TOOLS USED FOR FINANCIAL ANALYSIS

The various tools used for financial analysis are:

• Fund flow Statement
• Ratio Analysis
• Common Size Statements
• Comparative Financial Statements
• Trend Analysis
• Cash Budget
• Working Capital
• Leverages

Fund Flow Statement

Fund flow statement also referred to as statement of “source and application of funds” provides insight into the movement of funds and helps to understand the changes in the structure of assets, liabilities and equity capital. The information required for the preparation of funds flow statement is drawn from the basic financial statements such as the Balance Sheet and Profit and loss account. “Funds Flow Statement” can be prepared on total resource basis, working capital basis and cash basis. The most commonly accepted form of fund flow is the one prepared on working capital basis.

Ratio Analysis

Ratio analysis is the method or process by which the relationship of items or groups of items in the financial statements are computed, determined and presented. Ratio analysis is an attempt to derive quantitative measures or guides concerning the financial health and profitability of the business enterprise. Ratio analysis can be used both in trend and static analysis. There are several ratios at the disposal of the analyst but the group of ratios he would prefer depends on the purpose and the objectives of the analysis.

Accounting ratios are effective tools of analysis. They are indicators of managerial and overall operational efficiency. Ratios, when properly used are capable of providing useful information. Ratio analysis is defined as the systematic use of ratios to interpret the financial statements so that the strengths and weaknesses of a firm as well as its historical performance and current financial condition can be determined the term ratio refers to the numerical or quantitative relationship between items/ variables. This relationship can be expressed as:

1.      Fraction

2.      Percentages

3.      Proportion of numbers

These alternative methods of expressing items which are related to each other are, for purposes of financial analysis, referred to as ratio analysis. It should be noted that computing the ratio does not add any information in the figures of profit or sales. What the ratios do is that they reveal the relationship in a more meaningful way so as to enable us to draw conclusions from them.

Common Size Statements

It facilitates the comparison of two or more business entities with a common base. In case of balance sheet, Total assets or liabilities or capital can be taken as a common base. These statements are called “Common Measurement” or “Component Percentage” or “100 percent” statements. Since each statement is reduced to the total of 100 and each individual component of the statement is represented as a % of the total of 100 which invariably serves as the base.

Thus the statement prepared to bring out the ratio of each asset of liability to the total of the balance sheet and the ratio of each item of expense or revenues to net sales known as the Common Size statements.

Comparative Financial Statements

Comparative financial statements is statement of the financial position of a business so designed as to facilitate comparison of different accounting variables for drawing useful inferences. Financial statements of two or more business enterprises may be compared over period of years. This is known as “inter-firm comparison” Financial statements of particular business enterprise maybe compared over two periods of years. This is known as “inter-period comparison”.

Trend Analysis

Trend analysis is employed when it is required to analyze the trend of data shown in a series of financial statements of several successive years. The trend obtained by such an analysis is expressed as percentages. Trend percentage analysis moves in one direction either upwards or downwards, progression or regression. This method involves the calculation of percentages relationship that each statement bears to the same item in the base year. The base year maybe any one of the periods involved in the analysis but the earliest period id mostly taken as the base year. The trend percentage statement is an “analytical device for condensing the absolutely rupee data” by comparative statements.

Cash Budget

Cash budget is a forecast or expected cash receipts and payments for a future period. It consists of estimates of cash receipts, estimate of cash disbursements and cash balance over various time intervals. Seasonal factors must be taken into account while preparing cash budget. It is generally prepared for 1 year and then divided into monthly cash budgets.

Working Capital

Working capital is the amount of funds held in the business or incurring day to day expenses. It is also termed as short term funds held in the business. It is ascertained by finding out the differences between total current assets and total current liabilities. Working capital is a must for every organization. It is like a life blood in the body. It must be of sufficient amount and should be kept circulated in the different forms of current assets and current liabilities. The success of organization depends upon how successfully the circulation of short term fund is maintained smoothly and speedily. Working capital is also compared with the water flowing in the river as the water is always flowing it is pure water similarly working capital should be kept circulated in different short term assets.

Leverages

The employment of an asset or source of funds for which the first firm has to pay a fixed cost or fixed return may be termed as leverage.

Operating leverages: is determined by the relationship between firms, sales revenue and its earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) which are generally called as Operating profits. Operating leverage results from the existence of fixed operating expenses in the firm’s income stream. the operating leverage may be defined as the firm’s ability to use fixed operating cost to magnify the affects of charges In sales on its earnings before interest and taxes.

Financial leverages: it relates to the financing activities of a firm. Financial leverage results from the presence of fixed financial charges in the firm’s income stream. Financial leverages concerned with the effects or changes in the EBIT in the earnings available to equity shareholders. It is defined as the ability of a firm to use fixed financial charges to magnify the effects or changes in EBIT on the earnings per share.

LEVERAGES

The employment of an asset or source of funds for which the firm has to pay a fixed cost or fixed return maybe termed as leverage.

OPERATING LEVERAGE – Operating Leverage may be defined as the firm’s ability to use fixed operating costs to magnify the effects of changes in sales on its earnings before interest and taxes.

FINANCIAL LEVERAGE – Financial Leverage can be defined as the ability of a firm to use fixed financial charges to magnify the effects of changes in EBIT on the earnings per share.

i). Operating Leverage results from the existence of fixed operating expenses in the firm’s income stream whereas Financial Leverage results from the presence of fixed financial charges in the firm’s income stream.

ii). Operating Leverage is determined by the relationship between a firm’s sales revenues and its earnings before interest and taxes. (EBIT)Financial Leverage is determined by the relationship between a firm’s earnings before interest and tax and after subtracting the interest component.

iii). Operating Leverage = Contribution / EBIT

Financial Leverage = EBIT / EBT

iv). Operational Leverage relates to the Assets side of the Balance Sheet, whereas Financial Leverage relates to the Liability side of the Balance Sheet. v). Operational Leverage affects profit before interest and tax, whereas Financial Leverage affects profit after interest and tax.

vi). Operational Leverage involves operating risk of being unable to cover fixed operating cost, whereas Financial Leverage involves financial risk of being unable to cover fixed financial cost.

vii). Operational Leverage is concerned with investment decisions, whereas Financial Leverage is concerned with financing decisions.

viii). Operating Leverage is described as a first stage leverage, whereas Financial Leverage is described as a second stage leverage.

CASH BUDGETING

a)      Cash Budget shows the policy and programme of cash inflows and outflows to be followed in a future period under planned condition.

b)      Cash Budget usually of 2 parts gives detailed estimate of cash receipts and cash distribution. Estimate of cash receipts budget on cash incoming. Estimate of cash distribution based on cash outgoing.

c)      Cash Budget is a tool of control since it represents actions which can be shaped to will so that it can be suited in the conditioning which may or may not happen.

d)     Cash Budget begins when Cash Forecasting ends. Cash Forecasting is convince in Cash Budget.

e)      Cash Budget has a limited scope.

f)       Cash Budget denotes a definite target.

CASH FORECASTING:

1. Cash Forecast is a main estimate of cash balance likely to happen under anticipated conditions using a specified period of time.

2. Cash Forecasting is an estimate showing amt of cash which would be available in future period.

3. Cash forecast being statement of future event does not connote any sense of control.

4. Cash Forecasting is a preliminary step for Cash Budgeting. It ends with the forecast of likely cash balances.

5. Cash Forecast is a wider scope.

6. Cash Forecasting denotes some degree of flexibility.

WHAT IS COMMERCIAL PAPER?

A company can use commercial papers to raise funds. It is a promissory note carrying the undertaking to repay the amount on or after a particular date. Normally it is an unsecured means of borrowing and the companies are allowed to issue commercial papers as per the regulations issued by SEBI and Company’s Act. Some of them are:

• Minimum size 25 Lacs
• Maximum limit is 100% of working capital limit.
• Period is from 15 days to 1 year, and every renewal is treated as a fresh commercial paper.
• While using Commercial Paper, company should ensure that its net worth is at least 4 crores or more and it has been noted by at least 2 rating agencies like CRISIL, ICRA, CARE.

Commercial papers on maturity are to be honoured at face value and the registrars or the issue agencies lay down all the formalities of funding through commercial papers

WHAT IS TREND ANALYSIS?

Trend analysis is employed when it is required to analyze the trend of data shown in a series of financial statements of several successive years. The trend obtained by such an analysis is expressed as percentages. Trend percentage analysis moves in one direction either upward or downward progression or regression. This method involves the calculation of percentage relationship that each statement bears to the same item in the base year. The base year may be any one of the periods involved in the analysis but the earliest period is mostly taken as the base year. The trend percentage statement is an “analytical device for condensing the absolute rupee data” by comparative statements.

Merits of Trend Analysis:

• Trend percentages indicate the increase or decrease in an accounted item along with the magnitude of change in percentage, which is more effective than the absolute data.
• The trend percentages facilitate an efficient comparative study of the financial performance of a business enterprise over a period of time.

Demerits of Trend Analysis:

• Any one trend by itself is not very analytical and informative.
• If interpretation has to be done on percentages and ratios in isolation and not along with the absolute data from which the percentages have been derived, the inferences tend to be absurd and baseless.
• Comparability of trend percentages is unfavorably affected when the accounts have not been drawn on a consistent basis year after year and when the price level is not constant.
• During inflationary periods the data over a period of time becomes incomparable unless the absolute rupeee data is adjusted.
• There is always the danger of selecting the base year which may not be representative, normal and typical.
• Though the trend percentages provide significant information, undue importance and emphasis should not be laid down on the percentages when there is a small number in the base year. In such cases even a slight variation will be magnified by the percentage change.

Uses of Trend Analysis

• It indicates the increase or decrease in an accounted item along with the magnitude of change in percentage, which is more effective than absolute data.
• The trend percentage facilitates an effective comparative study of the financial performance of a business enterprise over a period of time

WHAT IS PREFERENCE SHARE CAPITAL?

Preference capital represents a hybrid form of financing – it takes some characteristics of equity and some attributes of debentures.

It resembles equity in the following ways:

1. (i)      Preference dividend is payable only out of distributed profits
2. (ii)  Preference dividend is not an obligatory payment (the payment of preference dividend is entirely within the discretion of the directors)

Preference capital is similar to debentures in several ways:

(i)          The dividend rate of preference capital is usually fixed

(ii)        The claim of preference shareholders is prior to the claim of equity shareholders

(iii)      Preference shareholders do not normally enjoy the right to vote

ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE OF PREFERENCE CAPITAL

Preference Capital has the following Advantages:

1) There is no legal obligation to pay preference dividend. A company does not face bankruptcy or legal action if it skips preference dividend.

2) There is no redemption liability in the case of perpetual preference shares. Even in the case of redeemable preference shares, financial distress may not be much because:

(i)                 Periodic sinking fund payments are not required

(ii)               Redemption can be delayed without significant penalties

3) Preference capital is generally regarded as part of net worth. Hence, it enhances the creditworthiness of the firm.

4) Preference shares do not, under normal circumstances, carry voting right. Hence, there is no dilution of control.

Preference Capital, however suffers from some serious shortcomings:

1) Compared to debt capital, it is an expensive source of financing because the dividend paid to preference shareholders is not, unlike debt interest, a tax-deductible expense.

2) Though there is no legal obligation to pay preference dividends, skipping them can adversely affect the image of the firm in the capital market.

3) Compared to equity shareholders, preference shareholders have a prior claim on the assets and earnings of the firm.

WHAT IS OPERATING CYCLE FOR WORKING CAPITAL?

The operating cycle is the length of time between the company’s outlay on raw materials, wages and other expenditures and the inflow of cash from the sale of the goods. In a manufacturing business, operating cycle is the average time that raw materials remain in stock less the period of credit taken from suppliers, plus the time taken for producing the goods, plus the time goods remain in finished inventory, plus the time taken by customers to pay for the goods.

Operating cycle concept is important for management of cash and management of working capital because the longer the operating cycle the more financial resources the company needs. Therefore, the management has to remain cautious that the operating cycle should not become too long. The stages of operating cycle could be depicted through the figure given:

The above figure would reveal that operating cycle is the time that elapses between the cash outlay and the cash realization by the sale of finished goods and realization of sundry debtors. Thus cash used in productive activity, often some times comes back from the operating cycle of the activity. The length of operating cycle of an enterprise is the sum of these four individual stages i.e. components of time.

WHAT IS WEIGHTED AVERAGE COST OF CAPITAL?

The term cost of capital means the overall composite cost of capital defined as “weighted average of the cost of each specific type of fund. The use of weighted average and not the simple average is warranted by the fact that proportions of various sources of funds in the capital structure of a firm are different.

Therefore the overall cost of capital should take into account the weighted average. The weighted cost of capital based on historical weights takes into account a long-term view.

The term cost of capital, as the acceptance criterion or investment proposals, is used in the sense of the combined cot of all sources of financing. This is mainly because focus is on the valuation of the firm as a whole. It is related to the firm’s objective of wealth maximization.

Thus, the weighted average cost of funds of a company is based on the mix of equity and loan capital and their respective costs. A distinction is usually drawn between the average cost of all funds in an existing balance sheet and the marginal cost of raising new funds.

CASH FLOW VS FUNDS FLOW

CASH FLOW - A Cash Flow Statement is a statement which shows inflows and outflows of cash and cash equivalents of an enterprise during a particular period. It provides information about cash flows, associated with the period’s operations and also about the entity’s investing and financing activities during the period.

FUND FLOW – Fund Flow Statement also referred to as the statement of “Source and Application of Funds” provides insight into the movement of funds and helps to understand the changes in the structure of assets, liabilities and equity capital.,

A fund flow statement is different from cash flow statement in the following ways –

• Funds flow statement is based on the concept of working capital while cash flow statement is based on cash which is only one of the element of working capital. Thus cash flow statement provides the details of funds movements.
• Funds flow statement tallies the funds generated from various sources with various uses to which they are put. Cash flow statement records inflows or outflows of cash, the difference of total inflows and outflows is the net increase or decrease in cash and cash equivalents.
• Funds Flow statement does not contain any opening and closing balance whereas in cash flow statement opening as well as closing balances of cash and cash equivalents are given.
• Funds Flow statement is more relevant in estimating the firm’s ability to meet its long-term liabilities, however, cash flow statement is more relevant in estimating the firms short-term phenomena affecting the liquidity of the business.
• The Cash Flow statement considers only the actual movement of cash whereas the funds flow statement considers the movement of funds on accrual basis.
• In cash flow statement cash from the operations are calculated after adjusting the increases and decreases in current assets and liabilities. In funds flow statement such changes in current items are adjusted in the changes of working capital.
• Cash flow statement is generally used as a tool of financial analysis which is utilized by the management for short- term financial analysis and cash planning purposes, whereas funds flow statement is useful in planning intermediate and long-term financing.

FUND FLOW STATEMENT

Fund flow statement also referred to as statement of “source and application of funds” provides insight into the movement of funds and helps to understand the changes in the structure of assets, liabilities and equity capital. The information required for the preparation of funds flow statement is drawn from the basic financial statements such as the Balance Sheet and Profit and loss account. “Funds Flow Statement” can be prepared on total resource basis, working capital basis and cash basis. The most commonly accepted form of fund flow is the one prepared on working capital basis.

What are the Advantages of Fund Flow Statements?

Advantages of fund flow are as follows:

• management of various companies are able to review their cash budget with the aid of fund flow statements
• Helps in the evaluation of alternative finance and investments plan
• Investors are able to measure as to how the company has utilized the funds supplied by them and its financial strengths with the aid of funds statements.
• It serves as an effective tool to the management of economic analysis
• It explains the relationship between the changes in the working capital and net profits.
• Help in the planning process of a company
• It is an effective tool in the allocation of resources
• Helps provide explicit answers to the questions regarding liquid and solvency position of the company, distribution of dividend and whether the working capital is effectively used or not.
• Helps the management of companies to forecast in advance the requirements of additional capital and plan its capital issue accordingly.
• Helps in determining how the profits of a company have been invested: whether invested in fixed assets or in inventories or ploughed back.

RATIO ANALYSIS

Ratio analysis is the method or process by which the relationship of items or groups of items in the financial statements are computed, determined and presented. Ratio analysis is an attempt to derive quantitative measures or guides concerning the financial health and profitability of the business enterprise. Ratio analysis can be used both in trend and static analysis. There are several ratios at the disposal of the analyst but the group of ratios he would prefer depends on the purpose and the objectives of the analysis.

Accounting ratios are effective tools of analysis. They are indicators of managerial and overall operational efficiency. Ratios, when properly used are capable of providing useful information. Ratio analysis is defined as the systematic use of ratios to interpret the financial statements so that the strengths and weaknesses of a firm as well as its historical performance and current financial condition can be determined the term ratio refers to the numerical or quantitative relationship between items/ variables. This relationship can be expressed as:

1)      Fraction

2)      Percentages

3)      Proportion of numbers

These alternative methods of expressing items which are related to each other are, for purposes of financial analysis, referred to as ratio analysis. It should be noted that computing the ratio does not add any information in the figures of profit or sales. What the ratios do is that they reveal the relationship in a more meaningful way so as to enable us to draw conclusions from them.

ADVANTAGES OF RATIO ANALYSIS

• Ratios simplify and summarize numerous accounting data in a systematic manner so that the simplified data can be used effectively for analytical studies.
• Ratios avoid distortions that may result the study of absolute data or figures
• Ratios analyze the financial health, operating efficiency and future prospects by inter-relating the various financial data found in the financial statement.
• Ratios are invaluable guides to management. They assist the management to discharge their functions of planning, forecasting, etc. efficiently.
• Ratios study the past and relate the findings to the present. Thus useful inferences are drawn which are used to project the future.
• Ratios are increasingly used in trend analysis.
• Ratios being measures of efficiency can be used to control efficiency and profitability of a business entity.
• Ratio analysis makes inter-firm comparisons possible. i.e. evaluation of interdepartmental performances.
• Ratios are yard stick increasingly used by bankers and financial institutions in evaluating the credit standing of their borrowers and customers.

LIMITATIONS OF RATIO ANALYSIS:

An investor should caution that ratio analysis has its own limitations. Ratios should be used with extreme care and judgment as they suffer from certain serious drawbacks. Some of them are listed below:

1. Rations can sometimes be misleading if an analyst does not know the reliability and soundness of the figures from which they are computed and the financial position of the business at other times of the year. A business enterprise for example may have an acceptable current ratio of 3:1 but a larger part of accounts receivables comprising a great portion of the current assets may be uncollectible and of no value. When these are deducted the ratio might be 2:1

2. It is difficult to decide on the proper basis for comparison. Ratios of companies have meaning only when they are compared with some standards. Normally, it is suggested that ratios should be compared with industry averages. In India, for example, no systematic and comprehensive industry ratios are complied.

3. The comparison is rendered difficult because of differences in situations of 2 companies are never the same. Similarly the factors influencing the performance of a company in one year may change in another year. Thus, the comparison of the ratios of two companies becomes difficult and meaningless when they are operation in different situations.

4. Changes in the price level make the interpretations of the ratios Invalid. The interpretation and comparison of ratios are also rendered invalid by the changing value of money. The accounting figures presented in the financial statements are expressed in monetary unit which is assumed to remain constant. In fact, prices change over years and as a result. Assets acquired at different dates will be expressed at different values in the balance sheet. This makes comparison meaningless.

For e.g. two firms may be similar in every respect except the age of the plant and machinery. If one firm purchased its plant and machinery at a time when prices were very low and the other purchased when prices were high, the equal rates of return on investment of the two firms cannot be interpreted to mean that the firms are equally profitable. The return of the first firm is overstated because its plant and machinery have a low book value.

5. The differences in the definitions of items, accounting, policies in the balance sheet and the income statement make the interpretation of ratios difficult. In practice difference exists as to the meanings and accounting policies with reference to stock valuation, depreciation, operation profit, current assets etc. Should intangible assets be excluded to calculate the rate of return on investment? If intangible assets have to be included, how will they be valued? Similarly, profit means different things to different people.

6. Ratios are not reliable in some cases as they many be influenced by window / dressing in the balance sheet.

7. The ratios calculated at a point of time are less informative and defective as they suffer from short-term changes. The trend analysis is static to an extent. The balance sheet prepared at different points of time is static in nature. They do not reveal the changes which have taken place between dates of two balance sheets. The statements of changes in financial position reveal this information, bur these statements are not available to outside analysts.

8. The ratios are generally calculated from past financial statements and thus are no indicator of future. The basis to calculate ratios are historical financial statements. The financial analyst is more interested in what happens in future.

While the ratios indicate what happened in the past Art outside analyst has to rely on the past ratios which may not necessarily reflect the firm’s financial position and performance in future.

BALANCE SHEET

The balance sheet is a significant financial statement of the firm. In fact, it is called the fundamental accounting report. Other terms to describe this financial statement are the statement of financial position or the position statement. As the name suggests, the balance sheet provides information about the financial standing / position of a firm at a particular point of time, say as on March 31. It can be visualized as a snap shot of the financial status of a company. The position of the firm on the preceding or the following day is bound to be different.

The financial position of a firm as disclosed by the balance sheet refers to its resources and obligations, and the interest of its owners in the business. In operational terms, the balance sheet contains information regarding the assets, liabilities and shareholder’s equity. The balance sheet can be present in either of the two forms:Report form or Account form.

Contents of the balance sheets:

1) Assets

2) Liabilities

Assets:

Assets may be described as valuable resources owned by a business which have been acquired at a measurable money cost. As an economics resource, they satisfy three requirements. In the first place, the resource must be valuable. A resource is valuable if it is in cash or convertible into cash or it can provide future benefits to the operations of the firm. Secondly, the resources must be owned in the legal sense of the term.

Finally, the resource must be acquire at a measurable money cost. In case where an asset is not acquired with cash or promise to pay cash, the criterion is, what the asset would have cost, had cash been paid for it. The assets in the balance sheet are listed either in the order of liquidity promptness with which they are expected to be converted into cash- or in reverse order, that is, fixity or listing of the least liquid asset first, followed by others. All assets are grouped into categories, that is, assets with similar characteristics are put into one category. The assets included in one category are different from those in other categories.

The standard classification of assets divides them into:

1) Fixed assets/ long term assets

2) Current assets

3) Investments

4) Other assets

Liabilities:

The second major content of the balance sheet is liabilities of the firm. Liabilities may be defined as the claims of outsiders against the firm. Alternatively, they represent the amount that the firm owes to outsiders that is, other than owners. The assets have to be financed by different sources. One source of funds is borrowing- long term as well as short term. The firms can borrow on a long term basis from financial institutions/ banks or through bonds/ mortgages/ debentures.

The short term borrowing may be in the form of purchase of goods and services on credit. These outside sources from which a firm can borrow are termed as liabilities. Since they finance the assets, they are, in a sense, claims against the assets. The amount shown against the liability items is on the basis of the amount owed, not the amount payable.

Depending upon the periodicity of the funds, liabilities can be classified into

1) Long-term liabilities

2) Current liabilities

DEBENTURES

The issue of debentures by public limited companies is regulated by Companies Act 1956. Debenture is a document, which either creates a debt or acknowledges it. Debentures are issued through a prospectus. A debenture is issued by a company and is usually in the form of a certificate, which is an acknowledgement of indebtedness. They are issued under the company's seal. Debentures are one of a series issued to a number of lenders.

The date of repayment is invariably specified in the debenture. Generally debentures are issued against a charge on the assets of the company. Debentures may, however, be issued without any such charge. Debenture holders have no right to vote in the meetings of the company.

Kinds of Debentures

1. Bearer Debentures: They are registered and are payable to its bearer They are negotiable instruments and are transferable by delivery.

2. Registered Debentures: They are payable to the registered holder whose name appears both on debenture and in the register of debenture holders maintained by the company. Registered debentures can be transferred but have to be registered again. Registered debentures are not negotiable instruments. PI registered debenture contains a commitment to pay the principal sum and interest. It also has a description of the charge and a statement that it is issued subject to the conditions endorsed therein.

3. Secured Debentures: Debentures which create a charge on the assets of the company, which may be fixed or floating, are known as secured debentures

4. Unsecured or Naked Debentures: Debentures, which are issued without any charge on assets, are unsecured or naked debentures, The holders are like unsecured creditors and may sue the company for recovery of debt.

5. Redeemable Debentures: Normally debentures are issued on the condition that they shall be redeemed after a certain period. They can, however, be reissued after redemption under Section 121 of Companies Act 1956.

6. Perpetual Debentures: When debentures are irredeemable they are called Perpetual.

7. Convertible Debentures: If an option is given to convert debentures into equity shares at stated rate of exchange after a specified period they are called convertible debentures. In our country the convertible debentures are very popular. On conversion, the holders cease to be lenders and become owners. Debentures are usually issued in a series with a pari passu (at the same rate) clause which entitles them to be discharged rate ably though issued at different times. New series of debentures cannot rank pari passu with old series unless the old series provides so.

8. New debt instruments issued by public limited companies are participating debentures, convertible debentures with options, third party convertible debentures, and convertible debentures redeemable at premium, debt equity swaps and zero coupon convertible notes.

9. Participating Debentures: They are unsecured corporate debt securities, which participate in the profits of the company. They might find investors if issued by existing dividend paying companies.

10. Convertible Debentures with Options: They are a derivative of convertible debentures with an embedded option, providing flexibility to the issuer as well as the investor to exit from the terms of the issue. The coupon rate is specified at the time of issue.

11. Third Party convertible Debentures: They are debt with a warrant allowing the investor to subscribe to the equity of a third firm at a preferential vis-à-vis the market price. Interest rate on third party convertible debentures is lower than pure debt on account of the conversion option.

12. Convertible Debentures Redeemable at a premium: Convertible debentures are issued at face value with an option entitling investors to later sell the bond to the issuer at a premium. They are basically similar to convertible debentures but embody less risk.

IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS OF THE FINANCIAL MANAGER:

The important function of the financial manager in a modern business consists of the following:

1. Provision of capital: To establish and execute programmes for the provision of capital required by the business.

2. Investor relations: to establish and maintain an adequate market for the company securities and to maintain adequate liaison with investment bankers, financial analysis and share holders.

3. Short term financing: To maintain adequate sources for company’s current borrowing from commercial banks and other lending institutions.

4. Banking and Custody: To maintain banking arrangement, to receive, has custody of accounts.

5. Credit and collections: to direct the granting of credit and the collection of accounts due to the company including the supervision of required arrangements for financing sales such as time payment and leasing plans.

6. Investments: to achieve the company’s funds as required and to establish and co-ordinate policies for investment in pension and other similar trusts.

7. Insurance:to provide insurance coverage as required.

8. Planning for control: To establish, co-ordinate and administer an adequate plan for the control of operations.

9. Reporting and interpreting: To compare information with operating plans and standards and to report and interpret the results of operations to all levels of management and to the owners of the business.

10. Evaluating and consulting: To consult with all the segments of management responsible for policy or action concerning any phase of the operation of the business as it relates to the attainment of objectives and the effectiveness of policies, organization structure and procedures.

11. Tax administration: to establish and administer tax policies and procedures.

12. Government reporting: To supervise or co-ordinate the preparation of reports to government agencies.

13. Protection of assets: To ensure protection of assets for the business through internal control, internal auditing and proper insurance coverage.

PROFIT MAXIMIZATION VS WEALTH MAXIMIZATION

PROFIT MAXIMIZATION - It is one of the basic objectives of financial management. Profit maximization aims at improving profitability, maintaining the stability and reducing losses and inefficiencies.

Profit in this context can be seen in 2 senses.

1. Profit maximization for the owner.

2. Profit maximization is for others.

Normally profit is linked with efficiency and so it is the test of efficiency. However this concept has certain limitations like ambiguity i.e. the term is not clear as it is nowhere defined, it changes from person to person.

2. Quality of profit - normally profit is counted in terms of rupees. Normally amt earned is called as profit but it ignores certain basic ideas like wastage, efficiency, employee skill, employee’s turnover, product mix, manufacturing process, administrative setup.

3. Timing of benefit / time value of profit - in inflationary conditions the value of profit will decrease and hence the profits may not be comparable over a longer period span.

4. Some economists argue that profit maximization is sometimes leads to unhealthy trends and is harmful to the society and may result into exploitation, unhealthy competition and taking undue advantage of the position.

WEALTH MAXIMIZATION - One of the traditional

Approaches of financial management , by wealth maximization we mean the accumulation and creation of wealth , property and assets over a period of time thus if profit maximization is aimed after taking care , of its limitations it will lead to wealth maximization in real sense, it is a long term concept based on the cash flows rather than profits an hence there can be a situation where a business makes losses every year but there are cash profits because of heavy depreciation which indirectly suggests heavy investment in fixed assets and that is the real wealth and it takes into account the time value of money and so is universally accepted.

Wealth Maximization Decision Criterion

Wealth maximization decision criterion is also known as Value Maximization or Net Present-Worth maximization. In the current academic literature value maximization is widely accepted as an appropriate operational decision criterion for financial management decision. It removes the technical limitations of the profit maximization criterion. It posses the three requirements of a suitable operational objective of financial courses of action. These three features are exactness, quality of benefits and the time value of money.

i) Exactness : The value of an asset should be determined In terms of returns it can produce. Thus, the worth of a course of action should be valued In terms of the returns less the cost of undertaking the particular course of action. Important element in computing the value of a financial course of action is the exactness in computing the benefits associated with the course of action. The wealth maximization criterion is based on cash flows generated and not on accounting profit. The computation of cash inflows and cash outflows is precise. As against this the computation of accounting is not exact.

ii) Quality and Quantity and Benefit and Time Value of Money: The second feature of wealth maximization criterion is that. It considers both the quality and quantity dimensions of benefits. Moreover, it also incorporates the time value of money. As stated earlier the quality of benefits refers to certainty with which benefits are received In future.

The more certain the expected cash in flows the better the quality of benefits and higher the value. On the contrary the less certain the flows the lower the quality and hence, value of benefits. It should also be noted that money has time value. It should also be noted that benefits received in earlier years should be valued highly than benefits received later.

The operational implication of the uncertainty and timing dimensions of the benefits associated with a financial decision is that adjustments need to be made in the cash flow pattern. It should be made to incorporate risk and to make an allowance for differences in the timing of benefits. Net present value maximization is superior to the profit maximization as an operational objective.

It involves a comparison of value of cost. The action that has a discounted value reflecting both time and risk that exceeds cost is said to create value. Such actions are to be undertaken. Contrary to this actions with less value than cost, reduce wealth should be rejected. It is for these reasons that the Net Present Value Maximization is superior to the profit maximization as an operational objective.