Some Key Content Flashcards
(245 cards)
What is a cash flow forecast?
A document created to help predict the cash inflows and cash outflows of a business over a period of time
Cash flow forecasts are essential for financial planning and management.
What are the benefits of a cash flow forecast?
- Helps with planning
- Monitoring
- Control
- Target setting
- Identifies periods of difficulty
- Can be used as part of a business plan to help raise finance
These benefits aid businesses in managing their finances effectively.
What are the drawbacks of a cash flow forecast?
- Based on a forecast so could be inaccurate
- Doesn’t take into account unexpected events
- Time taken to create could be spent elsewhere
Inaccuracies can lead to poor financial decisions.
How can a business improve cash flow?
- Reduce time given to customers to pay
- Delay paying suppliers
- Use a debt factoring company
- Use an overdraft or short-term loan
- Sell assets
- Try to cut unnecessary spending
These strategies can enhance a business’s liquidity.
What is the formula for net cash flow?
Net cash flow = Cash inflows - Cash outflows
This formula calculates the cash available after accounting for all inflows and outflows.
How is the closing balance calculated?
Closing balance = Opening balance + Net cash flow
This calculation shows the cash position at the end of a period.
What is the opening balance in a cash flow forecast?
Opening balance = Closing balance from previous period
The opening balance is crucial as it sets the starting point for the new period’s cash flow.
True or False: A cash flow forecast can help identify periods of difficulty such as a recession.
True
Recognizing potential financial challenges in advance allows for proactive management.
What is the break-even analysis?
An analysis of how many units a business must sell in order to not make a profit or a loss.
What are the benefits of break-even analysis?
- Can be motivating to know how many units are needing to be sold.
- Able to look at different levels of output/pricing as easy to calculate ‘what if’.
- Good for planning and monitoring e.g. margin of safety.
What are the drawbacks of break-even analysis?
- Doesn’t take into account variations in costs/selling price.
- Having a target doesn’t mean it can be achieved.
- If a high target, then it could be demotivating.
What is the formula for break-even output?
Fixed costs / Contribution per unit.
How do you calculate contribution per unit?
Selling price per unit - Variable cost per unit.
What is the formula for margin of safety?
Actual output - Break even output.
How can you improve break-even and margin of safety?
- Lower fixed costs.
- Increase contribution per unit - increase selling price or reduce variable cost (or both!).
Fill in the blank: Break even output is calculated as _______.
Fixed costs / Contribution per unit.
True or False: Break-even analysis considers variations in selling prices.
False.
What is the break-even analysis?
An analysis of how many units a business must sell in order to not make a profit or a loss.
What are the benefits of break-even analysis?
- Can be motivating to know how many units are needing to be sold.
- Able to look at different levels of output/pricing as easy to calculate ‘what if’.
- Good for planning and monitoring e.g. margin of safety.
What are the drawbacks of break-even analysis?
- Doesn’t take into account variations in costs/selling price.
- Having a target doesn’t mean it can be achieved.
- If a high target, then it could be demotivating.
What is the formula for break-even output?
Fixed costs / Contribution per unit.
How do you calculate contribution per unit?
Selling price per unit - Variable cost per unit.
What is the formula for margin of safety?
Actual output - Break even output.
How can you improve break-even and margin of safety?
- Lower fixed costs.
- Increase contribution per unit - increase selling price or reduce variable cost (or both!).