Friday, August 28th, 2009
In every margin scenario, you may note, the broker collects larger commissions and more spreads than in a simple purchase-and-hold scenario. More shares are used in the transaction, plus the transaction inevitably involves a purchase, a sale, and margin interest.
Overconfidence in your investment ability is the main cause of margin investing. It is not a coincidence that the highest margin on record, $279 billion dollars, occurred at the peak of the NASDAQ in March 2000. Five years of 20 percent plus returns led investors to believe they could handle margin. Margin investing is best left to speculators or those with an admitted desire to lose their fortune. Optimists will be happier with a buy-andhold strategy. Even after the worst bear market, they will still own their stocks, assuming no bankruptcies, and have the opportunity to again hope for a great rise.
Tags: business plans, cash dynamics, credit score, executives, interests
Posted in accounting, attitude, banking | Comments Off
Friday, July 31st, 2009
If cash flow does become an issue, it’s obvious that the company will have to change the way it’s doing business if
it wants to survive. Does that executive plant service still come in once a week to water the ficus and all the other office flora? As a manager, you may have to cancel the service, buy a $2.98 watering can, and start doing it yourself—or maybe just get rid of the plants altogether.
That may seem a little obvious, but it’s amazing how many businesses fall into comfortable patterns during good times and don’t see them as unnecessary frills when cash becomes tight.
Tags: cash dynamics, cutting costs, payment plans, preserving cash
Posted in business patterns, cash demand, customer demand, developers, online bank | Comments Off
Friday, July 31st, 2009
Beware of rapid growth. Many J companies have grown so fast that demand has outstripped their ability to pay for increasing inventory or improved services to meet the demand. Remember that demand is not cash. A company should not borrow too much on the expectation that, when it meets demand, it can repay the loans.
Preserving cash flow is one thing and improving market strategies is another. But sometimes the two can work hand-in-hand for even greater benefit. All it requires is a little better management thinking and a clear understanding of the challenges you face.
Tags: cash dynamics, contingency, payment plans, preserving cash
Posted in cash demand, companies, merchandise, online bank, taxes | Comments Off
Friday, July 31st, 2009
When planning cash flow needs for a new business, managers should take their best guess and then double it. Then they should plan to spend three times as long moving into a profitable mode. That way they’re less likely to be disappointed. The point: It’s sad but true that being a pessimist is probably more prudent than being an optimist when predicting costs and length of time to profitability.
Companies should borrow or set up payment plans with suppliers to pay for all of inventory—or at least part of it—and then actually pay for the inventory using funds received from customers paying their bills (otherwise known as paid off accounts receivable).
Tags: cash crunch, cash dynamics, contingency, payment plans
Posted in companies, management, merchandise, money spending, negotiationg | Comments Off
Thursday, July 30th, 2009
Most suppliers understand that no company can sell from an empty store. Therefore, most suppliers usually work out financing arrangements that take into account when the company gets paid by its own customers. In other words, most suppliers have come to understand that when their customers are paid, they’ll be paid shortly thereafter. Otherwise, suppliers know they’ll get the unpopular merchandise back anyway when the companies close down—and that’s the last thing suppliers want.
Success can lead to failure if you can’t master cash flow dynamics. If a company can’t keep up with the demand of its customers, it may need to scale down its expectations temporarily and hope to make the most of its growth opportunities later. If a company can’t keep up with payments to its suppliers, it should meet and negotiate, and maybe reduce its purchases in the future. Then it should establish better means of monitoring its cash flow and find ways to operate more efficiently.
Tags: cash crunch, cash dynamics, contingency, productivity
Posted in developers, finances, management, merchandise, negotiationg | Comments Off