Unless internal controls over plant and equipment are carefully designed many units of equipment are likely to be broken, discarded or stolen without any entry being made in the accounting records for their disposal. The assets accounts will then be overstated and depreciation programs for such missing unites of equipment will presumably continue. Consequently net income will be misstated because of the omission of losses on retirement of plant assets and because of erroneous depreciation charges. One important control devise which guards against failure to record the retirement of assets is the use of controlling accounts and subsidiary ledgers for plant and equipment. The general ledger ordinarily contains a serpent assets account and related depreciation accounts for each major classification of plant assets, such as land, buildings, office equipment and deal very equipment. For example the general ledger will contain the account office equipment and also the related accounts depreciation Continue reading
Financial Management Tools
How To Assess the Financial Health of a Company
To check the financial health of a business, you need to evaluate its financial performance, liquidity, solvency, profitability, and other key financial indicators. Below are some of the key areas to focus on when assessing the financial health of your business. Financial Statements The first step in evaluating the financial health of your business is to review your financial statements. The financial statements include the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement. These statements provide a summary of your business’s financial activity and performance over a specific period. Balance Sheet: The balance sheet provides an overview of your business’s financial position at a specific point in time. It lists your assets, liabilities, and equity. You can use the balance sheet to evaluate your business’s liquidity and solvency. Income Statement: The income statement shows your business’s revenue, expenses, and net income over a specific period. You can use the income Continue reading
Types of Securitization Structures
Through securitization process, debts are factored and discounted in a structured and sophisticated manner which allows for the availability of funds and the repayment of the debt obligations through the creation of an insolvency remote vehicle which is separate, distinct and independent of the Originator. Securitization structures are most appropriate for a company that seeks financing but is unable to tap funding sources for the desired tenor and funding cost because of its perceived credit risk. In general, any asset class with relatively predictable cash flows can be securitized. The Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) re-designs the type of bonds to be issued depending on the deal structure. The broad types of securitization structures include: Cash vs. Synthetic Structures: Most transactions world over follow the cash structure in which the originator sells assets and receives cash instead. In a synthetic transaction, the seller keeps his title and investment on the assets Continue reading
Management Accounting – Definition, Nature and Functions
That part of accounting system which facilitates the management process of decision-making is called management accounting. Basically it is the study of managerial aspect of financial accounting, “accounting in relation to management function”. It shows how the accounting function can be re-oriented so as to fit it within the framework of management activity. It presents accounting information in such a way as to assist management in the creation of policy and in the day-to-day operations of an undertaking. Management accounting has the ability to communicate a great variety of facts in a systematic and meaningful manner. The task of management accounting is not to make decisions; rather it facilitates the process of decision-making. Management accounting is a systematic approach to planning and control functions of management. It generates information for establishing plans and controls. Definition of Management Accounting According to the Chartered Institute of Management Continue reading
Importance and Limitations of Financial Statements
Importance of Financial Statements Financial statements are the important sources of information to all the users of accounting information like; management, owners, debtors, creditors, employees, government agencies, financial analysts, etc. The following are the points which highlight the importance of financial statements: Financial statements are the summary of information relating to profitability, and resources owned by the firm. Financial statements provide the information which can be compared with those of other firms. Employees can use financial statements to demand for increment in salary and other benefits. Bankers and other financial institutions can use financial statements to make the lending decisions. Government bases on financial statements of the companies for the calculation of tax revenue from the firms. Financial statements can be used as the basis for management decision-making purpose like planning, promotion, research and development decisions etc. Existing investors can use financial statements to assess how efficiently the firm is Continue reading
DuPont Analysis – Return on Equity (ROE) Analysis
Financial statement analysis is employed for a variety of reasons. Outside investors are seeking information as to the long run viability of a business and its prospects for providing an adequate return in consideration of the risks being taken. Creditors desire to know whether a potential borrower or customer can service loans being made. Internal analysts and management utilize financial statement analysis as a means to monitor the outcome of policy decisions, predict future performance targets, develop investment strategies, and assess capital needs. As the role of the credit manager is expanded cross-functionally, he or she may be required to answer the call to conduct financial statement analysis under any of these circumstances. The DuPont analysis is a useful tool in providing both an overview and a focus for such analysis. History of DuPont Analysis The DuPont model of financial analysis was made by F. Donaldson Brown, an electrical engineer Continue reading