Introduction to FM

Chapter - 1: 

Chapter - 1 Nature of Financial Management 1

Business Activities: 

Business Activities Production Marketing Finance 2

Finance Functions: 

Finance Functions Investment or Long Term Asset Mix Decision Financing or Capital Mix Decision Dividend or Profit Allocation Decision Liquidity or Short Term Asset Mix Decision 3

Finance Manager’s Role: 

Finance Manager’s Role Raising of Funds Allocation of Funds Profit Planning Understanding Capital Markets 4

Financial Goals: 

Financial Goals Profit maximization (profit after tax) Maximizing Earnings per Share Shareholder’s Wealth Maximization 5

Profit Maximization: 

Profit Maximization Maximizing the Rupee Income of Firm Resources are efficiently utilized Appropriate measure of firm performance Serves interest of society also 6

Objections to Profit Maximization: 

Objections to Profit Maximization It is Vague It Ignores the Timing of Returns It Ignores Risk Assumes Perfect Competition In new business environment profit maximization is regarded as Unrealistic Difficult Inappropriate Immoral. 7

Maximizing EPS: 

Maximizing EPS Ignores timing and risk of the expected benefit Market value is not a function of EPS. Hence maximizing EPS will not result in highest price for company's shares Maximizing EPS implies that the firm should make no dividend payment so long as funds can be invested at positive rate of return—such a policy may not always work 8

Shareholders’ Wealth Maximization: 

Shareholders’ Wealth Maximization Maximizes the net present value of a course of action to shareholders. Accounts for the timing and risk of the expected benefits. Fundamental objective—maximize the market value of the firm’s shares. 9

Risk-return Trade-off: 

Risk-return Trade-off Risk and expected return move in tandem; the greater the risk, the greater the expected return. Financial decisions of the firm are guided by the risk-return trade-off . The return and risk relationship: Return = Risk-free rate + Risk premium Risk-free rate is a compensation for time and risk premium for risk. 10

Financial Goals and Firm’s Mission and Objectives: 

Financial Goals and Firm’s Mission and Objectives Firms’ primary objective is maximizing the welfare of owners, but, in operational terms, they focus on the satisfaction of its customers through the production of goods and services needed by them Firms state their vision, mission and values in broad terms Wealth maximization is more appropriately a decision criterion , rather than an objective or a goal . Goals or objectives are missions or basic purposes of a firm’s existence 11

Financial Goals and Firm’s Mission and Objectives: 

Financial Goals and Firm’s Mission and Objectives The shareholders’ wealth maximization is the second-level criterion ensuring that the decision meets the minimum standard of the economic performance. In the final decision-making, the judgement of management plays the crucial role. The wealth maximization criterion would simply indicate whether an action is economically viable or not. 12

Organisation of the Finance Functions : 

Organisation of the Finance Functions Reason for placing the finance functions in the hands of top management Financial decisions are crucial for the survival of the firm. The financial actions determine solvency of the firm Centralisation of the finance functions can result in a number of economies to the firm. 13

Status and Duties of Finance Executives: 

Status and Duties of Finance Executives The exact organisation structure for financial management will differ across firms. The financial officer may be known as the financial manager in some organisations, while in others as the vice-president of finance or the director of finance or the financial controller. 14

Role of Treasurer and Controller: 

Role of Treasurer and Controller Two more officers—the treasurer and the controller —may be appointed under the direct supervision of CFO to assist him or her. The treasurer’s function is to raise and manage company funds while the controller oversees whether funds are correctly applied. 15