WHITE PAPER UNDERSTANDING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Transcription

1 WHITE PAPER UNDERSTANDING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

2 Contents 1.0 Understanding Financial Statements Types of Financial Statements Balance Sheets Profit & Loss Statement (also known as an Income or Operating Statement) Statement of Cash Flow Definitions of Key Financial Terms (Appendix A) Example (Appendix B) Summary... 5 Appendix A: Definitions of Key Financial Terms... 6 Appendix B: Example Financial Statements a. Statement of Comprehensive Income (Profit & Loss) b. Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet) c. Statement of Changes in Equity d. Statement of Cash Flow Page 2 of 15

3 1.0 Understanding Financial Statements Regardless of why you started out on your own, to build a successful business you must understand how to manage the money in that business. As an owner, it is essential that you understand the financial aspects of your business, balancing cost with potential returns. The best thing is that the basics are not difficult. This article will help you understand how to read financial statements. It won t teach you how to be an accountant, but you should be able to make sense of your financial statements after reading it. Simply put, financial statements are a record of a business financial flows and levels. Even simpler; they show you, the owner, the money. 2.0 Types of Financial Statements There are three (3) main types of financial statements; 1. Balance Sheets (including Statement of Retained Earnings) 2. Profit & Loss Statement (also known as an Income or Operating Statement) 3. Statement of Cash Flow 3.0 Balance Sheets A Balance Sheet shows detailed information about a business assets & liabilities. Assets are things that a business owns that have value. They can usually be sold or used by the business to make products or services that can be sold. Basically, an asset is something that puts money in to the business. Assets can include both tangible and intangible items such as physical property, trucks, equipment, trademarks, patents, cash, and investments among other items. A business balance sheet should be summarised as follows; ASSETS = LIABILITES + SHAREHOLDERS EQUITY Assets Assets are generally listed in order of how quickly they will be converted to cash; Cash at Bank takes in to consideration the amount of cash currently in your account Current Assets are things that the business expects to convert to cash within one year such as trade debtors, inventory etc. Non-Current Assets are things that the business does not expect to convert to cash within one year. This includes Fixed Assets, such as those assets that are used to operate the business but are not for sale, such as office furniture, cars etc. Liabilities Liabilities are generally termed to be current or long-term. Page 3 of 15

4 Current Liabilities are obligations a company expects to pay off within a year such as accounts payable, credit cards, short-term loans etc. Long-term Liabilities are obligations a company expects to take longer than a year to pay off, such as loans, deferred tax liabilities etc. Shareholders Equity (or Retained Earnings) Shareholders equity is the amount of money which the owners have invested in the company s stock, plus or minus the business earnings since inception. Sometimes these earnings can be distributed, instead of retaining them. These distributions are known as dividends. 4.0 Profit & Loss Statement (also known as an Income or Operating Statement) A Profit & Loss Statement is a summary of a business financial performance during any one given period of time such a month, a quarter or a year. It records all revenue for a business during this given period, as well as the operating expenses relating to the business. A profit and loss statement summarises the income for a period and subtracts the expenses incurred for the same period to calculate the profit or loss for the business. Some key benefits of a Profit & Loss statement include; It identifies how much money a business is making It can compare your budgeted performance against your actual performance Shows your business growth and financial health over time Helps identify any problems regarding sales, margins and expenses, within a reasonable time so as to rectify the issues A profit and loss statement usually records the gross profit on the top line (s). The next line will record the money which the business does not expect to collect such as sales discounts or merchandise returns. By subtracting the returns and allowances from the gross profit, you will record your net profit. On the following lines the various operating expenses of the business is shown. Operating expenses include, but are not limited to; cost of sales (the exact amount of money spent to produce the goods or services sold); staff related costs (wages, superannuation etc.); marketing costs (advertising, promotion materials); motor vehicle costs (fuel, servicing, loans); accounting costs (accountant, bookkeeping software); depreciation (on items such as furniture, tools, machinery) and more. These expenses need to be deducted from the gross profit. Companies must also account for interest income (money made from keeping cash in interest bearing accounts) and interest expenses (money paid in interest for borrowed cash). These can be added, and subtracted from the operating profits to calculate the total of operating profits before tax. Income tax is the last item deducted before you arrive at your bottom line. The bottom line of this statement will then show the net earnings or losses of the business for the selected period. Page 4 of 15

5 5.0 Statement of Cash Flow Cash flow statements are important as they identify whether you have enough cash on hand to pay all the business expenses and purchase the necessary assets. Cash flow statements will show changes over time, rather than absolute dollar amounts at a point in time. The bottom line of a cash flow statement will show the net increase or decrease in a business cash for that period. Cash flow statements are mostly divided in to three areas; Operating activities Investing activities Financing activities Operating activities analyse a business income from net income or losses. For most business this aspect of the cash flow statement reconciles the net income from the profit and loss statement, to the actual cash the business has received or spent in its operating. Investing activities will generally include purchases or sales of long-term assets. Financing activities include cash raised by selling stocks or bonds, or from borrowing from banks. Paying back a loan would also show up as a use of cash flow. 6.0 Definitions of Key Financial Terms (Appendix A) The following page (s) contain a detailed glossary of key financial terms to assist you in understanding the terminology. 7.0 Example (Appendix B) The attached example financial statements have been prepared in accordance with ASIC requirements. They are more complex than the internal accounts of businesses (known as Management Accounts). Review these statements and seek advice on any areas which you find difficult understanding. If you are able to read these statements, you are able to read and understand any business. 8.0 Summary Remember that no one financial statement tells the complete the story but combined they provide a comprehensive view of the position of a business, and is one of the most powerful skills a business owner or manager can possess. **Definitions of Key Financial Terms on following page Page 5 of 15

6 Appendix A: Definitions of Key Financial Terms A B C Accounts payable - a record of all short-term (less than 12 months) invoices, bills and other liabilities yet to be paid. Examples of accounts payable include invoices for goods or services, bills for utilities and tax payments due. Accounts receivable - a record of all short-term (less than 12 months) expected payments, from customers that have already received the goods/services but are yet to pay. These types of customers are called debtors and are generally invoiced by a business. Amortisation - the process of expensing for intangible assets such as goodwill and intellectual property over a period of time. See also Depreciation. Assets - are things you own. These can be cash or something that can be converted into cash such as property, vehicles, equipment and inventory. Audit - a physical check performed by an auditor or tax official on a business' financial records to check that everything is accounted for correctly. Bad debts - money owed to you that is unlikely to be paid to you in the foreseeable future. Balance sheet - a snapshot of a business as of a particular date. It lists all of a business' assets and liabilities and works out the net assets. Balloon payment - a final lump sum payment due on a loan agreement. Loans with a larger final balloon payment have lower regular repayments over the term of the loan. Bank reconciliation - a cross-check that ensures the amounts recorded in the cashbook match the relevant bank statements. Bankrupt - an individual is bankrupt when they cannot pay their debts and aren't able to reach an agreement with their creditors. Bankruptcy - a process where an individual is legally declared bankrupt and their assets and financial affairs are administered by an appointed trustee. Bookkeeping - the process of recording the financial transactions of a business. Bottom line - see Net profit. Break-even point - the exact point when a business' income equals a business' expenses. Budget - a listing of planned revenue and expenditure for a given period. Capital - wealth in the form of money or property owned by a business. Capital cost - a one-off substantial purchase of physical items such as plant, equipment, building or land. Capital gain - is the amount gained when an asset is sold above its original purchase price. Capital growth - an increase in the value of an asset. Cash - includes all money that is available on demand including bank notes and coins, petty cash, certain cheques, and money in savings or debit accounts. Page 6 of 15

7 D E F Cash accounting - an accounting system that records transactions at the time money is actually received or paid. Cash flow - the measure of actual cash flowing in and out of a business. Chart of accounts - an index of the accounts a business will use to classify transactions. Each account represents a type of transaction such as Asset, Liability, Owner's equity, Income, and Expense. Collateral - see Security. Cost of goods sold - the total direct costs of producing a good or delivering a service. Credit - a lending term used when a customer purchases a good or service with an agreement to pay at a later date (e.g. an account with a supplier, a store credit card or a bank credit card). Creditor - a person or business that allows you to purchase a good or service with an agreement to pay at a later date. A creditor is also anyone who you owe money to, such as a lender or supplier. Current asset - an asset in cash or that can be converted into cash within the next 12 months. Current liability - a liability that is due for payment in the next 12 months. Debit - in double-entry bookkeeping a debit is an entry made on the left hand side of a journal or ledger representing an asset or expense. Debt - any amount that is owed including bills, loan repayments and income tax. Debtor - a person or business that owes you money. Debtors finance - See Factoring. Default - a failure to pay a loan or other debt obligation. Depreciation - the process of expensing an asset over a period of time. An asset is depreciated to spread the cost of the asset over its useful life. Disbursements - money that is paid out by a business. Double -entry bookkeeping - is a bookkeeping method that records each transaction in two accounts, both as a debit and a credit. Encumbered - an encumbered asset is one that is currently being used as security or collateral for a loan. Equity - the value of ownership interest in the business, calculated by deducting liabilities from assets. See also owner's equity. Equity finance - is money provided to a business in exchange for part ownership of the business. This can be money invested by the business owners, friends, family, or investors like business angels and venture capitalists. Finance - money used to fund a business or high value purchase. Financial year - a twelve month period typically from 1 July to 30 June. Page 7 of 15

8 G H I L Financial statement - a summary of a business' financial position for a given period. Financial statements can include a profit & loss, balance sheet and cash flow statement. Fixed asset - a physical asset used in the running of a business. Fixed cost - a cost that cannot be directly attributed to the production of a good or service. Fixed interest rate - when the interest rate of a loan remains the same for the term of the loan or an agreed timeframe. Forecast - a prediction of future financial transactions. Forecasts are often used to help plan a more accurate budget. Fringe benefits - non-monetary benefits such as company cars and mobile phones, included as part of a salary package. Gross income - the total money earned by a business before expenses are deducted. Gross profit - (also known as net sales) the difference between sales and the direct cost of making the sales. Hire-purchase - a type of finance contract where a good is purchased through an initial deposit and then rented while the good is paid off in instalments plus interest charges. Once the good is fully paid the ownership of the good transfers to the purchaser. Insolvent - a business or company is insolvent when they cannot pay their debts as and when they fall due. Intangible assets - non-physical assets with no fixed value, such as goodwill and intellectual property rights. Interest - the cost of borrowing money on a loan or earned on an interest-bearing account. Interest rate - a percentage used to calculate the cost of borrowing money or the amount you will earn. Rates vary from product to product and generally the higher the risk of the loan, the higher the interest rate. Rates may be fixed or variable. Inventory - an itemised list of goods or materials a business is holding for sale. Investment - an asset purchased for the purpose of earning money such as shares or property. Invoice - a document provided to a customer to request payment for a good/service received. Liability - a financial obligation or amount owed. Line of credit - an agreement allowing a borrower the ability to withdraw money from an account up to an approved limit. Page 8 of 15

9 M N O P Liquidate - to quickly sell all the assets of a company quickly and convert them into cash. Liquidation - the process of winding up an insolvent company. An appointed administrator will do this by ceasing business operations, selling assets, and paying creditors and shareholders. Liquidity - how quickly assets can be converted into cash. Loan - a finance agreement where a business borrows money from a lender and pays it back in instalments (plus interest) within a specified period of time. Margin - the difference between the selling price of a good or service and the profit. Margin is generally worked out as a gross margin percentage which shows the proportion of profit for each sales dollar. Net assets - (also known as net worth, owner's equity or shareholder's equity) is the total assets minus total liabilities. Net income - the total money earned by a business after tax and other deductions are taken out. Net Profit - (also known as your bottom line) is the total gross profit minus all business expenses. Net Worth - See Net assets. Overdraft facility - a finance arrangement where a lender allows a business to withdraw more than the balance of an account. Overdrawn account - a credit account that has exceeded its credit limit or a bank account that has had more than the remaining balance withdrawn. Overheads - the fixed costs associated with operating a business such as rent, marketing, utilities and administrative costs. See also Fixed costs. Owner's equity - See Net assets. Petty cash - cash for the purposes of small miscellaneous purchases such as postage. Plant and equipment - a group of fixed assets used in the operation of a business such as furniture, machinery, fit-out, vehicles, computers and tools. Principal - the original amount borrowed on a loan or the remainder of the original borrowed amount that is still owing (excluding the interest portion of the amount). Profit - the total revenue a business earns minus the total expenses. See also Revenue. Profit and loss statement - (also known as an income statement) is a financial statement listing sales and expenses and is used to work out the gross and net profit of a business. Profit margin - see Margin. Projection - see Forecast. Page 9 of 15

10 R S T V W Receipt - a document provided to a customer to confirm payment and to confirm a good/service has been received. Record keeping - the process of keeping or recording information that explain certain business transactions. Record keeping is a requirement under tax law. Refinance - when a new loan is taken out to pay off an existing one. Refinancing is often done to extend the original loan over a longer period of time, reduce fees or interest rates, switch banks, or move from a fixed to variable loan. Repossess - the process of a bank or other lender taking ownership of property/assets for the purpose of paying off a loan in default. Return on investment (ROI) - a calculation that works out how efficient a business is at generating profit from the original equity provided by the owners/shareholders. Revenue - (also known as turnover) the amount earned before expenses, tax and other deductions are taken out. Single-entry bookkeeping - a bookkeeping method used within a cash accounting system and records one side of each transaction. Shareholder's equity - see Net assets. Stock - the actual goods or materials a business currently has on hand. Stocktaking - a regular process involving a physical count of merchandise and supplies actually held by a business, completed to verify stock records and accounts. Superannuation - money set aside for retirement, that must be paid into a complying superannuation fund. Tax invoice - an invoice required for the supply of goods or services over a certain price. A valid tax invoice is required when claiming GST credits. See also Invoice. Turnover - See Revenue. Variable cost - a cost that changes depending on the number of goods produced or the demand for the products/service. Venture Capital - capital invested in a start-up business that is thought to have excellent growth prospects but does not have access to capital markets because it is a private company. Working capital - the cash available to a business for day to day expenses. Page 10 of 15

11 Appendix B: Example Financial Statements XYZ COMPANY PTY LTD For the Year Ended 30 June 2013 LIST OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 1. Statement of comprehensive income (profit & loss) 2. Statement of financial position (balance sheet) 3. Statement of changes in equity 4. Statement of cash flow Page 11 of 15

12 a. Statement of Comprehensive Income (Profit & Loss) XYZ COMPANY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE $ 2012 $ Continuing operations Revenue 11,216,466 12,633,976 Finance income 160, ,386 11,377,432 12,790,362 Employee benefits expense 4,456,204 4,563,080 Depreciation expense 124,618 79,845 Employee provisions expense 77, ,946 Cost of goods sold 312, ,543 Grants 1,777,376 2,307,997 Hire costs 219, ,750 Insurance 446, ,021 Payments to programs 181, ,953 Uniforms and equipment 465, ,324 Seminar Costs 78,314 17,722 Transport, shipping and storage 182, ,709 Travelling expenses 1,715,117 1,812,675 Other expenses 1,339,875 1,256,058 11,375,345 12,622,623 Surplus from continuing operations 2, ,739 Net surplus 2, ,739 Other comprehensive income Total comprehensive income 2, ,739 Page 12 of 15

13 b. Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet) XYZ COMPANY AS AT 30 JUNE $ 2012 $ ASSETS Current Assets Cash and cash equivalents 4,527,382 3,870,857 Trade and other receivables 591, ,208 Inventories 325, ,272 Prepayments & other current assets 610, ,658 Loan related party 5,322 Total Current Assets 6,054,816 4,720,317 Non-current assets Property, plant & equipment 408, ,845 Long-term deposit 53,000 Total Non-current Assets 461, ,845 TOTAL ASSETS 6,516,492 5,211,162 LIABILITIES Current Liabilities Trade and other payables 1,024,666 1,376,267 Deferred income 3,687,084 2,063,369 Provisions 567, ,717 Interest-bearing liabilities 46,775 Total Current Liabilities 5,279,211 3,966,128 Non-current Liabilities Provisions 51,318 61,158 Total Non-current Liabilities 51,318 61,158 TOTAL LIABILITIES 5,330,529 4,027,286 NET ASSETS 1,185,963 1,183,876 EQUITY Reserves 30,000 30,000 Accumulated funds 1,155,963 1,153,876 TOTAL EQUITY 1,185,963 1,183,876 Page 13 of 15

14 c. Statement of Changes in Equity XYZ COMPANY AS AT 30 JUNE 2013 Accumulated Funds Reserves Total At 30 June ,137 30,000 1,016,137 Surplus for the year 167, ,739 At 30 June ,153,876 30,000 1,183,876 Surplus for the year 2,087 2,087 At 30 June ,155,963 30,000 1,185,963 Page 14 of 15

15 d. Statement of Cash Flow XYZ COMPANY AS AT 30 JUNE 2013 CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES 2013 $ 2012 $ Receipts from grants, subscriptions and operations 11,414,635 13,019,603 Payments to trade creditors, suppliers and employees (10,829,852) (11,344,462) Interest received 160, ,386 Net cash inflows/(outflows) from operating activities CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES 745,749 1,831,527 Payments for property, plant and equipment (42,449) (52,396) Net cash inflows/(outflows) from investing activities (42,449) (52,396) CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES Repayments of borrowings (46,775) (130,986) Net cash inflows/(outflows) from financing activities (46,775) (130,986) Net increase in cash held 656,525 1,648,145 Cash at beginning of year 3,870,857 2,222,712 Cash at End of Year 4,527,382 3,870,857 Page 15 of 15