Unilever's Financial Strategy

The company position is strong enough so its better that company should use debt financing instead of equity financing.

The advantages of debt financing are that: bond investors are generally willing to accept a lower rate of return as compared to equity investors, the debt interest is tax deductible, and bond investors do not have voting rights on company issues. (Anthony 243) General Motors’ times interest earned ratio has generally stayed on course except for 1998. This shows that GM needs strong sales volumes to pay its on its liabilities due to the low profit margin. If a long-term decline in worldwide auto sales occurs, GM may have difficulty paying on its debt.

Operation of Unilever around the world starts fragmenting, but Unilever continues to expand globally and investment made in R&D is increased.

This report aims to analyse the financial position of Unilever PLC within its daily operating activities and it also compares the company’s performance with its key competitor, the Proctor and Gamble Company (P&G). The report also includes background of both the companies and an industry overview. To better understand the performance of both the companies, the segmental analyses have been done for both region and products. Due to the global crisis, Unilever and P&G both are facing price rise and inflation pressures, also instability in the Eurozone. All these factors are strongly impacting their operation activity and long-term growth decision plan. Finally After a careful examination of the financial ratios of both the companies, we recommend Unilever as a good company to invest as compared to P&G .The reasons for the following can be seen in the report below.

Even further, allowing taxation treatments opposing equity and in favor of long-term debt steers considerable alterations in methods for financing assignments. Ideally, companies need to finance each business project per its pecuniary factors, rather than its tax factors. Yet, the disproportionate variance between effective tax percentages encourages companies to fund company projects using debt in lieu equity where possible.

This paper will seek to analyze the financial statements of the O.M Scott & Sons Company during the years 1957-1961, in order to provide readers with a thorough understanding of the various factors that may influence the future success of this business. Additionally, recommendations based on an analysis of their financial

This case is related to Carrefour S.A. planning to finance its growth by issuing debt securities and considering borrowing in British sterling in order

Although riskier, debt financing helps company have a better financial structure and because Blaine Kitchenware refuses to do so, we agree that their capital structure and pay out policies are not the most appropriate for the firm.

Firstly, interest on debt is tax deductible, therefore, debt is the least costly source of long-term financing as this is a tax saving for the frim. Thus, creditors or bondholders require a lower return on debt as it is considered a reflectively less risky investment. Secondly, the capital structure of a firm is flexible due to debt financing. Ultimately, bondholders are creditors and they do not have voting rights, hence, they are not involved in decision making and business operations. Additionally, the major advantages of equity finance are as follows. Firstly, the capital provided is to finance the businesses short term needs and future projects. Secondly, the business will not have to pay any additional bank expenses such as interest on loans, thus allowing the business to use the money for business activities. Lastly, investors anticipate that the business will develop thus they help in exploring and executing thoughts. Certain sources, for example, venture capitalists and business angel can bring significant skills, abilities, contacts and experience to businesses and they can also provide expertise advice to businesses (Hofstrand,

The third ratio mirroring the company’s efficiency is the creditors’ days ratio, which measures, according to Atrill, the number of days in which the business pays its debts to suppliers. Britvic PLC’s financial statements recorded in 2009 a 20 days increase in the above mentioned ratio compared to the 2005-2008 average that had a value of 149 days. Therefore, Britvic PLC paid in 2009 its debts 169 days after the enclosure of the transactions. Taking into consideration the fact that Britvic PLC is operating in the soft drinks industry, which has a medium pace of generating cash, it may be stated that this ratio’s value is high enough to reflect that Britvic PLC is risking the creditors’ goodwill. On the other hand, the company paid its short-term liabilities in approximately four months after receiving the supplies

There is no universal theory of the debt-equity choice, and no reason to expect one. In this essay I will critically assess the Pecking Order Theory of capital structure with reference and comparison of publicly listed companies. The pecking order theory says that the firm will borrow, rather than issuing equity, when internal cash flow is not sufficient to fund capital expenditures. This theory explains why firms prefer internal rather than external financing which is due to adverse selection, asymmetry of information, and agency costs (Frank & Goyal, 2003). The trade-off theory comes from the pecking order theory it is an unintentional outcome of companies following the pecking-order theory. This explains that firms strive to achieve an

They argued that in efficient markets the debt-equity choice is irrelevant to the value of the firm and benefits of using debts will compensate with decrease of companies stock. Prior to Modigliani and Miller theory, conventional perspective believed that using financial leverage increases company’s value. In this respect, there is an optimized

Furthermore, if an organisation does not have enough cash resources in order to settle its current liabilities, this will highlight great inefficiency with stock turnover not being sold. A good company such as Sainsbury’s we see is healthy because revenue is recognised from inventories sold – this revenue allows cash to flow in order to pay for short term and long-term liabilities. It is evident that there are insufficient cash flowing into the company from investing activities and financing activities, which are shown by the brackets.

If external financing is required, the “safest” securities, namely debt, are issued first. Although investors fear mispricing of both debt and equity, the fear is much greater for equity. Corporate debt still relatively little risk compared to equity because, if financial distress is avoided, investors receive a fixed return.. Thus, the pecking order theory implies that, if outside financing required, debt should be issued before equity. Only when the firm’s debt capacity is reached should the firm consider equity.

This helps product development as internal chefs can freely do experiments and explore new food solutions