If two hospitals are identical except for age, what is true about their comparative financial statement analysis?

In this scenario, the correct choice highlights that none of the provided statements about the two hospitals is accurate when it comes to their comparative financial statement analysis, even though they are identical apart from their age.

Financial statements, such as the balance sheet and income statement, reflect a hospital's financial position and performance over time. An older hospital would generally have a higher accumulated depreciation expense due to having more assets that were purchased earlier and thus have already spread their cost over many years. In contrast, a younger hospital might have lower accumulated depreciation because it holds newer assets that have not yet been fully depreciated. Furthermore, the idea that the financial statements would be identical is inaccurate, as different ages directly affect asset values, accumulated depreciation, and potentially the nature of operational costs, all of which would produce distinct financial metrics.

Regarding the accumulation of net fixed assets, older hospitals tend to have more, as they have been acquiring them for a longer period. Younger hospitals might have fewer total net fixed assets, depending on their stage of development and capital investment strategies. Therefore, the analysis confirms that none of the statements accurately represent the financial characteristics of hospitals differentiated by age.