Accounting Measures of Corporate Liquidity Essay Example
Accounting Measures of Corporate Liquidity Essay Example

Accounting Measures of Corporate Liquidity Essay Example

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  • Pages: 4 (976 words)
  • Published: April 26, 2018
  • Type: Case Study
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The article discusses the relationship between financial distress, corporate liquid policy, and leverage policy. In order to avoid high costs of financial distress, firms may hold a large portion of their total assets as liquid assets and be cautious when taking on debt. Major corporations in the US maintain substantial liquid assets as a proportion of their total assets. The study examines the relationship between corporate liquidity and different proxies for direct and indirect costs of financial distress. Bondholders' coupon debt claims are considered hard contracts, while common stocks and preferred stocks are considered soft contracts. Meeting hard contracts is vital during periods of financial distress, which occur when a firm's current assets cannot meet the liquidity requirements of hard contracts.The way to avoid financial distress depends on whether to increase liquid assets or decrease

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the hardness of contracts. In the journal, the author presents two hypotheses: H1 suggests that the proportion of liquid assets invested will increase with rising financial debt costs, and H2 states that the proportion of debt in a firm's capital structure will decrease with decreasing financial distress costs. This is reviewed by Norman V. Breknner who explains that selling own assets to pay down debt incurs tangible as well as intangible losses, such as growth opportunities and operating synergies. This can destroy the firm's going concern value. Debt covenants typically block asset sales, but a bankruptcy judge may allow it if the firm convinces them that it was necessary to meet financial demands. Firms that produce specialized products face higher liquidation costs, leading to expenditures in advertising and R&D in anticipation of financial distress. By maintaining higher liquidity, solvency can

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be sustained while minimizing costs for companies with high R&D and advertising expenses.Assets of high collateral value have a negative relationship with the liquidity cost of asset restructuring. To maintain a low level of liquidity, such firms require adequate collateral value. While the cost of financial distress is one factor influencing corporate liquidity, other variables such as R&D and advertising expenses contribute to the creation of assets and resources characterized by asymmetric information between corporate insiders and outside investors in the market. Firms with larger cash inflows or higher operating income require less external financing and less debt financing or borrowing. In conclusion, corporate liquidity is positively related to proxies of financial distress costs and negatively related to collateral value of assets and other sources of liquidity like projected cash flows, intermediate cash flows, sources of borrowing and cash cycle. Lastly, the optimal liquidity maintained by a corporation has a positive relationship with the cost of its assets' liquidity which includes distressed asset sales cost and loss of going concern value in liquidation, and a negative relationship with corporate leverage and financial distress cost. A firm's investment outlays may also depend on its liquidity to some extent.The journal focuses on establishing a clear link between investment expenditure and firm's liquid asset holdings. The research found a positive relation in both a three-year period of moderate income decrease and a two-year period of rapid income downturn. No relationship was discovered for the two-year interval.

The amount invested impacts the marginal rate of risk, causing unfavorable outcomes and increased loans. This is similar to the rising marginal cost of output. However, with more investment, the marginal risk decreases,

implying less danger to the wealth of creditors and firms. Therefore, investment heavily depends on the size of the firm's assets. A relationship between investment outlays and liquidity under uncertainty is consistent with the analysis of its variation.

In the event of loss, the investor's utility depends on their net liquidity position. A low liquidity position may require them to liquidate their inventories and other current assets. However, there may be a positive relationship between liquidity and investment. In some cases, firms act as if they have a past pattern of receipts or assets that allows them to maintain a low ratio of liquid to capital assets. Such firms invest in lower assets while rebuilding liquidity.Large firms with initial funds typically invest in order to convert it into real capital, according to findings from an experiment involving 42 southern Minnesota firms. The analysis revealed that the variation of income over short periods, such as two or three years, did not change the investment format of the firms. By using "Firms liquid asset" and "Non-firm liquid asset" as variables, it was discovered that investment, as a dependent variable, was significantly related to both of the firm's liquid assets. These findings suggest that liquidity has an effect on a firm's investment outlays during a period characterized by a decline from the preceding period. The interpretation is that during falling income, lender confidence falls, resulting in the firm having less funds to invest as marginal rates on current borrowings rise at a rapid rate. Therefore, the importance of the firm's own liquidity increases. If net liquidity is high, the firm can still meet claims and avoid forced liquidation. If

current liquidity is high, then the firm needs to liquidate its inventories and other current assets. Possibly, bankruptcy is somewhat related to liquidity because creditors may be more likely to force a low net worth position if the firm can make some satisfying return of current claims. Firms that have built up strong liquid positions in a period will be in a strong position in later periods of declining income.The presence of lower liquidity can lead to reduced asset accumulation compared to firms with higher liquidity. Some firms prioritize building capital assets over maintaining liquid assets, but may also invest less and seek to rebuild their liquidity. Conversely, firms with high liquidity tend to be heavier investors. Therefore, liquidity and investment are closely linked during both periods of rising and declining sales.

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