Finance Topic 2 Flashcards
7 Components of the business finance environments
- Different types of business entity
- Stakeholders
- Corporate objectives
- Sources of finance available to firm
- Firm value and capital structure
- Shareholders and directors, agency theory
- Governance
Business entities
National economy (profit = ST, Partnership, company) & (non profit = local/central gov, social org)
Sole tradership/ proprietorship
Owned by single individual
Not legally separate from owner
Unlimited liability
Limited access to capital
Partnership
2 or more owners
All share in risk and profit
Partners liable for debts
Limited access to capital
Company
Business incorporated under company law
Own separate legal identity
Own rights and obligations
Wider sources/access to new capital
Transfer ownership without affects
Public access to financial info
Public vs private
Limited liability of SHs
3 Factors influencing a business entity
- Liability/obligations
- Info given out
- Funding availability and options
Stakeholders
Person/org to some extent relies on business and apron whom business decides to rely on
E.g.
Primary objective
Maximise the wealth or its SHs or maximise firm value (neo classical objective)
-needs of SHs or needs of other stakeholders
-fair treated workforce = productive (less leaving = reduces recruitment)
-env = avoid legislation/penalties
-social contribution = +ve rep/image
-corp gov mechanism = considers stakeholder more generally
Wealth vs profits
Max profit = ST obj, no focus on cash generation, don’t consider timing or risk
Max wealth = LT overriding obj, focus on cash flow, consider timing and risk
Timing & Risk 5 considerations
1-last how long
2-profile of cash flows over time
3-residual value
4-maintenance costs
5-interest fixed or variable
Alternative corporate objectives
-max profit or profit satisficing
-max sales
-target MS
-minimise employee turnover & provide gainful employment
-tech innovation
-max managerial income
-limit env damage & contribute to society
Pursue in isolation without wealth max obj = value destroying
Sources of financing
3 categories
- Long term
-ordinary and preference share capital
-reserves (retained profit & others)
-LT loans/bonds (secured/unsecured, fixed/variable interest) - Medium term
-bank loans
-lease/hire purchase - Short term
-overdraft
-factoring/invoice discounting
-trade creditors
Ordinary vs Preference shares
Preference shareholders are paid a fixed percentage of yearly dividends, which is decided during the signing of the share certificates,
ordinary shareholders are compensated varying amounts of dividends each year
Debt vs Equity
Equity: residual right to participate beyond any pre-defined limit in distribution
Debt - investing as a lender e.g. Bank (recevie interest)
Equity = investing as a SH
Lending = form of inv
8 Factors differing debt and equity
- Regular servicing
- Repayment
- Position in ‘queue’ for cash flows
- Ownership interest
- Sanction for non-performance
- Variety
- Commonly used by
- Public trading