Session 10: Financial Reporting and Analysis: Applications and International Standards Convergence Reading 42: Financial Statement Analysis: Applications
LOS b: Prepare a basic projection of a company’s future net income and cash flow.
Sterling Company is a start-up technology firm that has been experiencing super-normal growth over the past two years. Selected common-size financial information follows:
|
2007 Actual
% of Sales |
2008 Forecast
% of Sales |
Sales |
100% |
100% |
Cost of goods sold |
60% |
55% |
Selling and administration expenses |
25% |
20% |
Depreciation expense |
10% |
10% |
Net income |
5% |
15% |
|
|
|
Non-cash operating working capital a |
20% |
25% |
a Non-cash operating working capital = Receivables + Inventory – Payables |
For the year ended 2007, Sterling reported sales of $20 million. Sterling expects that sales will increase 50% in 2008. Ignoring income taxes, what is Sterling’s forecast operating cash flow for the year ended 2008, and is this forecast likely to be as reliable as a forecast for a large, well diversified, firm operating in mature industries?
|
Operating cash flow |
Reliable forecast |
2008 sales are expected to be $30 million ($20 million 2007 sales × 1.5) and 2008 net income is expected to be $4.5 million ($30 million 2008 sales × 15%). 2007 non-cash operating working capital was $4 million ($20 million 2007 sales × 20%) and 2008 non-cash operating working capital is expected to be $7.5 million ($30 million 2008 sales × 25%). 2008 operating cash flow is expected to be $4 million ($4.5 million 2008 net income + $3 million 2008 depreciation – $3.5 million increase in non-cash operating working capital). Forecasts for small firms, start-ups, or firms operating in volatile industries may be less reliable than a forecast for a large, well diversified, firm operating in mature industries. |