C Accounting Definitions Flashcards
Call Option
A contract that gives the buyer the right to buy an asset (for example a share of stock) at a specified price within a specified period of time. (IMA)
Call Provision
Enables the issuing company to repurchase bonds (or preferred shares) at their option. This is very beneficial to the issuer and will increase the required return for the investor (and therefore the cost of the financing to the issuing company). (HOCK)
Capacity
The ability of the company to produce its products or services. (HOCK)
Capacity Constraints
Resources that limit the maximum performance possible considering the conditions of the existing physical plant, labor force, method of production, or supply of material. (IMA)
Capacity Management
Management of an entity’s costs of unused (excess) capacity such as production facilities, distribution channels, etc. (IMA)
Capital
- The equity invested in an entity by its owners. Total assets less liabilities. 2. Long-term assets (e.g., equipment)
Capital Adequacy
The amount of capital relative to a company’s assets. A useful measure in risk management (particularly for banks). (IMA)
Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM)
A general framework for analyzing the relationship between risks and rates of return on securities, especially common stocks. (IMA)
Capital Budget
A plan of proposed outlays for acquiring long term assets and the means of financing the acquisition. (IMA)
Capital Budgeting
The evaluation and making of long-term investment decisions. (IMA)
Capital Gain or Loss
The extent by which the net realized value from sales of a capital asset exceeds (or in the case of a capital loss is less than) the cost of acquisition plus additional improvements, less depreciation and/or depletion charges. (IMA)
Capital Investment
Any expenditure which increases the capacity, efficiency, life span, or economy of the operation of an existing fixed asset. Outlay of money from which future cash inflows are expected for more than a year. (Also referred to as Capital Expenditure.) (IMA)
Capital Lease
A lease that transfers substantially all the benefits and risks inherent in the ownership of the property to the lessee, who accounts for the lease as an acquisition of an asset and the incurrence of a liability. (IMA)
Capital Markets
Markets where long-term debt and equity instruments are traded. (HOCK)
Capital Rationing
A situation that exists when a constraint is placed on the total amount of the entity’s capital investment funds. The limited investment funds available must be allocated to the highest priority projects. (IMA)
Capital Resources
The company’s fixed assets. (HOCK)
Capital Stock
Ownership shares in a corporation issued to shareholders. May consist of Common Stock and Preferred Stock. (IMA)
Capital Structure
The relative proportions of short-term debt, long-term debt, and owners’ equity in the company. (IMA)
Capitalize
To record expenditure that is expected to benefit a future period as an asset rather than treating the expenditure as an expense of the period in which it occurs. (IMA)
Captive-Product Pricing
The pricing process when a product requires the use of additional or “captive products,” such as a low-priced razor that requires high-priced replacement blades. (HOCK)
Carrying Cost
Costs of storing and holding inventory, including the cost of capital from the time of acquisition or manufacture until the time of sale or use. (IMA)
Cartel
An organization of sellers coordinating supply decisions to maximize joint profits. A cartel seeks to create a monopoly in the market. (IMA)
Cash
Refers to money in the form of liquid currency that a bank will accept for immediate deposit, such as coins, checks, and money orders. (IMA)
Cash Budget
An estimate of the amount and timing of cash receipts and disbursements at various points over a future period, and cash on hand at the end. (IMA)
Cash Cows
One of the classifications of products by the Boston Consulting Group. A cash cow is in an industry with a low market growth rate, but the product has a high share of the market. Cash cows are in mature markets in which the growth rate has slowed, but they are market leaders. Cash cows generate more cash than they consume. (HOCK)
Cash Cycle
The period of time during which cash is converted into inventories, and inventories are converted back into cash through the sale of goods or collection of accounts receivable. (Also called Cash Conversion Cycle or Earnings Cycle.) (IMA)
Cash Discount
A reduction in the basic price, commonly used to encourage prompt payment or promote sales. (IMA)
Cash Equivalents
Short-term financial instruments of high liquidity and safety which can be converted to cash on short notice
Cash Flow
The stream of cash inflows and outflows of an entity or segment of an entity. (IMA)
Cash Flow at Risk
A probabilistic estimate of the sensitivity of cash flow; how budgeted cash flow might be affected by changes in certain risk factors and other variables. (IMA)
Cash Flow Ratio
A liquidity measure, whereby operating cash flow is divided by current liabilities. (IMA)
Cash Flow to Fixed Charges
A leverage ratio that measures the cash flow available to meet fixed charges. (IMA)
Cash Management
The processes an entity uses to collect, disburse, and invest its cash. (IMA)
Cash Ratio
A measure of a company’s liquidity that relates cash and marketable securities to current liabilities. (IMA)
Cash Surrender Value
The amount that the holder of the policy would get from the insurance company if he or she cancelled their insurance. (HOCK)
Causal Forecasting
Forecasting methods used when the value that is being forecasted can be determined to be affected by some other value. (HOCK)
Centralization
An organizational structure in which senior management maintains significant direction, authority, and control over all operations and policies. (IMA)
Certainty Equivalent
The amount a recipient would require with certainty to be indifferent between this certain risk-free amount and a particular uncertain risky amount. (IMA)
Certainty Equivalent NPV
A method of evaluating capital projects, this method adjusts the risky after-tax cash flows to a level judged by the decision-maker to be certain. It is more conservative than the standard NPV method. (HOCK)
Certifies Of Deposits (Cds)
A form of savings deposit with a bank that may not be withdrawn before their maturity without a high penalty. CDs usually have a higher rate of interest when compared with other savings instruments because they are for fixed, usually long-term periods. (HOCK)
Change in the Quantity Demanded
A change in the quantity that buyers are willing to purchase at different price levels due only to a change in price. Often referred to as a movement along the demand curve. (IMA)
Change in the Quantity Supplied
A change in the quantity sellers are willing to supply due only to a change in price. Often referred to as a movement along the supply curve. (IMA)
Check Digits
A number that is a part of an account or other type of number. The check digit is a function of the other digits within the number, determined by a mathematical algorithm. It is used to ensure the accuracy of information. (HOCK)
Circumstantial Evidence
Evidence that is consistent with a particular inference. Circumstantial evidence can be used to narrow competing explanations, but it is not persuasive in demonstrating fact. It can only be supportive evidence. (HOCK)
Code of Conduct
A set of rules outlining acceptable ethical behavior for employees within an organization. (IMA)
Coefficient Of Correlation
A numerical measure that measures both the direction (positive or negative) and the strength of the linear association (represented by the letter R or r) . (HOCK)
Coefficient Of Determination
The percentage of the total amount of change in the dependent variable that can be explained by changes in the independent variable (represented by the term R2, or r2). (HOCK)
Coefficient of Variation
A statistical measure of relative dispersion or relative risk. It is computed by dividing the standard deviation by the expected value. (IMA)
Cold Site
A facility where power and space are available to install processing equipment, but it is not immediately available. If an organization uses a cold site, its disaster recovery plan must include arrangements to get computer equipment installed there quickly. (HOCK)
Collateral
An asset pledged as a guarantee to a lender until a loan is repaid. If the borrower defaults, the lender has a right to sell the collateral asset. (IMA)
Collusion
When two or more individuals work together to overcome the internal control system and perpetrate a fraud. (HOCK)
Commercial Bank
An institution that accepts deposits, offers checking accounts, makes loans, and offers a variety of other related services. (IMA)
Commercial Paper
A short-term unsecured loan of a corporation having maturity up to 270 days. It is typically issued on a discount (from face value) basis. (IMA)
Commitment Fee
A fee paid to a financial institution by an entity to secure a line of credit and maintain the unused portion thereof. (IMA)
Committed Cost
A cost that the company has already committed to in the future, even if it is not currently recognized in the accounting records. A long-term lease is an example. (HOCK)
Committed Costs
Costs for the company’s infrastructure. They are costs required to establish and maintain the readiness to do business. (HOCK)
Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO)
A voluntary private-sector organization, established in the U.S., dedicated to providing guidance on organizational governance, business ethics, internal control, enterprise risk management, fraud, and financial reporting. (IMA)
Commodity Futures
Future contracts that are about commodities. Examples of commodities include agricultural products, metals, energy products, and forest products. (HOCK)
Common Base Year Statements
Financial Statements showing the percentage change over a base year. (Also called Horizontal Analysis.) (IMA)
Common Cost
A cost of operating a facility that is shared by two or more users. (IMA)
Common Stock
An ownership share in a company, having voting and dividend rights. (IMA)
Common-Size Financial Statements
Financial statements used for comparison between firms. A common size Income Statement shows all amounts as a percent of revenue. A common size Balance Sheet shows all values as a percent of total assets. (IMA)
Company Risk
The risk due to the unique circumstances of a specific enterprise, as opposed to the overall market. (Also called Unsystematic Risk.) (IMA)
Comparability
The quality of information that enables users to identify similarities in and differences between two sets of economic phenomena. (IMA)