Fin 301 Mid Term Flashcards
Explain Capital Budgeting
planning and managing a firm’s long-term investments (fixed assets) , identify investments where the value of cash flow generated by the asset exceeds the cost of the asset
Explain Capital Structure
determining the mix of long-term debt and equity that is used to finance its operations
Explain Net Working Capital Management
Involves managing the firm’s short-term assets and liabilities (everyday activities)
What is an example of Capital Budgeting?
Opening a Walmart in a new town (do we need it?) and updating an operating system
What is the formula for Capital Structure?
Debt (Bonds, Loans) + Equity (Stock) = Capital Structure
In what order of liquidity are Current Assets and Current Liabilities found on the balance sheet?
Most liquid to least liquid
What are 5 factors you should consider before creating a business?
- Cost to create organization
- Continuity/Stability of organization
- Control of decisions
- Personal Liability of owners
- Taxation of Earnings and the distribution of profit to owners
Explain a Sole Proprietorship
owned by one person, least regulated, unlimited personal liability, owner keeps all profits
Explain a General Partnership
partners share in gain/loss, both equal in unlimited liability
Explain a Limited Partnership
limited partner that does not participate in business and is only liable for their portion of particpation
Explain a Corporation
a business created as a formal legal entity, separate and distinct from its owner, public ownership, limited liability, strict regulation
How often are Corporations taxed?
Taxed twice, once when profits are reported and once if dividends are paid
When forming a Corporation, what are the Articles of Incorporation?
- Includes corporations name
- owners name
- intended life
- business purpose
- number of shares to be issued
When forming a Corporation, what are the Bylaws?
Description of how the business will operate, and how the corporation regulates its own existence
When forming a Corporation, what is the hiring process?
Stockholders elect the Board of Directors, who ultimately hire management
What is a Limited Liability Corporation?
hybrid of partnership and corporation, have limited liability but are taxed like a partnership
What is the Primary goal of Financial Management?
maximize current value per share of existing stock
What are the 5 Secondary goals of Financial Management?
- Survive
- Avoid Bankruptcy
- Minimize Costs
- Maximize Profits
- Maintain Steady Growth
What is the goal of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act?
Enacted by Congress, protect investors from corporate abuse
How does the Sarbanes-Oxley Act achieve its goals?
- Management is responsible for accuracy of financial statements
- No false statements or “material” omissions
- Annual report that contains an assessment of internal control structure and financial reports
Why did some companies “go dark” when the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was passed?
It was too expensive for them to comply
What is the Agency Problem?
Highlights potential conflicts of interest between stockholders and management
What is the Owner’s priority in the Agency Problem?
seek new investment and raise share value
What is Management’s priority in the Agency Problem?
pursue job security, corporate luxury, higher compensation at expense of shareholders
What are Direct Agency Costs?
Corporate expenditure that benefits management, but costs stockholders, like buying a corporate jet
What are Indirect Agency Costs?
Lost opportunities rise from the lack of risk taking by management, like if a company backs out of an aquisition
How do stockholders decide who controls the firm?
Stockholders elect a board of directors who hire and fire management
What are proxy fights in regards to stockholders in a company?
Stockholders can replace existing managers through proxy fight
What are Primary Markets?
Markets in which the original sale of securities by governments and corporations occurs (IPO), corporations are the seller
Public Offerings, a type of Primary Market, is
securities sold to general public, debt/equity must be registered with SEC and is very expensive
Private Placement, a type of Primary Market, is
a negotiated sale involving a particular buyer like a life insurance company
What are Secondary Markets?
Markets in which securities are bought and sold to the public after original sale, corporation is not directly involved
A Dealer Market, a type of Secondary Market, is
no physical location, transactions are made by a dealer electronically
An Auction Market, a type of Secondary Market, is
sellers and buyers of securities are matched at a physical site
What is the Balance Sheet?
What the firm owns and what they owe, prepared at the end of the month
What equation must always be balanced?
Assets = Liabilities + Equity
What are Current Assets?
life of less than one year (cash, accounts receivable, inventory prepaids)
What are Fixed Assets?
Assets with a relatively long life (PPE)
What are Current Liabilities?
Have a life of less than one year (must be paid within current year), (Accounts Payable, Wages Payable, Notes Payable)
What are Long-Term (Fixed) Liabilities?
Have a relatively long life (Bonds Payable, Mortgage Payable)
If the firm were to sell all assets to pay debts, who would the residuals go to?
the owners
What is the order for Equity Accounts?
Common Stock, Paid-in Capital, Retained Earnings
Liquidity, an important item on a Balance Sheet, is
- Speed and ease at which an asset can be converted to cash without loss of value
- Highly liquid companies are less likely to have financial issues
What is Financial Leverage?
amount of debt in a firm’s capital structure , with more debt leading to a greater advantage but too much can lead to failure
What is Market Value?
True worth of the firm TODAY
What is Book Value?
Historical cost of the firm, used for GAAP
What is the Income Statement?
Summarizes the company’s operating performance over time, usually a one month period
The Realization Principle, from GAAP, is
Recognize revenue when earnings process is virtually complete, and the transaction value is known
Revenue is recognized that the time of sale, not necessarily at the time of collection (Accrual Accounting)
The Matching Principle, from GAAP, is
Revenues must be matched with costs incurred to generate them
Since there is a time difference between costs and payments, the income statement may not match the cash flows for the period
What are Non-Cash Items on the Income Statement?
Expenses which have no direct effect on the firm’s cash flow
What are 3 aspects of Depreciation?
- Highly effective tax shield
- Non-Cash expense
- Firms use depreciation to match the cost of purchasing the asset with the revenues produced from owning it over time
What are considered Short-Run Costs and Time?
Firm varies output by varying expenditure types (both fixed and variable)
What are considered Long-Term Costs and Time?
All business’ costs are variable
Are Federal Tax Codes due to Political or Economic reasons?
Political Factors
How many Tax Brackets are there?
7, ranging from 10% to 37%
What is the Federal Corporate Tax Rate?
21%
What is the Marginal Tax Rate?
tax rate charged for one additional dollar of income
What is the Cash Flow Identity?
Difference between the number of dollars that came in and the number that went out