Exam 16: Supply Chains and Working Capital Management

As a rule, managers should try to always use the free component of trade credit but should use the costly component only if the cost of this credit is lower than the cost of credit from other sources.

Which of the following will cause an increase in net working capital, other things held constant?

Carter & Carter is considering setting up a regional lockbox system to speed up collections.The company sells to customers all over the U.S., and all receipts come in to its headquarters in San Francisco.The firm's average accounts receivable balance is $2.5 million, and they are financed by a bank loan at an 11% annual interest rate.The firm believes this new lockbox system would reduce receivables by 20%.If the annual cost of the system is $15,000, what pre-tax net annual savings would be realized?

If a firm sells on terms of 2/10 net 30 days, and its DSO is 28 days, then the fact that the 28-day DSO is less than the 30-day credit period tells us that the credit department is functioning efficiently and there are no past-due accounts.

For a zero-growth firm, it is possible to increase the percentage of sales that are made on credit and still keep accounts receivable at their current level, provided the firm can shorten the length of its collection period sufficiently.

Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

Hardwig Inc. Hardwig Inc.is considering whether to pursue a restricted or relaxed current asset investment policy.The firm's annual sales are expected to total $3,600,000, its fixed assets turnover ratio equals 4.0, and its debt and common equity are each 50% of total assets.EBIT is $150,000, the interest rate on the firm's debt is 10%, and the tax rate is 25%.If the company follows a restricted policy, its total assets turnover will be 2.5.Under a relaxed policy its total assets turnover will be 2.2. -Refer to the data for Hardwig Inc.If the firm adopts a restricted policy, how much lower would its interest expense be than under the relaxed policy?

Which of the following statements concerning the cash budget is CORRECT?

Cash is often referred to as a "non-earning" asset.Thus, one goal of cash management is to minimize the amount of cash necessary for conducting a firm's normal business activities.

A lockbox plan is most beneficial to firms that

Blueroot Inc.is considering a change in its financing policy.Currently, it uses maximum trade credit by not taking discounts on its purchases.The standard industry credit terms offered by all its suppliers are 2/10 net 30 days, and the firm pays on time.The new CFO is considering borrowing from its bank, using short-term notes payable, and then taking discounts.The firm wants to determine the effect of this policy change on its net income.Its net purchases are $11,760 per day, using a 365-day year.The interest rate on the notes payable is 10%, and the tax rate is 25%.If the firm implements the plan, what is the expected change in net income?

Andrews Corporation buys on terms of 2/8, net 45 days, it does not take discounts, and it actually pays after 58 days.What is the effective annual percentage cost of its non-free trade credit? (Use a 365-day year.)

Newsome Inc.buys on terms of 3/15, net 45.It does not take the discount, and it generally pays after 60 days.What is the nominal annual percentage cost of its non-free trade credit, based on a 365-day year?

Other things held constant, which of the following would tend to reduce the cash conversion cycle?

A firm's peak borrowing needs will probably be overstated if it bases its monthly cash budget on the assumption that both cash receipts and cash payments occur uniformly over the month but in reality payments are concentrated at the beginning of each month.

Firms hold cash balances in order to complete transactions (both routine and precautionary) that are necessary in business operations and as compensation to banks for providing loans and services.

Whaley & Whaley has the following data.What is the firm's cash conversion cycle? Inventory conversion period = 41 days Average collection period = 31 days Payables deferral period = 38 days

Famous Farm's payables deferral period (PDP) is 50 days (on a 365-day basis), accounts payable are $100 million, and its balance sheet shows inventory of $125 million.What is the inventory turnover ratio?

The facts (1) that no explicit interest is paid on accruals and (2) that the firm can control the level of these accounts at will makes them an attractive source of funding to meet working capital needs.

Loans from commercial banks generally appear on balance sheets as notes payable.A bank's importance is actually greater than it appears from the dollar amounts shown on balance sheets because banks provide nonspontaneous funds to firms.