© Mary Low

Financial Statement Analysis

Mary LowWaikato Management SchoolThe University of Waikato

© Mary Low

Business Survival:

There are two key factors for business survival:• Profitability • Solvency

• Profitability is important if the business is to generate revenue (income) in excess of the expenses incurred in operating that business.

• The solvency of a business is important because it looks at the ability of the business in meeting its financial obligations.

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Financial Statement Analysis

• Financial Statement Analysis will help business owners and other interested people to analyse the data in financial statements to provide them with better information about such key factors for decision making and ultimate business survival.

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Financial Statement AnalysisPurpose:• To use financial statements to evaluate an

organisation’s– Financial performance– Financial position.

• To have a means of comparative analysis across time in terms of:– Intracompany basis (within the company itself)– Intercompany basis (between companies)– Industry Averages (against that particular industry’s averages)

• To apply analytical tools and techniques to financial statements to obtain useful information to aid decision making.

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Financial Statement Analysis

Financial statement analysis involves analysing the information provided in the financial statements to:

– Provide information about the organisation’s:• Past performance• Present condition• Future performance

– Assess the organisation’s:• Earnings in terms of power, persistence, quality

and growth• Solvency

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Effective Financial Statement Analysis

• To perform an effective financial statement analysis, you need to be aware of the organisation’s:– business strategy– objectives– annual report and other documents like articles about

the organisation in newspapers and business reviews.

These are called individual organisational factors.

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Effective Financial Statement Analysis

Requires that you:• Understand the nature of the industry in which

the organisation works. This is an industry factor.

• Understand that the overall state of the economy may also have an impact on the performance of the organisation.

→ Financial statement analysis is more than just “crunching numbers”; it involves obtaining a broader picture of the organisation in order to evaluate appropriately how that organisation is performing

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Tools of Financial Statement Analysis:

The commonly used tools for financial statement analysis are:• Financial Ratio Analysis• Comparative financial statements analysis:

– Horizontal analysis/Trend analysis– Vertical analysis/Common size analysis/ Component

Percentages

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Financial Ratio Analysis• Financial ratio analysis involves calculating and analysing

ratios that use data from one, two or more financial statements.

• Ratio analysis also expresses relationships between different financial statements.

• Financial Ratios can be classified into 5 main categories:– Profitability Ratios– Liquidity or Short-Term Solvency ratios– Asset Management or Activity Ratios– Financial Structure or Capitalisation Ratios– Market Test Ratios

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Profitability Ratios

3 elements of the profitability analysis:• Analysing on sales and trading margin

– focus on gross profit• Analysing on the control of expenses

– focus on net profit• Assessing the return on assets and return

on equity

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Profitability Ratios• Gross Profit % = Gross Profit * 100

Net Sales• Net Profit % = Net Profit after tax * 100

Net SalesOr in some cases, firms use the net profit before tax figure. Firms have no control over tax expense as they would have over other expenses.Þ Net Profit % = Net Profit before tax *100

Net Sales

• Return on Assets = Net Profit * 100 Average Total Assets

• Return on Equity = Net Profit *100Average Total Equity

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Liquidity or Short-Term Solvency ratios

Short-term funds management• Working capital management is important as it signals the firm’s ability

to meet short term debt obligations.

For example: Current ratio

• The ideal benchmark for the current ratio is $2:$1 where there are two dollars of current assets (CA) to cover $1 of current liabilities (CL). The acceptable benchmark is $1: $1 but a ratio below $1CA:$1CL represents liquidity riskiness as there is insufficient current assets to cover $1 of current liabilities.

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Liquidity or Short-Term Solvency ratios

• Working Capital = Current assets – Current Liabilities

• Current Ratio = Current Assets

Current Liabilities

• Quick Ratio = Current Assets – Inventory – Prepayments Current Liabilities – Bank

Overdraft

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Asset Management or Activity Ratios

• Efficiency of asset usage– How well assets are used to generate revenues

(income) will impact on the overall profitability of the business.

For example: Asset Turnover

• This ratio represents the efficiency of asset usage to generate sales revenue

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Asset Management or Activity Ratios

• Asset Turnover = Net Sales

Average Total Assets

• Inventory Turnover = Cost of Goods Sold

Average Ending Inventory

• Average Collection Period = Average accounts Receivable

Average daily net credit sales*

* Average daily net credit sales = net credit sales / 365

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Financial Structure or Capitalisation Ratios

Long term funds management• Measures the riskiness of business in terms of debt

gearing.

For example: Debt/Equity• This ratio measures the relationship between debt and

equity. A ratio of 1 indicates that debt and equity funding are equal (i.e. there is $1 of debt to $1 of equity) whereas a ratio of 1.5 indicates that there is higher debt gearing in the business (i.e. there is $1.5 of debt to $1 of equity). This higher debt gearing is usually interpreted as bringing in more financial risk for the business particularly if the business has profitability or cash flow problems.

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Financial Structure or Capitalisation Ratios

• Debt/Equity ratio = Debt / Equity

• Debt/Total Assets ratio = Debt *100

Total Assets

• Equity ratio = Equity *100

Total Assets

• Times Interest Earned = Earnings before Interest and Tax

Interest

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Market Test Ratios

• Based on the share market's perception of the company.

For example: Price/Earnings ratio

• The higher the ratio, the higher the perceived quality of the earnings by the share market.

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Market Test Ratios• Earnings per share = Net Profit after tax

Number of issued ordinary shares

• Dividends per share = Dividends Number of issued ordinary

shares

• Dividend payout ratio = Dividends per share *100 Earnings per share

• Price Earnings ratio = Market price per share Earnings per share

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Horizontal analysis/Trend analysis

• Trend percentage• Line-by-line item analysis• Items are expressed as a percentage of a

base year• This is a time series analysis• For example, a line item could look at

increase in sales turnover over a period of 5 years to identify what the growth in sales is over this period.

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Vertical analysis/Common size analysis/ Component Percentages

• All items are expressed as a percentage of a common base item within a financial statement

• e.g. Financial Performance – sales is the base• e.g. Financial Position – total assets is the base• Important analysis for comparative purposes

– Over time and– For different sized enterprises

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Limitations of Financial Statement Analysis

• We must be careful with financial statement analysis.– Strong financial statement analysis does not

necessarily mean that the organisation has a strong financial future.

– Financial statement analysis might look good but there may be other factors that can cause an organisation to collapse.

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Illustration: Financial statement analysis

• The following financial statements of Walker Ltd were prepared in accordance with New Zealand GAAPs. Walker Ltd is a diversified enterprise with its main interests in the manufacture and retail of plastic products.

• The financial statements of Walker Ltd need to be analysed. An investor is considering purchasing shares in the company. Relevant ratios need to be selected and calculated and a report needs to be written for the investor. The report should evaluate the company’s performance and position

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Walker Ltd Statement of Financial Position as at 31 March

2005 2006 Horizontal Analysis

$000 $000 $000 $000 Current Assets Bank 33.5 41.0 Accounts receivable 240.8 210.2 Inventory 300.0 370.8 574.3 622.0 108 Non-current assets Fixtures & fittings (net) 64.6 63.2 Land & buildings (net) 381.2 376.2 445.8 439.4 99 Total assets 1,020.1 1,061.4 104 Current Liabilities

Accounts payable 261.6 288.8 Income tax 60.2 76.0 321.8 364.8 113 Non-current liabilities Loan 200.0 60.0 30 Shareholders Funds

Paid-up ordinary capital 300.0 334.1 Retained profit 198.3 302.5 498.3 636.6 128 Total liabilities & equity 1,020.1 1,061.4 104

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Walker LtdStatement of Financial Performance for year ended 31 March

2005 2006 Horizontal Analysis

$000 $000 $000 $000 Sales 2,240.8 2,681.2 120 Less Cost of goods sold 1,745.4 2,072.0 119 Gross profit 495.4 609.2 123 Wages & salaries 185.8 275.6 Rates 12.2 12.4 Heat & light 8.4 13.6 Insurance 4.6 7.0 Interest expense 24.0 6.2 Postage & telephone 9.0 16.4 Depreciation - Buildings 5.0 5.0 Fixtures & fittings 27.0 276.0 32.8 369.0 134 Net profit before tax

219.4

240.2 109

Less Income tax 60.2 76.0 126 Net profit after tax 159.2 164.2 103

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Walker LtdStatement of Cash Flows for the year ended 31 March

2005 2006 $000 $000 $000 $000 Cash flow from operations Receipts from customers 2,281 2,711.8 Payments to suppliers & employees (2,050) (2,460.4) Interest paid (24) (6.2) Tax paid (46.4) (60.2) Net cash flow from operating activities 160.6 185 Investing activities Purchase of non-current assets (121.2) (31.4) Net cash used in investing activities (121.2) (31.4) Financing activities Dividends paid (32.0) (40.2) Issue of ordinary shares 20.0 34.1 Repayment of loan capital -__ (140.0) Net cash outflow from financing activities (12) (146.1) Increase in cash & cash equivalents 27.4 7.5

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Additional information:

• Credit purchases for the year 2006 were $2,142,800.• General prospects for the major industries in which

Walker is involved look good with a forecast glut of oil set to reduce the cost of production and world demand for plastic remaining strong.

Benchmarks:• There are no exact benchmarks for Walker Ltd because it

is a diversified company. The following are average indicators that relate to the plastic retailing and manufacturing industries for the year 2006.– Gross profit margin 25%– Net profit margin 7%– Inventory turnover 6 times– Debt/equity ratio 0.6 : 1– Return on Assets 12%– Return on Equity 20%

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Relevant ratios

Profitability ratios:

Benchmarks 2005 2006

Gross Profit Margin

Industry25%

22% 22.7%

Net Profit Margin

Industry7%

7.1% 6.1%

Return on Assets

12% 15.6% 15.5%

Return on Equity

Industry20%

32% 26%

Important note: The calculations of the ratios in this illustration did not use “averages” for total assets, equity and inventory. The 2005 and 2006 year end figures were used and this is a slight variation to the formulas provided.

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Asset Management

ratios:

Benchmarks 2005 2006

Inventory Turnover

Industry6 %

5.8 times 5.58 times

Asset Turnover Not given 2.2 2.53

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Liquidity ratios:

Benchmarks 2005 2006

Current Ratio Ideal standard2:1

Acceptable standard

1:1

1.78:1 1.70:1

Quick Ratio Ideal standard2:1

Acceptable standard

1:1

0.85:1 0.69:1

Days Payable Standard30 days

Credit purchases not

available

49.19 days

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Financial Structure

ratios:

Benchmarks 2005 2006

Debt/Equity Industry0.6:1

Standard benchmark

1:1

1.05: 1 0.67:1

TIE Standard benchmark:

Between 3 and 5. Below 3 risky. Above 5 very

favourable

10.14 times 39.74 times

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Report

• For the investor considering the purchase of shares in the company, the return they will earn is the key financial factor but an overall evaluation of the company’s performance and position is also important to get a better picture of how well the company is actually doing.

• ROE in 2006 is 26%. Whether or not this is attractive depends on the perceived riskiness of this investment and other alternatives available but this return is certainly more attractive than current bank interest rates.

• ROE has decreased by 4% but the company’s ROE at 26% is still better than the industry average of 20%

• Riskiness of business is being reduced by the significant repayment of loan in 2006.

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• Profitability – The NP% and ROA ratios show a small downward

trend in % over the 2 year period. ROE% ratio show a more significant decrease but is still better than the industry average.

– Gross Profit Margin is slightly unfavourable at about 2.3% below the industry benchmark of 25%.

– The horizontal analysis information show that Sales have increased by 20%. However operating costs have increased by 34%.

• Asset Management– IT has gone down slightly from 5.8 to 5.58 times.– IT is still close to the industry benchmark of 6 times.– AT has increased showing more sales being

generated from asset usage

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• Liquidity– Current ratios of 1.78:1 (2005) and 1.70: 1 are at

above acceptable levels but below ideal level.– Quick ratios appear more of a concern being below

acceptable levels in both years and even more so in 2006 (0.69:1).

– Raises some concerns over the liquidity of the business and inventory management (although IT ratio only shows a slight decline in 2006).

– Days Payable is a concern as there may be poor debt payment management.

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• Financial Structure– Although slightly higher than D/E industry benchmark

(0.67:1), business has become less risky due to the significant repayment of loan in 2006.

– TIE is extremely good for the business at 39.74 times (well above 5 the standard benchmark).

• Cash flow situation– Strong cash flow from operating activities (increased

from 160,600 to 185,000).– Spending under investing activities suggest more

growth.– Repayment of debt under financing activities imply

restructuring of business to have more equity funding rather than debt funding.

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Given:1) the strong forecast for the industry (ie general

prospects looking good and world demand for plastic products remaining strong),

2) the sales growth in this business, 3) acceptable ratios as they are quite close to the

industry averages, 4) good cash flows from operating activities and 5) favourable ROE, although it has decreased, it

is still better than the industry average ROE.

=> it is recommended that the investor purchase shares in the Walker Ltd company.

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