Topics 26-36 (Finance) Flashcards
Methods of internal finance
- Retained profit
- Sale of assets
- Owners capital
Advantages of internal finance
- Capital is available immediately
- Cheap. No interest
- Not subject to credit checks
- No third parties
Drawbacks of internal finance
- Limited in terms of amount of capital
- Cannot be tax-deductable
- Can be inflexible
- No inflationary benefits
- High opportunity cost
Sources of external finance
- Family and freinds
- Banks
- Peer-to-peer lending
- Business angels
- Crowdfunding
- Other businesses
What are the four methods of finance that can be sourced from a bank?
- Bank loans
- Mortgages
- Debentures
- Overdraft
What does it mean to be an unlimited liability business?
There is no legal difference between owners and the business. Everything is carried out in the name of the owner.
Factors influencing choosing appropriate method of finance
- Length of time which finance is required
- Financial position of the business
- Purpose of the money needed
What is a business plan?
A plan for the development of the business, giving details such as the products to be made, resources needed, and forcasts such as costs, revenues and cash flow.
Contents of a business plan
- An executive summary
- The business opportunity
- Buying & production
- Financial forcasts
- The business and objectives
- The market
- Personnel
- Permits & equipment
- Finances
Uses of cash-flow forecasts
- Identifying the timing of cash shortages and surpluses.
- Supporting applications of finance
- Enhancing the planning process
- Monitoring cash flow
Limitations of cash-flow forecasts
- All information based on estimates
- Business activity subject to external forces
- Uses resources to make
- Only focusses on cash
What is time series analysis?
Involves using past data to try and predict future levels. If trading conditions are stable, this can be a good option.
4 components of time series analysis
- The trend - pattern or repetitie behaviour
- Seasonal fluctuations (over a year)
- Cyclical fluctuations (over many years)
- Random fluctuations
Benefits of sales forecasting
- Helps businesses avoid suprises
- Makes finances easier to manage
- Enables business to ensure it has the correct staffing levels, capacity and to plan its orders of supplies.
Factors affecting sales forecasting
- Consumer trends
- Seasonal variations
- Economic variables
- Actions of competitors