7.3 Prepare Financial Budgets

Capital budgeting and financial forecasting are crucial tools for managers. They help assess long-term investments, predict cash flows, and plan for future financial positions. These techniques enable companies to make informed decisions about resource allocation and growth strategies.

By using capital asset budgets, cash budgets, and budgeted balance sheets, managers can anticipate financial needs and outcomes. This comprehensive approach allows businesses to optimize their financial performance, manage risks, and align their operations with strategic goals.

Capital Budgeting and Financial Forecasting

Capital asset budget for investments

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• Capital budgeting process involves
  • Identifying potential long-term investments (new equipment, expansion projects)
  • Estimating cash inflows and outflows associated with each investment (revenue, expenses)
  • Determining the net present value (NPV) or internal rate of return (IRR) for each investment using discounted cash flow analysis
  • Selecting investments with positive NPV or IRR that align with company objectives (profitability, growth)
• Impact on cash flow includes
  • Initial cash outflow for the investment (purchase price, installation costs)
  • Future cash inflows generated by the investment (increased sales, cost savings)
  • Timing of cash flows (upfront costs, ongoing benefits)
• Impact on expenses involves
  • Depreciation expense over the useful life of the asset (straight-line, accelerated methods)
  • Maintenance and operating expenses related to the asset (utilities, repairs)
  • Interest expense if the investment is financed with debt (loans, bonds)

Cash budget for flow forecasting

• Components of a cash budget include
  • Beginning cash balance (cash on hand at start of period)
  • Projected cash inflows such as
    • Cash sales (revenue from immediate payments)
    • Collections from accounts receivable (payments from credit sales)
    • Other cash receipts (interest income, asset sales)
  • Projected cash outflows like
    • Cash purchases (payments for inventory, supplies)
    • Payments on accounts payable (settling outstanding bills)
    • Payroll expenses (wages, salaries, benefits)
    • Other cash disbursements (rent, utilities, taxes)
  • Ending cash balance (cash position at end of period)
• Identifying potential cash shortages or surpluses by
  • Comparing projected inflows and outflows for each period (monthly, quarterly)
  • Determining net cash position as a surplus or shortage (positive or negative balance)
• Strategies to manage cash shortages or surpluses involve
  • Short-term borrowing to cover shortages (lines of credit, bridge loans)
  • Investing surplus cash in short-term securities (money market funds, certificates of deposit)
  • Adjusting operations to improve cash flow (accelerating collections, deferring payments)
• Utilizing rolling forecasts to continuously update projections based on recent performance and changing conditions

Budgeted balance sheet estimation

• Components of a budgeted balance sheet include
  • Projected assets such as
    • Cash from the cash budget (ending balance)
    • Accounts receivable based on sales and collection assumptions (credit terms, aging schedule)
    • Inventory based on production and sales assumptions (turnover ratios, safety stock)
    • Fixed assets considering capital investments and depreciation (additions, disposals)
  • Projected liabilities like
    • Accounts payable based on purchases and payment assumptions (credit terms, due dates)
    • Short-term and long-term debt considering borrowing and repayment plans (loans, leases)
  • Projected equity including
    • Retained earnings based on projected net income and dividend policy (payout ratio, growth)
• Estimating year-end financial position by
  • Analyzing projected balance sheet ratios such as
    • Liquidity ratios $\frac{Current Assets}{Current Liabilities}$ (current ratio, quick ratio)
    • Solvency ratios $\frac{Total Debt}{Total Equity}$ (debt-to-equity ratio)
  • Comparing projected ratios to industry benchmarks and historical performance (trend analysis)
  • Identifying potential areas of concern or improvement (working capital management, debt levels)

Comprehensive Budgeting Approaches

• Master budget: An all-encompassing financial plan that combines various sub-budgets
  • Operating budget: Focuses on day-to-day business activities and revenue generation
  • Financial budget: Addresses the company's overall financial position and cash flows
• Variance analysis: Comparing actual results to budgeted figures to identify and investigate differences
• Flexible budgeting: Adjusting budgets based on different activity levels to improve accuracy
• Zero-based budgeting: Building budgets from scratch each period, justifying all expenses