Question: A recent financial magazine indicated that the airline industry has poor financial flexibility. What is meant by financial flexibility, and why is it important?

Short Answer

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Answer

Financial flexibility can be defined as meeting uncertainties by maintaining the amount and timing of cash flows. Financial flexibility reduces the risk associated with the business entity.

Step by step solution

01

Meaning of Financial Planner

A financial planner is an individual who helps a business entity or personal individual maintain its cash flow. Cash flow is maintained so the business entity can meet any unforeseen situation.

02

Financial Flexibility

Financial flexibility can be defined as the business entity's ability to maintain the time and amount of cash flow to meet the uncertainties.

03

Importance of financial flexibility

Financial flexibility is essential for the business entity because it lowers the risk to the business entity. It reduces the risk of failure of the business entity.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

E5-10 (L02,3) (Current Liabilities) Norma Smith is the controller of Baylor Corporation and is responsible for the preparation of the year-end financial statements. The following transactions occurred during the year.

(a) On December 20, 2017, a former employee filed a legal action against Baylor for \(100,000 for wrongful dismissal. Management believes the action to be frivolous and without merit. The likelihood of payment to the employee is remote.

(b) Bonuses to key employees based on net income for 2017 are estimated to be \)150,000.

(c) On December 1, 2017, the company borrowed \(600,000 at 8% per year. Interest is paid quarterly.

(d) Accounts receivable at December 31, 2017, is \)10,000,000. An aging analysis indicates that Baylor’s expense provision for doubtful accounts is estimated to be 3% of the receivables balance.

(e) On December 15, 2017, the company declared a \(2.00 per share dividend on the 40,000 shares of common stock outstanding, to be paid on January 5, 2018.

(f) During the year, customer advances of \)160,000 were received; $50,000 of this amount was earned by December 31, 2017.

Instructions For each item above, indicate the dollar amount to be reported as a current liability. If a liability is not reported, explain why.

Case 1: Uniroyal Technology Corporation

Uniroyal Technology Corporation (UTC), with corporate offices in Sarasota, Florida, is organized into three operating segments. The high-performance plastics segment is responsible for research, development, and manufacture of a wide variety of products, including orthopedic braces, graffiti-resistant seats for buses and airplanes, and a static-resistant plastic used in the central processing units of microcomputers. The coated fabrics segment manufactures products such as automobile seating, door and instrument panels, and specialty items such as waterproof seats for personal watercraft and stain-resistant, easy-cleaning upholstery fabrics. The foams and adhesives segment develops and manufactures products used in commercial roofing applications.

The following items relate to operations in a recent year.

1. Serious pressure was placed on profitability by sharply increasing raw material prices. Some raw materials increased in price 50% during the past year. Cost containment programs were instituted and product prices were increased whenever possible, which resulted in profit margins actually improving over the course of the year.

2. The company entered into a revolving credit agreement, under which UTC may borrow the lesser of \(15,000,000 or 80% of eligible accounts receivable. At the end of the year, approximately \)4,000,000 was outstanding under this agreement. The company plans to use this line of credit in the upcoming year to finance operations and expansion.

Instructions

(a) Should investors be informed of raw materials price increase, such as described in item 1? Does the fact that the company successfully met the challenge of higher prices affect the answer? Explain.

(b) How should the information in item 2 be presented in the financial statements of UTC?

Presented below is the balance sheet for Tomkins plc, a British company.

Tomkins plc Consolidated Balance Sheet (amounts in £ million)

Particular

Amount £

Non-Current Assets

Goodwill

436

Other tangible assets

78

Property, plant, and equipment

1,122.80

Investment in associates

20.6

Trade and other receivables

81.1

Deferred tax assets

82.9

Post-employment benefits surpluses

1.3

1,822.7

Current assets

Inventories

590.8

Trade and other receivables

753

Income tax recoverable

49

Available for sale investment

1.2

Cash and Cash equivalents

445

1,839

Assets held for sale

11.9

Total assets

3,673.6

Current liabilities

Bank overdraft

4.8

Bank and other loans

11.2

Obligations under finance leases

1

Trade and other payables

677.6

Income tax liabilities

15.2

Provisions

100.3

810.1

Non-Current liabilities

Bank and other loans

687.3

Obligations under financial leases

3.6

Trade and other payables

27.1

Post-Employment benefits obligations

343.5

Deferred tax liabilities

25.3

Income tax liabilities

79.5

Provisions

19.2

1,185.5

Total liabilities

1,995.6

Net assets

1,678

Capital reserve

Ordinary share capital

79.6

Share premium account

799.2

Own shares

(8.2)

Capital redemption reserve

921.8

Currency translation reserve

(93)

Available for sale reserve

(0.9)

Accumulated deficit

(161.9)

Shareholder’s equity

1,536.6

Minority interest

141.4

Total equity

1,678

Instructions

(a) Identify at least three differences in balance sheet reporting between British and U.S. firms, as shown in Tomkins’ balance sheet.

(b) Review Tomkins’ balance sheet and identify how the format of this financial statement provides useful information, as illustrated in the chapter.

Sergey Co. has net cash provided by operating activities of \(1,200,000. Its average current liabilities for the period are \)1,000,000, and its average total liabilities are $1,500,000. Comment on the company’s liquidity and financial flexibility, given this information.

E5-6 (L02,3) (Corrections of a Balance Sheet) The bookkeeper for Geronimo Company has prepared the following balance sheet as of July 31, 2017.

GERONIMO COMPANY

Balance Sheet

As of July 31, 2017

Cash

\(69,000

Notes and accounts payable

\)44,000

Account receivable (net)

40,500

Long-term liabilities

75,000

Inventory

60,000

Stockholder’s equity

155,500

Equipment (net)

84,000

Patents

21,000

\(274,500

\)274,500

The following additional information is provided.

1. Cash includes \(1,200 in a petty cash fund and \)15,000 in a bond sinking fund.

2. The net accounts receivable balance is comprised of the following two items: (a) accounts receivable \(44,000 and (b) allowance for doubtful accounts \)3,500.

3. Inventory costing \(5,300 was shipped out on consignment on July 31, 2017. The ending inventory balance does not include the consigned goods. Receivables in the amount of \)5,300 were recognized on these consigned goods.

4. Equipment had a cost of \(112,000 and an accumulated depreciation balance of \)28,000.

5. Income taxes payable of $6,000 were accrued on July 31. Geronimo Company, however, had set up a cash fund to meet this obligation. This cash fund was not included in the cash balance but was offset against the income taxes payable amount.

Instructions

Prepare a corrected classified balance sheet as of July 31, 2017, from the available information, adjusting the account balances using the additional information.

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