You are working in this company and the Finance Director asked you to write a report to the Board of Directors. Write a brief report to the board of directors of Smart Eletro plc. comparing the ratios for the company with the industry averages. Identify any areas in which you think they could make improvements. Smart Eletro plc. has operations in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States. The company has been looking for some time to expand its operations into the Far East and has now formulated plans for the building of two major new factories in China. Explain in detail the best possible internal and external financing options available to the company to expand its operations taking into account the company’s gearing and profitability position.
Dividend Valuation
Dividend refers to a reward or cash that a company gives to its shareholders out of the profits. Dividends can be issued in various forms such as cash payment, stocks, or in any other form as per the company norms. It is usually a part of the profit that the company shares with its shareholders.
Dividend Discount Model
Dividend payments are generally paid to investors or shareholders of a company when the company earns profit for the year, thus representing growth. The dividend discount model is an important method used to forecast the price of a company’s stock. It is based on the computation methodology that the present value of all its future dividends is equivalent to the value of the company.
Capital Gains Yield
It may be referred to as the earnings generated on an investment over a particular period of time. It is generally expressed as a percentage and includes some dividends or interest earned by holding a particular security. Cases, where it is higher normally, indicate the higher income and lower risk. It is mostly computed on an annual basis and is different from the total return on investment. In case it becomes too high, indicates that either the stock prices are going down or the company is paying higher dividends.
Stock Valuation
In simple words, stock valuation is a tool to calculate the current price, or value, of a company. It is used to not only calculate the value of the company but help an investor decide if they want to buy, sell or hold a company's stocks.
Smart Eletro plc, a public listed company, is a major supplier of electrical components to the automotive industry. Company’s key accounting ratios are set out in the following table, together with industry averages:
|
|
Smart Electro plc.
|
Industry Averages |
|
Return on capital employed |
21.4%
|
16.1% |
|
Gross profit margin |
11.5%
|
13.0% |
|
Net profit margin |
9.8%
|
11.0% |
|
|
1.6
|
1.4 |
|
Inventories turnover |
12
|
6 |
|
Trade receivables collection period |
61 days
|
65 days |
|
Trade payables payment period |
43 days
|
105 days |
|
Gearing |
68.4%
|
37.2% |
Questions:
- You are working in this company and the Finance Director asked you to write a report to the Board of Directors. Write a brief report to the board of directors of Smart Eletro plc. comparing the ratios for the company with the industry averages. Identify any areas in which you think they could make improvements.
- Smart Eletro plc. has operations in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States. The company has been looking for some time to expand its operations into the Far East and has now formulated plans for the building of two major new factories in China. Explain in detail the best possible internal and external financing options available to the company to expand its operations taking into account the company’s gearing and profitability position.
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