-
posal that provides the least amount of regulatory burden is the one given by:
A Antoli.
B Benez.
C Suarez.
24 When assessing the outcomes from the regulatory solution for Central
Aldorria’s water problem, which of the following statements is most accurate?
A There is an indirect cost due to the farmer’s behavior.
B The behavior of the farmers is an example of a “hold out” problem.
C The additional net regulatory burden due to unanticipated events is equal to
the cost of building roads.
Exhibit 1 (Continued)
Ishmael asks Burgess, “What have you come across with respect to the companies’
post-retirement benefits?”
Burgess replies, “I noticed that both companies are reporting net pension liabilities.
Both companies amended their defined benefit pension plans during the year that just
ended, providing enhanced benefits on past service to retain key technical employees.
But I don’t understand why Euronet’s pension expenses were proportionately much
higher year over year than were those of ZipTech, because both companies have similar
workforces and the pension benefits were on par both before the amendments and after.”
Lenihan responds, “I think it’s because ZipTech reports under US GAAP while
Euronet reports under IFRS and because of how those reporting frameworks account
for past service costs.”
Burgess agrees to revisit the effect of the pension amendments and quickly moves
on to the exhibit he had brought along, showing some of the key assumptions under-
lying both companies’ other post-employment benefit calculations (Exhibit 2).
Lenihan studies the exhibit and comments, “This looks like useful information, but
now we need some analysis. Can you use this information to give us insights about
the impact of the post-employment benefit reporting? Why don’t you write a report
and put it on my desk before you leave this evening.”
Ishmael makes a final suggestion: “See whether you can find any information on
how sensitive both companies are to changes in their actuarial assumptions. That
would provide additional richness in your report.”
25 If Ishmael’s concern about ZipTech’s possible earnings manipulation is valid, the
tactic the company is using is best described as:
A channel stuffing.
B classification shifting.
C contingent selling.
2019 Level II Mock Exam PM 13
26 Lenihan’s concern about Euronet’s loans receivable from customers most likely
indicates that he suspects that the company may be engaging in:
A off-balance-sheet financing.
B classification shifting.
C manipulative discretionary accruals.
27 The most likely effect of Euronet’s choice for reporting the loans receivable on
the Beneish M-score is that the company’s probability of being flagged as an
earnings manipulator is:
A unchanged.
B increased.
C decreased.
28 Lenihan’s response about the difference in ZipTech’s and Euronet’s pension
costs is most likely:
A correct because Euronet would have reported past service costs in net
income immediately.
B incorrect because ZipTech’s past service costs are reported in OCI and are
not subsequently amortized to net income.
C incorrect because both companies would have accounted for pension costs
in the same way.
29 Which of the assumptions in Exhibit 2 would most likely result in a lower
reported post-employment benefit obligation for Euronet as compared with
ZipTech?
A Near-term health care trend rate
B Ultimate health care cost trend rate
C Years until the ultimate trend rate is reached
30 In response to Ishmael’s final suggestion, Lenihan is most likely to find the
required information in the:
A regulatory filings for the pension plan.
B management discussion and analysis.
C notes to the financial statements.
2013 2012
Alahtab uses the Gordon growth model to estimate CRN’s intrinsic value. He
uses the firm’s sustainable growth rate for 2013 as a measure of dividend growth.
Using the capital asset pricing model (CAPM), he arrives at 11% as the required rate
of return on the stock.
Jatin disagrees with Alahtab’s preference for the Gordon growth model. He thinks
that CRN’s stock should be valued using sophisticated techniques that correctly
account for the huge increase in revenues expected over the next four to five years.
In particular, he suggests a couple of two-stage valuation models: the H-model and
the free cash flow to equity (FCFE) model. Upon a closer examination of the data and
expectations of high growth from the increased tourism and transportation on the
revitalized Cuyahoga River, Jatin suggests that Alahtab incorporate the following as
inputs into his H-model and FCFE model computations:
■ A growth rate of 20% per year over the next four years (2014 through 2017) and
a 6% constant growth rate beyond 2017
■ An estimate of FCFE of $0.96 per share for 2014
2019 Level II Mock Exam PM 15
B $0.82.
C $0.92.
34 Using Jatin’s 2014 estimate for FCFE per share and his other suggested inputs
for growth and required return on the stock, the intrinsic value of CRN’s stock
as of 2013 is closest to:
A $21.27.
B $19.15.
C $17.37.
35 In regard to Jatin’s three statements concerning valuation models, he is most
accurate with respect to statement:
A 3.
B 1.
C 2.
36 In regard to her three statements, Lederman is most accurate with respect to
statement:
A 3.
B 1.
C 2.
To prepare for rising rates, Harding asks Hamilton to evaluate floating-rate bond
issues. She reviews a two-year floater issued by NexTec and creates a two-year bino-
mial interest rate tree for valuation purposes, as shown in Exhibit 2. The bond pays
annual coupons based in the one-year Libor. The Libor swap curve is the same as the
par yield curve: 2.5% at one year and 3.0% at two years.
Year 0 Year 1 Year 2
5.5258
3.8695
2.5000 4.5242
3.1681
3.7041
B CommCo
C NexTec
39 Which of Hamilton’s comments regarding interest rate volatility and the yield
curve is most likely correct?
A Comment 2
B Comment 1
C Comment 3
40 Based on Exhibit 1, which bond most likely has the shortest effective duration?
A CommCo
B StorageTech
C NexTec
41 If the NexTec floater had a 3% cap, the value of this embedded cap for the issuer
would be closest to:
A 1.57.
B 1.09.
C 0.49.
42 Is Hamilton most likely accurate regarding her convertible bond calculations?
A Yes
B No. The conversion value is incorrect.
C No. The market conversion premium is incorrect.
Mbali Ndlovu, a trader on Mafadi’s derivatives desk, works closely with Fourie to
implement solutions for his clients. Fourie asks Ndlovu to review and calculate the
value of a five- year ZAR20,000,000 swap into which Global Bullion entered two years
ago. It is a receive-fixed, Libor-based interest rate swap with annual resets (30/360 day
count). The fixed rate in the swap contract established two years ago was 3%. Exhibit 1
estimates the present value factors.
1 0.9802
2 0.9560
3 0.9311
B the same.
C lower.
47 The three-month forward price for Zulu stock is closest to:
A ZAR63.99.
B ZAR59.47.
C ZAR57.99.
48 The cash flow to Ndlovu after the first quarter of the Tanzanite swap is closest
to:
A ZAR219,529.
B –ZAR140,471.
C ZAR340,000.
1 Golden Age Equity Building and operation of senior independent Sale of portfolio in public REIT offer-
Partners living facilities in coastal metropolitan areas ing in next 9–12 years
2 Multifam Equity Construction of 15–20 luxury multifamily Building sale within 14–24 months of
Partners apartment building projects in high-growth each respective project initiation; sale
metropolitan areas contracts generally agreed upon prior
to project initiation
2019 Level II Mock Exam PM 21
Exhibit 1 (Continued)
Beaudiment adds, “Each of the four funds has its own team that conducts due
diligence of target properties. They start by preparing initial due diligence reports that
are submitted to Premier’s investment committee. The summary page of one fund’s
report highlights the following sections:
I. Property survey
II. Physical/engineering inspection for structural issues
III. Zoning compliance regulations, parking ratios, etc.
IV. Cash flow statements for operating expenses and revenues”
49 Which of the funds listed in Exhibit 1 would most likely enable investors to
meet all three of the benefits?
A Timbrian Equity Partners
B Multifam Equity Partners
C Golden Age Equity Partners
50 Unexpected inflation and rising interest rates would have the greatest negative
short-term impact on the earnings of:
A Timbrian Equity Partners.
B Multifam Equity Partners.
C Golden Age Equity Partners.
51 Would data from Multifam Equity Partners be more useful than data from
Golden Age Equity Partners for the construction of a hedonic price index?
22 2019 Level II Mock Exam PM
A Yes
B No, because Golden Age Equity Partners can more easily supply NOI data
C No, unless the data from Multifam Equity Partners were adjusted for the
appraisal lag
52 Which of Multifam Equity Partners’ properties listed in Exhibit 2 most likely
has the highest assumed growth rate?
A Multifam I
B Multifam II
C Multifam III
53 Which of Multifam Equity Partners’ properties listed in Exhibit 2 is most likely
permitted the highest maximum LTV on an interest-only loan?
A Multifam I
B Multifam II
C Multifam III
54 Which fund’s due diligence report will least likely contain the listed sections
from the summary page?
A Timbrian Equity Partners
B Multifam Equity Partners
C Golden Age Equity Partners
Donovan cautions Hextall that VaR may not capture information related to large
losses, portfolio composition, and performance. He states that these limitations may
be addressed by variations, or extensions, to VaR. For example, CVaR captures the
potential loss if VaR is exceeded. IVaR measures ex ante tracking error. Relative VaR
is used to determine the effect on VaR from any changes in portfolio composition.
Recalling the financial c risis, H extall a sks K link a bout H B’s p otential e xposure
to any future adverse, extreme events. Klink replies that HB’s investment portfolio
currently holds short-duration, high-investment-grade bonds but does not hold any
equity securities or derivative instruments. Klink adds that the illiquidity conditions
that were prevalent during the financial crisis continue to exist, according to a reverse
stress test she conducted on 10 plausible independent risk factors.
Donovan transitions the discussion to the private wealth division by asking Hextall
to discuss the differences in risk measurement for banks in comparison to traditional
asset managers, such as HB’s private wealth division. Hextall states that risk measures
for banks typically consider liquidity, solvency, and capital sufficiency, whereas risk
measures for traditional asset managers typically are focused on investment perfor-
mance. Hextall provides an example, stating that “HB, for its private wealth clients,
calculates active share for each client and uses ex ante tracking error to measure the
degree to which clients’ current portfolios might underperform their benchmarks
in the future. For equity-only portfolios, forward-looking beta is used to measure
sensitivity to the broad equity market.”
Hextall asks Klink to review the constraints used in the context of measuring the
risk of the corporate banking division. Klink responds by stating that the corporate
banking division’s capital allocation is $2,800 million. This amount considers market
risk, credit risk, and operational risk for which the minimum required return is 11%.
Capital limits, position limits, and stop-loss limits are assigned to manage both overall
exposure and exposure to single-name event risk. The market risk management con-
straints for each of the corporate banking division’s lending groups are summarized
in Exhibit 1.
55 Which of Klink’s statements regarding HB’s risk exposures is most likely correct
as it relates to value at risk?
A The statement about retail banking
B The statement about capital markets
C The statement about corporate banking
56 Which of Hextall’s explanations regarding the three distinct methods of VaR is
least likely correct?
A Historical
B Parametric
C Monte Carlo
24 2019 Level II Mock Exam PM
57 Donavan’s statement about extensions to VaR is most likely correct with respect
to:
A IVaR.
B CVaR.
C relative VaR.
58 In replying to Hextall’s recollection of the financial crisis, Klink most likely con-
sidered which risk measure?
A VaR
B Scenario analysis
C Sensitivity analysis
59 Is Hextall’s statement regarding the private wealth division likely correct?
A Yes.
B No, it is incorrect about forward-looking beta.
C No, it is incorrect about ex ante tracking error.
60 With respect to capital allocation, which lending group listed in Exhibit 1 is
least likely attractive?
A Secured
B Cash Flow
C Real Estate