Understanding Foreign Exchange Rates and Currency Risk

An exchange rate is, simply, the price of one nation’s currency in terms of another currency, often termed the reference currency. There are two kinds of exchange rate transactions: spot and forward. A spot rate is the price at which currencies are traded for immediate delivery (delivery two days later). A forward rate is the price at which foreign exchange is quoted for delivery at a specified future date. When a currency increases in value, it experiences appreciation. When it falls in value and

Read More

Understanding Balance Sheets, Income Statements, and Cash Flow

Understanding Financial Statements

1. Key Information in Financial Statements

What information is contained in the balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows?

The Balance Sheet

The balance sheet is a financial statement that shows a firm’s assets and liabilities at a particular point in time.

Why is it useful? Shareholder’s Equity = Total Assets – Total Liabilities

Balance Sheet Structure

Current Assets:

  • Cash and securities
  • Receivables
  • Inventories

Fixed Assets:

  • Tangible assets
  • Intangible assets

Current

Read More

Key Costing Formulas and Financial Statements

Key Costing Formulas

Sales – Variable Expenses (VE) = Contribution Margin (CM)

SP per unit – VE per unit = CM per unit

BE point in units = Fixed Costs (FC) / CM per unit

BE point in dollars = BE units * SP per unit

CM Ratio = CM / Sales

Operating Leverage = CM / Net income

Target Sales in $ = (Fixed Expenses (FE) + Target Operating Profit) / CM ratio

Sales – VE – FE = Operating Income

CM – FC = Operating Profit

Target Sales in units = (FE + Target Operating Profit) / CM per Unit

Safety Margin = Budgeted Sales

Read More

Understanding Balance of Payments, Exchange Rates, and Monetary Policy

Item 7: Balance of Payments and Exchange Rates

The balance of payments reflects a country’s transactions with the rest of the world. The balance of trade is the difference between exports and imports. The balance of goods and services of a country is the difference between exports and imports over a given period. The current account balance is the sum of the balance of goods and services, plus net income, plus net transfers. The financial account balance measures financial flows. The sum of the current

Read More

Spain’s Balance of Payments: A Detailed Analysis

Item 11: External Sector

11.1. Structure of the Spanish Balance of Payments

The Balance of Payments represents the operations a country places with the rest of the world in an accounting document with economic transactions made over a period of time. Currently, the model which is followed is published by the IMF. It is made up of 4 sub-balances:

  • Current Account: Includes all external transactions that may affect the income of a country.
    • Trade Balance: Reflects the costs and revenues associated with
Read More

Fairchild Company Cash Flow Statement 2012

Fairchild Company

Statement of Cash Flows

For the Year Ended December 31, 2012

(Indirect Method)

Cash Flows from Operating Activities

          Net income……………………………………………………………..

$   810

          Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash

           provided by operating activities:

                  Depreciation expense ($1,200 – $1,170)…………

$  30

                  Gain on sale of

Read More