Lecture1-Introduction To FM
Lecture1-Introduction To FM
Lecture1-Introduction To FM
Objectives
Taking a commercial business as the most common organisational structure, the key objectives of financial management would be to: Create wealth for the business Generate cash, and Provide an adequate return on investment bearing in mind the risks that the business is taking and the resources invested
Key elements
There are three key elements to the process of financial management: (1) Financial Planning Management need to ensure that enough funding is available at the right time to meet the needs of the business. In the short term, funding may be needed to invest in equipment and stocks, pay employees and fund sales made on credit. In the medium and long term, funding may be required for significant additions to the productive capacity of the business or to make acquisitions.
Key elements
(2) Financial Control Financial control is a critically important activity to help the business ensure that the business is meeting its objectives. Financial control addresses questions such as:
Are assets being used efficiently? Are the businesses assets secure? Do management act in the best interest of shareholders and in accordance with business rules?
Key elements
(3) Financial Decision-making The key aspects of financial decision-making relate to investment, financing and dividends: Investments must be financed in some way however there are always financing alternatives that can be considered. For example it is possible to raise finance from selling new shares, borrowing from banks or taking credit from suppliers A key financing decision is whether profits earned by the business should be retained rather than distributed to shareholders via dividends. If dividends are too high, the business may be starved of funding to reinvest in growing revenues and profits further.
Raising Capital
I. Financial Markets A. Primary versus secondary? 1. Use Investment bankers 2. Target Organized exchanges a. Major b. Regional 3. Trade in Over-the-counter market 4. ECNs
Raising Capital
5. Financial intermediaries
a. b. c. d. Deposit types / Commercial banks Life insurance companies Pension funds Mutual funds
Other markets to think about. C Spot vs. Futures D Public vs. Private E REAL vs. Financial
1. Monetary policy tools a. Discount rate b. Reserve requirement c. Open market operations 2. Fiscal policy a. Government spending b. Taxation c. Deficit management
2. Yield curves
* Normal yield curve/positive yield curve (short-term yields < longer term yields) * Abnormal yield curve/negative yield curve (short-term yields > longer term yields) * Flat yield curve (no difference between sortterm yields and long-term yields) What does Pure expectations theory say??
Sole Proprietorship
Advantages:
Ease of formation Subject to few regulations No corporate income taxes
Disadvantages:
Limited life Unlimited liability Difficult to raise capital
Partnership
A partnership has roughly the same advantages and disadvantages as a sole proprietorship.
Corporation
Advantages:
Unlimited life Easy transfer of ownership Limited liability Ease of raising capital
Disadvantages:
Double taxation Cost of set-up and report filing