SCF Note 1
SCF Note 1
1. Long-term Focus: strategic corporate finance aims to create sustainable profits over the long run. Imagine you
own a small bakery. Instead of just thinking about how much money you can make this month, you plan how to
grow your bakery over the next five years. This might include opening new branches or introducing new
products.
2. Financial Planning: This involves creating a financial plan that support with the company’s strategic goals. It
includes setting up financial controls and making decisions that support long-term objectives. You create a
budget for your bakery, deciding how much to spend on ingredients, staff, and marketing. You also plan how
much profit you want to make each year and how to achieve it.
3. Capital Structure Management: Strategic finance involves managing the mix of debt and equity to ensure the
company’s long-term solvency and financial health. to expand your bakery, you might need more money. You
decide whether to take a loan (debt) or find investors (equity). The right mix ensures you can grow without
risking too much.
4. Resource Allocation: It includes identifying and allocating financial resources effectively to maximize return
on investment (ROI) for stakeholders. You decide to invest in a new oven that can bake more bread faster. This
investment should help you make more money in the long run.
5. Continuous Evaluation: Strategic financial management requires ongoing assessment and adjustment to stay
aligned with the company’s goals. Every few months, you check if your bakery is on track with your plan. If
sales are lower than expected, you might adjust your marketing strategy or introduce new products.
6. Decision Making: It helps financial managers make informed decisions about investments and financing,
ensuring that these decisions contribute to the company’s strategic objectives. You decide whether to open a
new branch in a different city. You analyze the potential costs and benefits to ensure this decision aligns with
your long-term goals.
2. Strategy Vs Planning
While strategy and planning are closely related, they serve different purposes in achieving an organization’s
goals. Here’s a simple breakdown:
Strategy
Definition: Strategy is the overarching approach or direction an organization takes to achieve its long-term
goals.
Focus: It focuses on the “what” and “why” – what the organization wants to achieve and why it’s important.
Scope: Broad and long-term, often involving high-level decisions and resource allocation.
Example: A bakery’s strategy might be to become the leading provider of organic baked goods in the region.
Planning
Definition: Planning involves the specific steps and actions needed to implement the strategy.
Focus: It focuses on the “how” and “when” – how the organization will achieve its goals and when each step
will be completed.
Scope: Detailed and short- to medium-term, involving specific tasks, timelines, and responsibilities.
Example: The bakery’s plan might include steps like sourcing organic ingredients, training staff on new
recipes, and launching a marketing campaign.
Differences
Strategy: Decide to visit all the national parks in your country over the next five years. This is your long-term
goal and direction.
Planning: Create a detailed itinerary for your first trip, including which parks to visit, the route to take, where
to stay, and what activities to do. This is your step-by-step plan to achieve your strategy.
By understanding both strategy and planning, you can ensure that your long-term goals are supported by
actionable steps.
Does this help clarify the difference? Let me know if you have more questions!
Process of an MBI:
Benefits of an MBI:
Management Buy-outs
A management buyout (MBO) is a type of acquisition where a company's existing
managers acquire a significant portion, or all, of the company. This can involve
purchasing the company from a parent company, individual shareholders, or other
investors.
Management-led: The core driving force behind the acquisition is the company's
existing management team.
Leveraged: MBOs are often heavily financed through debt, such as loans and
bonds. This allows the management team to acquire the company with a relatively
small initial investment.
Focus on Growth: Management teams typically pursue MBOs to gain greater
control and ownership of the company, allowing them to implement their strategic
vision for growth and profitability.
Process of an MBO:
Benefits of MBOs:
Unit - 3
3. Selection Phase
Objective: Choose the most suitable investment(s) from the evaluated options.
Outcome: Selection of the best investment projects that maximize value to the company while
considering its financial and strategic goals.
4. Financing Phase
Objective: Determine how the selected investment will be financed.
Outcome: Finalizing a financing plan that supports the investment while optimizing the capital
structure and minimizing the cost of capital.
5. Implementation Phase
Objective: Ensure that the investment is performing as expected and delivering the anticipated returns.
Outcome: Ongoing performance tracking to ensure the investment stays aligned with its objectives and
delivers value to the company.
1. Public/Government Funding:
o National Governments: Governments allocate funds for large-scale infrastructure, education,
healthcare, and other essential services through budgets and special programs.
o International Aid and Grants: Foreign governments provide funds through bilateral aid or
international organizations to support development in other countries.
2. Multilateral and Bilateral Development Agencies:
o World Bank: Provides loans and grants for projects aimed at poverty reduction and economic
development.
o International Monetary Fund (IMF): Offers financial assistance for economic stabilization
and structural reform.
o Regional Development Banks (e.g., Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank):
Support development projects in specific regions.
o Bilateral Aid Agencies (e.g., USAID, DFID): Directly fund projects in specific countries or
regions.
3. Private Sector Investment:
o Private Equity and Venture Capital: Firms invest in high-growth sectors, such as technology
and green energy, often supporting startups and innovative companies.
o Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Funds: Corporations allocate funds for social projects,
often in health, education, or environment, as part of their CSR initiatives.
4. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Foundations:
o Philanthropic Foundations: Organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provide
grants and funding for health, education, and economic development projects.
o NGOs and Charities: Many NGOs gather funds through donations and grants for projects in
areas like healthcare, education, and disaster relief.
5. Capital Markets:
o Bonds: Development bonds (e.g., green bonds, infrastructure bonds) are issued to raise funds for
specific types of projects and can attract institutional investors.
o Impact Investing: Investors look to fund projects or companies that aim to generate both social
impact and financial returns.
6. Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Funds:
o SRI funds pool investments from socially conscious investors to finance sustainable and socially
beneficial projects and companies.
7. Remittances:
o Remittances from individuals working abroad contribute significantly to development,
particularly in low- and middle-income countries, by supporting household income and local
businesses.
8. Microfinance Institutions (MFIs):
o MFIs provide small loans to individuals and small businesses that might not have access to
traditional banking services, fostering entrepreneurship and economic growth.
Internal Factors:
Business Risk and Volatility: The nature of the business and its volatility in earnings and cash flows affect
the company's ability to service debt. Higher volatility may lead to a preference for lower debt levels to avoid
financial distress during downturns.
Earnings Stability and Predictability: Companies with stable and predictable earnings may be more
comfortable taking on higher levels of debt since they can reliably cover interest payments.
Profitability and Cash Flow Generation: Strong profitability and consistent cash flow generation provide
confidence to lenders and investors, potentially allowing the company to access debt at lower costs.
Asset Structure: Companies with tangible assets that can serve as collateral for debt (such as real estate or
machinery) may find it easier and cheaper to secure debt financing.
Tax Considerations: Interest on debt is typically tax-deductible, making debt financing more attractive
from a tax efficiency perspective. This factor can influence companies to use debt to a certain extent to benefit
from interest tax shields.
Flexibility and Control: Equity financing does not involve fixed interest payments and provides more
flexibility in financial management. Companies preferring control over financial decisions might favor equity
financing over debt.
External Factors:
1. Market Conditions: Interest rates, availability of credit, and investor sentiment influence the cost and
availability of debt and equity financing.
2. Industry Norms: Different industries have varying capital structure preferences due to sector-specific
risks and opportunities. For example, capital-intensive industries like utilities or telecommunications
may carry higher debt levels.
3. Investor Expectations: The preferences and risk tolerance of existing and potential investors (both debt
and equity) impact the company's financing decisions. Institutional investors may have specific
thresholds or preferences for debt levels.
4. Legal and Regulatory Environment: Regulations and legal restrictions can impact the types and
amounts of debt a company can take on, influencing its capital structure decisions.
5. Credit Rating: A company's creditworthiness affects its ability to access debt markets and the cost of
borrowing. Higher credit ratings can lead to lower borrowing costs and vice versa.
6. Growth Plans and Capital Expenditure Requirements: Companies with ambitious growth plans or
significant capital expenditure needs may require more external funding, influencing their capital
structure decisions.
The valuation of a business enterprise serves as a cornerstone for many strategic, legal, and financial
decisions. Below are the key reasons why businesses are valued:
Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A): Buyers and sellers need to agree on a fair value during M&A
transactions.
Divestitures: Valuation helps when a company sells a division or subsidiary.
Buy-Sell Agreements: Valuation ensures equitable pricing for share transfers between shareholders.
Raising Capital: Investors or lenders need to understand the business's worth to determine funding
levels.
Initial Public Offering (IPO): Accurate valuation is critical to pricing shares for the public market.
Strategic Investments: Companies assess whether acquiring or merging with another business aligns
with their strategic goals
Tax Compliance: Valuations are often required for tax filings, estate taxes, or transfer pricing.
Litigation Support: Business valuations may be used in legal disputes, such as shareholder
disagreements or breaches of contract.
Divorce Settlements: Valuing business assets is essential in marital dissolution cases where business
ownership is involved.
Performance Benchmarking: Business owners use valuation metrics to measure performance and
identify improvement areas.
Exit Planning: Entrepreneurs preparing for retirement or sale of their business need to understand its
value.
Risk Assessment: Valuation can help identify financial risks and opportunities.
5. Financial Reporting
Impairment Testing: Valuation determines if a business’s assets are impaired under accounting
standards.
Fair Value Reporting: Required for financial statements, particularly for public companies or during
acquisitions.
Goodwill Allocation: Assessing the fair value of intangible assets during business combinations.
6. Succession Planning
Estate Valuation: Determining the value of a business as part of an individual’s estate for inheritance
purposes.
Gifting or Transfer of Shares: Understanding value helps structure tax-efficient transfers to heirs or
trusts.
7. Bankruptcy
Debt Restructuring: Valuation supports negotiations with creditors and lenders.
Liquidation Value Assessment: Determines the worth of a business under distressed conditions.
Turnaround Strategies: Identifying areas for optimization during financial recovery.
Compliance with Corporate Laws: Valuation is necessary for certain statutory filings or buyback of
shares.
Antitrust or Competition Issues: Valuations may be required to evaluate market power during
regulatory reviews.
Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs): A business needs to be valued to determine the share price
for employee plans.
Equity-Based Compensation: Valuation helps set fair equity compensation for employees or
executives.
Periodic Updates: Public companies or large private firms may need valuation to communicate
financial health to stakeholders.
Attracting Investors: Potential investors require an accurate valuation to make investment decisions.
12. Traditional techniques of evaluating value - ROI, EBIT, EBITDA, ROCE, RONA
Traditional techniques for evaluating a business's value often rely on financial performance metrics. These
methods provide insights into profitability, efficiency, and returns, but they are generally less comprehensive
than modern valuation approaches like DCF.
The followings are the different techniques of evaluation:
Definition: ROI measures the profitability of an investment relative to its cost. It evaluates how efficiently a
company generates profits from the capital invested.
Definition: EBIT represents a company’s profitability from core operations before deducting interest and tax
expenses.
Formula:
EBITDA= EBIT+Depreciation+Amortization
Explanation: EBITDA focuses on the company's ability to generate profit from its operations without
considering non-operational expenses such as depreciation, amortization, interest, and taxes. This makes it
useful for comparing companies within the same industry, as these factors can vary significantly.
Use: EBITDA is often used to assess the operating performance of companies, particularly when comparing
firms across industries. It is also a proxy for cash flow generation.
Definition: ROCE is a financial ratio that measures a company's profitability and the efficiency with which its
capital is employed.
Where Total Capital Employed is typically calculated as total assets minus current liabilities.
Explanation: ROCE shows how well a company is using its capital to generate profit. The higher the ROCE, the
more efficiently the company is using its capital.
Definition: RONA is a measure of how effectively a company generates profit from its net assets, which are the
assets after deducting liabilities.
Where Net Assets is usually defined as total assets minus total liabilities.
Explanation: RONA evaluates a company's ability to generate profits relative to the resources it controls. It
focuses specifically on the efficiency of the company's net assets in generating earnings.