Our blog highlights Canadian Business Financing solutions via receivable finance , equipment finance, working capital financing, asset based lending, business acquisition financing,franchise finance, and tax credit monetization via SRED and Film Tax Credits. Our goal is to educate and assist Canadian businesses with their financing needs. You Are Looking For Canadian Business Financing! Welcome to 7 Park Avenue Financial Call Now ! - Direct Line - 416 319 5769
WELCOME !
In 2004 I founded 7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL. At that time I had spent all my working life, at that time - Over 30 years in Commercial credit and lending and Canadian business financing. I believe the commercial lending landscape has drastically changed in Canada. I believe a void exists for business owners and finance managers for companies, large and small who want service, creativity, and alternatives.
Every day we strive to consistently deliver business financing that you feel meets the needs of your business. If you believe as we do that financing solutions and alternatives exist for your firm we want to talk to you. Our purpose is simple: we want to deliver the best business finance solutions for your company.
Friday, April 1, 2016
How Does Ed Predict My Business is Going to Go Bankrupt? And Who is Ed?
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We are quite sure that many business owners and financial managers, and to some degree even sophisticated financial analysts have never heard of Edward Altman.Altman was a pioneer in financial research into troubled firms. He was a New York professor/scholar. Obviously this took a lot of what we could call ' back testing ' - that is to say going back in a companies history to determine why they failed and what were the financial characteristics of that failure. A lot of his work revolves around the in depth analysis of 33 firms that went bankrupt eventually.
Altman wrote volumes on companies in distress and bankrupt companies, and is most known for his contribution of a short formula called 'THE Z-SCORE '.
What is the Z-SCORE? In essence it's a predictor of bankruptcy and business failure! One might think the formula is overly complex, but it is not. It is simply an analytical tool that could be used by any business owner, financial manager, or for that matter a personal investor looking to purchase a stock in the stock market. It is somewhat of a dramatic statement, but Altman felt you could predict the bankruptcy, in many cases, several years before the actual event. (Short sellers of stock take note!!)
Altman developed the tool in the 1960's and we feel it is still very valid today. The ultimate result of a Z-SCORE calculation is an absolute number. If firms have a score of 1.8 or less Altman maintains the company is a strong credit for bankruptcy.
How is the score calculated? Again, readers will be surprised at how easy the score is to calculate. Remember that the absolute number of the score essentially is a reading on the company's financial health.
The elements of the score are as follows:
Working Capital
Total Assets
Retained Earnings
Earnings/Profit
Sales
Total liabilities
Note ** If any business owner does not know how to get those numbers from his financial statement we suggest they are already headed for business failure!
The calculation is done as follows:
Working Capital divided by Total Assets
Retained Earnings divided by total assets
Earnings divided by total assets
Retained Earnings divided by Total liabilities
Sales divided by Total Assets
Each number is calculated and then added up. The result is a final Z-SCORE. Remember that we have said that if a company has a score of less than 1.8 Altman believed they were headed for bankruptcy. (Note there is a weighting assigned to each calculation also - readers can do their own research on the calculation) Obviously when he back tested those financials of firms that ultimately failed he showed they had exhibited a score of less than 1.8 much earlier.
Altman noted that firms with a Z-SCORE of greater than 3 were, in general, strong financially. Readers can also guess that a company with a score somewhere in the middle is a firm in the 'grey zone '. The bottom line - lower is worse!
So would you invest your personal money in the stock market in a company that had a Z-SCORE of 1.8? And do you believe you have a tool that can effectively predict the ultimate failure of a company. And finally, do you know the Z-SCORE of your own firm as a business owner or financial manager - we have shown that it is not hard to calculate. We note that ALTMAN did feel strongly that the formula works better for larger corporations. What the reader does with that data is a subject of another discussion.
No formula is absolute, but, the weight of evidence suggests that if Ed (his formula /model) is predicting something, we should listen!
Stan Prokop is the founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com
The company originates business financing for Canadian companies and is a specialist in working capital and asset based financing of all types. For more information or contact details please see: http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com
7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Direct Line = 416 319 5769
Office = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com
' Canadian Business Financing with the intelligent use of experience '
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stan has had a successful career with some of the world’s largest and most successful corporations.
Prior to founding 7 Park Avenue Financial in 2004 his employers over the last 25 years were, ASHLAND OIL, ( 1977-1980) DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, ( 1980-1990) ) CABLE & WIRELESS PLC,( 1991 -1993) ) AND HEWLETT PACKARD ( 1994-2004 ) He is an expert in Canadian Business Financing.
Stan has over 40 years of business and finance executive experience. He has been recognized as a credit/financial executive for three of the largest technology companies in the world; Hewlett-Packard, Digital Equipment and Cable & Wireless. Stan has had in depth, hands on experience in assessing and evaluating thousands of companies that are seeking financing and expansion. He has been instrumental in helping many companies progress through every phase of financing, mergers & acquisitions, sales and marketing and human resources. Stan has worked with startups and public corporations and has many times established the financial wherewithal of organizations before approving millions of dollars of financing facilities and instruments on behalf of his employers.
Stan Prokop
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Stan_Prokop/432698
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3670251
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Business Financing In Canada : Understanding Your Operating Cycle For Working Capital & Cash Flow
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The Operating Cycle - Your Washing Machine Or Your Business?
OVERVIEW - Information on the operating cycle of a business . Canadian business owners and financial can understand their working capital and cash flow needs relative to business financing solutions
The 'operating cycle is a distinct part of any business. Frankly we believe that most business owners intuitively know it exists - they just didn't know it had a name.
The operating cycle is the repetitive pattern of a turnover of a businesses current assets and liabilities. Let's examine that in a bit more detail. In essence each business established within their company, and probably within their industry, a repetitive pattern of turnover.
In the first phase of the operating cycle a business, unless it is a service business, buys inventory and materials which they will resell to customers. Normally these goods are obtained on credit. The company buys product, and obviously has an account payable to that supplier. So we find that company paying their supplier, cash goes down and inventory goes up. So far so good.
In phase two of the operating cycle the company sells product to a customer. More often than not it sells on credit - this generates accounts receivable - the good news is that the company can finally record sales, or revenue.
In phase three, the final phase of our operating cycle, the company collects the receivable and converts the entire process we have gone through back into cash.
Yes, our analysis is over simplified, and of course behind all these processes the company has administrative and sales costs that back up the entire operating cycle. All of these costs are in some manner related to the final sale and have some sort of contribution in that regard.
We also need to remember that through the entire process bank loans or working capital facilities regularly turn over.
Each company and industry has a different operating cycle - within each industry some companies are clearly doing better than others.
One of the best know ways to measure a firms operating cycle is a formula created by the DUPONT COMPANY many years ago - not surprisingly the formula is called the DUPONT FORMULA!
The formula looks at relationships, or ratios, in the balance sheet and income statement and provides solid ways of measuring the operating cycle and how it affects a company's profit, and operations. It provides a lot of insight into how a company can improve profitability by emphasizing asset turn over and showing how it's important as sales. Even a non- financial person should be able to understand this - we are simply saying that if a company get buy something, sell it, and collect the money fast and start all over that will increase profits over a company who takes twice as long to repeat that entire process. Sales are not always the be all and end all! A company, using DUPONT, can show that even if they make a little less on each sale, but turn over inventory and receivables faster, can do as well or better than the competitor.
In summary, a true understanding of the operating cycle allows a business owner or financial manager to focus on expenses, asset turn over, and margins, and see the inter - relationship of all these three components of a business. Understanding and improving your operating cycle will make your firm a leader, not a laggard, in your industry. Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business Financing Advisor with a track record of success who can assist you with your business finance requirements.
Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –
Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 10 years - Completed in excess of 100 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing. Info & Contact Details :
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com
7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Direct Line = 416 319 5769
Office = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com
' Canadian Business Financing with the intelligent use of experience '
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stan has had a successful career with some of the world’s largest and most successful corporations.
Prior to founding 7 Park Avenue Financial in 2004 his employers over the last 25 years were, ASHLAND OIL, ( 1977-1980) DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, ( 1980-1990) ) CABLE & WIRELESS PLC,( 1991 -1993) ) AND HEWLETT PACKARD ( 1994-2004 ) He is an expert in Canadian Business Financing.
Stan has over 40 years of business and finance executive experience. He has been recognized as a credit/financial executive for three of the largest technology companies in the world; Hewlett-Packard, Digital Equipment and Cable & Wireless. Stan has had in depth, hands on experience in assessing and evaluating thousands of companies that are seeking financing and expansion. He has been instrumental in helping many companies progress through every phase of financing, mergers & acquisitions, sales and marketing and human resources. Stan has worked with startups and public corporations and has many times established the financial wherewithal of organizations before approving millions of dollars of financing facilities and instruments on behalf of his employers.
Stan Prokop
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Business Finance & Working Capital Financing Cash Flow Loan Solutions In Canada
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And Now For Something Completely Different -
Solutions for SME COMMERCIAL FINANCE needs
OVERVIEW - Information on working capital financing solutions for small and medium enterprise commercial business finance needs in Canada. Which cash flow loan or asset monetization strategy works for your company ?
Working Capital Financing – Canadian business owners want to maximize the utilization of their receivables, inventory and incoming orders and contracts to leverage working capital. The goals are very clearly, grow business revenues and profit with the right combination of internal growth, borrowing from banks and others, and achieving the best blend of working capital and cash flow by leverage those current assets.
Long term debt or additional new equity is not often the business owner’s choice in arranging more working capital and cash flow for the business.
We meet with many business owners who tell us they have the opportunity to significantly increase sales .They are looking for a financial strategy to grow those profits and equity while the at the same time minimizing loan interest and any other external financing costs . When a business gets its hand on a proper working capital solution it has the potential to reduce or minimize debt, and increase bottom line equity or value in the business.
Our point is simply that if your business can absorb a reduction in your gross margin – (the cost of working capital associated with receivable, inventory and PO financing) then you can avoid debt and equity scenarios and still grow your business.
The Canadian business owner and financial managers challenge is to grow the business and understand the cost of growing the business under various financing methods.
Clients are often surprised to learn how much their business can chance by a simple analysis of their working capital financing choices.
Using factoring or inventory financing as a cash flow supercharger is many times the best strategy for working capital enhancement. Most non financial business owners do not appreciate that power that working capital turnover
There are all sorts of tools that your business can very easily use to monitor your working capital needs. One is simple you need to monitor your working capital to sales ratio.
How do we calculate the working capital to sales ratio? It’s easy. Working capital is essential your current assets minus your current liabilities. Take that number form the balance sheet and divide it by sales. If you have a low ration then you ability to generate cash flow is stronger.
The solution for Canadian business owners is to maximize the turnover of those current assets such as receivables and inventory via working capital facilities. If those facilities can’t be arranged with a bank then you have the option of working capital lines of credit and asset based lines of credit that will cover receivables, inventory and even under many circumstances bulges for new contracts and purchase orders
Working capital facilities via asset based lending business credit lines , factoring or inventory financing or purchase order financing maximize your cash flow – they also cost more and many Canadian businesses simply focus on the cost. But they fail to measure the cost of carrying those receivables and the cost of not turning over that inventory efficiently. These two costs alone have the ability to completely in some cases erase your cost of financing under a working capital and cash flow facility.
How does a business compute its cost of credit? The formula relates to your firm not taking credit and payment terms extended by suppliers. Your supplier’s gives you terms that specify a payment date the amount of the discount if you pay early, and of course the due date. The cost of NOT taking that discount is huge! Most owners don’t realize that. If your firm can negotiate better prices by utilizing working capital financing strategies such as factoring and inventory financing and purchase order financing you have just become the best comparison shopper in business!
In summary, the cost of not taking trade credit discounts is very significant when your business has the ability to take those discounts via aggressively financing your receivables and inventory. Utilize great working capital strategies, you will find that the cost of paying in full is higher that the cost of a working capital facility to cash flow those receivables and inventory!
Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you with loan and cash flow needs.
Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –
Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 10 years - Completed in excess of 100 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing. Info & Contact Details :
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com
7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Direct Line = 416 319 5769
Office = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com
' Canadian Business Financing with the intelligent use of experience '
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stan has had a successful career with some of the world’s largest and most successful corporations.
Prior to founding 7 Park Avenue Financial in 2004 his employers over the last 25 years were, ASHLAND OIL, ( 1977-1980) DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, ( 1980-1990) ) CABLE & WIRELESS PLC,( 1991 -1993) ) AND HEWLETT PACKARD ( 1994-2004 ) He is an expert in Canadian Business Financing.
Stan has over 40 years of business and finance executive experience. He has been recognized as a credit/financial executive for three of the largest technology companies in the world; Hewlett-Packard, Digital Equipment and Cable & Wireless. Stan has had in depth, hands on experience in assessing and evaluating thousands of companies that are seeking financing and expansion. He has been instrumental in helping many companies progress through every phase of financing, mergers & acquisitions, sales and marketing and human resources. Stan has worked with startups and public corporations and has many times established the financial wherewithal of organizations before approving millions of dollars of financing facilities and instruments on behalf of his employers.
Stan Prokop
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Commercial Interest Rates for Business Financing In Canada : Your Inside Story On Finance Costs
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After This You Will Know All About Business Financing Rates & Costs In Canada
OVERVIEW - Information on business finance and commercial interest rates in Canada . How well do you know your corporate finance costs and how and why they change?
Business financing commercial interest rates in Canada... vary! No surprise there. But do owners and financial managers in the SME COMMERCIAL FINANCE environment really understand why finance costs can vary so much. We don't necessarily think so; let's dig in!
It seems simple... you have identified your financing solution and want to know what the rate is and in cases of term debt whether the costs are fixed or floating.
As we said there are numerous business finance solutions, some of which are cash flow and asset monetization /working capital solutions; others coming in the form of term debt.
In the aforementioned scenarios those cash flow solutions include:
Accounts Receivable Financing
Inventory Finance
Bank (or non bank) business credit lines
Term loans
Commercial Mortgages
Equipment financing
Tax Credit Financing (Predominantly via the SR&ED Program)
Royalty Financing
Unsecured cash flow loans
Franchise Loans
Govt Small Business Loans under the Federal loan guarantee program (CSBFL)
So what in fact drives those changes in rates and how can you both understand and minimize them? It's your company ' risk profile ' combined with the policies and structure of your lender.
When it comes to fixed rates for term types of loans (think equipment leases or corporate mtges) borrowers with good commercial credit prefer to lock in rates when there is a long term interest rate rising period in the economy. Shorter terms might well command a variable / floating rate.
For those companies with good credit that are considered ' bankable ' rates revolve off of ' prime ‘. If you company is financially healthy loans are typically priced off of prime, and the Canadian banks do a great job of judging the overall financial performance of your firm. Suffice to say that size also counts and larger loans with good credit quality command great rates, especially in the current rate environment.
For businesses that are NOT bankable the cash flow challenge is much greater, and it's here that higher rates can be anticipated in your borrowing needs. The SME COMMERCIAL FINANCE market is driven by thousands of firms seeking to expand, acquire competitors, or simply access working capital needs that are driven by higher inventory and receivables.
So what drives those higher rate costs for companies that can't acquire any, or all the bank credit they need. It's understanding your total debt and cash flow / profit picture. As those ratios deteriorate you are entering the world of higher loan costs.
In many cases your firm might have different lenders - typically a ' senior' lender that holds most or all of the security / collateral, and other lenders charging higher rates tag along!
In cases such as unsecured loans you can almost always expect a higher rate. Remember also that many commercial lenders themselves are borrowing capital to lend, and when they are in the secondary loan market in Canada they have their own risk and profit considerations.
The bottom line? Knowing what rates apply to the type of financing your company needs and qualifies for is a critical part of business financing. Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business Financing Advisor with a track record of success
who can assist you in matching the right financing solution to your requirements.
Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –
Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 10 years - Completed in excess of 100 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing. Info & Contact Details :
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com
7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Direct Line = 416 319 5769
Office = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com
' Canadian Business Financing with the intelligent use of experience '
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stan has had a successful career with some of the world’s largest and most successful corporations.
Prior to founding 7 Park Avenue Financial in 2004 his employers over the last 25 years were, ASHLAND OIL, ( 1977-1980) DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, ( 1980-1990) ) CABLE & WIRELESS PLC,( 1991 -1993) ) AND HEWLETT PACKARD ( 1994-2004 ) He is an expert in Canadian Business Financing.
Stan has over 40 years of business and finance executive experience. He has been recognized as a credit/financial executive for three of the largest technology companies in the world; Hewlett-Packard, Digital Equipment and Cable & Wireless. Stan has had in depth, hands on experience in assessing and evaluating thousands of companies that are seeking financing and expansion. He has been instrumental in helping many companies progress through every phase of financing, mergers & acquisitions, sales and marketing and human resources. Stan has worked with startups and public corporations and has many times established the financial wherewithal of organizations before approving millions of dollars of financing facilities and instruments on behalf of his employers.
Stan Prokop
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Business Financing In Canada : Timing Your Loans & Funding Needs For Maximum Success In Capital Solutions
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Thinking Of Testing The Water On Business Financing Solutions ?
OVERVIEW - Information on business financing in Canada . Issues facing companies who require loans and other capital funding and cash flow solutions to survive and grow their business
Business financing needs in Canada might be requiring you to ' test the water ‘. But the question that begs to be asked is what amount of capital do you require for your company and, equally important, what is the desired or best funding solution. Let's dig in.
Full scale business might well be required for larger financing - we're typically talking 1 Million ++ $, and that includes solid executive summaries, cash flow forecasts, etc. But in the ' SME “market (small to medium enterprise) (where a lot of action takes place!) that's definitely not necessarily the case.
We'll point our though that any business owner/financial mgr who can't provide basic info such as financial statements, owner info, background story, etc is somewhat doomed to failure in achieving their company financing goals. In some cases a third party business financing advisor/consultant might be the best person to move your financing needs forward.
Keep in mind also that whether it’s a small or large amount of due diligence you will always be required to submit a proper application and relevant back up info - Example - aged receivables, payables, articles of incorp., , tax obligations, etc
Naturally new capital can come in the form of new owner equity (not what we are talking about here today) or debt and asset monetization solutions. ( That's what we're talking about today )
What then are the basic financial solutions available in SME COMMERCIAL FINANCE ? They typically include the following:
A/R Financing - (includes factoring, Confidential Receivable Financing)
Inventory Finance
Bank credit lines / term loans
Non bank full business credit lines – ‘ ABL’ loans
Equipment Finance/sale leasebacks
Govt of Canada Guaranteed Small Business Loan Program (this just in! New limit is $1,000,000.00)
SR&ED Loans- Refundable tax credit financing
Royalty Finance
Franchise Loans
Unsecured cash flow loans
Our experience tells us that timelines often drive the financing need, with, unfortunately many clients demonstrating reactive as opposed to proactive financing searches. Some transactions definitely require more time than others to successfully be completed, and unfortunately some firms don't have the financial resources to control their destinies! Aka ' running out of cash!
Can we provide a guarantee around your business financing needs? Yes we can! We guarantee that your financing search may well become time consuming and frustrating and challenging! Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business Financing Advisor with a track record of success
who can assist you with your business finance needs.
Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –
Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 10 years - Completed in excess of 100 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing. Info & Contact Details :
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com
7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Direct Line = 416 319 5769
Office = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com
' Canadian Business Financing with the intelligent use of experience '
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stan has had a successful career with some of the world’s largest and most successful corporations.
Prior to founding 7 Park Avenue Financial in 2004 his employers over the last 25 years were, ASHLAND OIL, ( 1977-1980) DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, ( 1980-1990) ) CABLE & WIRELESS PLC,( 1991 -1993) ) AND HEWLETT PACKARD ( 1994-2004 ) He is an expert in Canadian Business Financing.
Stan has over 40 years of business and finance executive experience. He has been recognized as a credit/financial executive for three of the largest technology companies in the world; Hewlett-Packard, Digital Equipment and Cable & Wireless. Stan has had in depth, hands on experience in assessing and evaluating thousands of companies that are seeking financing and expansion. He has been instrumental in helping many companies progress through every phase of financing, mergers & acquisitions, sales and marketing and human resources. Stan has worked with startups and public corporations and has many times established the financial wherewithal of organizations before approving millions of dollars of financing facilities and instruments on behalf of his employers.
Stan Prokop
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Financial Strategies For Troubled Firms
Information on restructuring finance options in Canada. Turnaround financing via asset based lending and other strategies can often save any business experiencing financial challenges . Special loans is not the end of the line if your firm has a strategy and is aware of financial solutions
There are strategies that troubled companies can use to save themselves from dire straits and regain their former financial success. These same sort of strategies are valuable for business owners and financial executives to understand how their firms can avoid financial turbulence and failure.
We must first realize that business failure or bankruptcy never happens overnight. Normally there is a gradual trend of financial deterioration that is sometimes exacerbated by industry troubles. In 2009-2010 environment the auto industry was a poster child for a troubled industry, as an example.
Naturally firms that are on the very precipice of failure or bankruptcy do not have many options or time left. It has to fix itself, or sink. No business owners or entrepreneurs want to face bankruptcy, liquidation, and other creditor issues.
Do financially failing firms survive because of a revival in products or their services, or have they in fact executed on improved financial management. This is a challenging questions, because the very financial problems that beset a firm hinder it in getting new sales, acquiring inventory, and regaining supplier credibility.
Also, lets be realistic, banks and other finance companies do not throw themselves at failing firms with financial offers of loans, lines of credit, etc. In fact what usually happens is that the company is forced to pledge some or all assets at much higher rates, sometimes simply accentuating the financial problems that were already there.
So what are the financial strategies that a firm can undertake to avoid financial failure when it has been losing sales, not generating profits, and generally traveling down a potential death spiral?
There are three or four solid strategies that can save the firm. The first is ' assets '. The second is liabilities and debt, and the third we will simply call ' maneuverering '.
Strategy 1:
Assets have value. They can be sold, re financed,, or pledged to secure new financing. This type of strategy works best when it works for all parties, the company and the lender, or the company and another firm. However lets be clear that this is somewhat of a one shot strategy. It either must work or it doesn't. Asset maneuvers have 3 stages of success: assets can be used to get a new loan, assets can be sold, or they can, in somewhat of a worst case scenario, be liquidated.
Strategy 2:
On the other side of assets on the balance sheet is debt and equity. Debt can be structured properly to ensure the lender gets a reasonable reward, and the company is able to both repay and survive. There are too many types of debt to consider for the purposes of this article - suffice to say that creativity in debt is somewhat unlimited. A firm could issue debt, as an example, and repay only when the company is earning profits again.This would normally entail higher rates, but again, as we have stated, the transaction has to make sense both for customer and lender. A solid alternative solution is to simply re - structure existing debt at new rates and amortizations.
Alternatively to debt a company with promise can bring in new equity or ownership. This is somewhat more risk for all as dilution of ownership is usually significant when a company is failing and bring in new equity capital.
Strategy 3: A firm sometimes has to look to the outside for help. Since the owners and managers are often too close to the problem it is somewhat of a classic case of not seeing the forest for the trees. Outside consultants and industry experts can often bring a solution to the table. They have insights that management simply did not possess. These strategies include developing new sales and product strategies, bring in new management, or considering a strategic merger.
In summary, anyone who has worked through several business cycles over a number of years knows that companies can in fact be saved. Some go on to be the new super stars of their respective industry. The company must clearly uncover what the problem is, and then adapt strategies, financial or otherwise, to fix those problems
Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –
Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 10 years - Completed in excess of 100 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing. Info & Contact Details :
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Office = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com
Stan has had a successful career with some of the world’s largest and most successful corporations.
Prior to founding 7 Park Avenue Financial in 2004 his employers over the last 25 years were, ASHLAND OIL, ( 1977-1980) DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, ( 1980-1990) ) CABLE & WIRELESS PLC,( 1991 -1993) ) AND HEWLETT PACKARD ( 1994-2004 ) He is an expert in Canadian Business Financing.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3503535