21-12-2012, 01:10 PM
A REPORT ON WORKING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT IN HCL INFOSYSTEMS LIMITED
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ABSTRACT
This project is based on the study of working capital management in HCL Infosystems. An insight view of the project will encompass – what it is all about, what it aims to achieve, what is its purpose and scope, the various methods used for collecting data and their sources, including literature survey done, further specifying the limitations of our study and in the last, drawing inferences from the learning so far.
HCL Infosystems Limited (HCL) is a leading domestic computer hardware services company. HCL is engaged in selling manufactured (like PCs, servers, monitors and peripherals) and traded hardware (like notebooks, peripherals) to institutional clients as well as in retail segment. It also offers hardware support services to existing clients through annual maintenance contracts, network consulting and facilities management.
The working capital management refers to the management of working capital, or precisely to the management of current assets. A firm’s working capital consists of its investments in current assets, which includes short-term assets—cash and bank balance, inventories, receivable and marketable securities.
This project tries to evaluate how the management of working capital is done in HCL Infosystems through inventory ratios, working capital ratios, trends, computation of cash, inventory and working capital, and short term financing.
INTRODUCTION:
The project undertaken is on “WORKING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT IN HCL INFOSYSTEMS LIMITED”.
It describes about how the company manages its working capital and the various steps that are required in the management of working capital.
Cash is the lifeline of a company. If this lifeline deteriorates, so does the company's ability to fund operations, reinvest and meet capital requirements and payments. Understanding a company's cash flow health is essential to making investment decisions. A good way to judge a company's cash flow prospects is to look at its working capital management (WCM).
Working capital refers to the cash a business requires for day-to-day operations or, more specifically, for financing the conversion of raw materials into finished goods, which the company sells for payment. Among the most important items of working capital are levels of inventory, accounts receivable, and accounts payable. Analysts look at these items for signs of a company's efficiency and financial strength.
THE PROBLEMS
In the management of working capital, the firm is faced with two key problems:
1. First, given the level of sales and the relevant cost considerations, what are the optimal amounts of cash, accounts receivable and inventories that a firm should choose to maintain?
2. Second, given these optimal amounts, what is the most economical way to finance these working capital investments? To produce the best possible results, firms should keep no unproductive assets and should finance with the cheapest available sources of funds. Why? In general, it is quite advantageous for the firm to invest in short term assets and to finance short-term liabilities.
Hindustan Computers Limited
Hindustan Computers Limited, also known as HCL Enterprise, is one of India's largest electronics, computing and information technology company. Based in Noida, near Delhi, the company comprises two publicly listed Indian companies, HCL Technologies and HCL Infosystems.
HCL was founded in 1976 by Shiv Nadar, Ajay Chowdhry and four of their colleagues. HCL was focused on addressing the IT hardware market in India for the first two decades of its existence with some sporadic activity in the global market. In 1981, HCL seeded a company focused on addressing the computer training industry, NIIT, though it has currently divested its stake in the company. In 1991, HP took minority stake in the company (26%) and the company was known as HCL HP for the five years of the joint venture. On termination of the joint venture in 1996, HCL became an enterprise which comprises HCL Technologies (to address the global IT services market) and HCL Infosystems (to address the Indian and APAC IT hardware market). HCL has since then operated as a holding company.
HCL INFOSYSTEMS LIMITED
AN OVERVIEW ABOUT THE COMPANY
HCL Infosystems is no flash in the Information Technology pan. Founded in 1976, the firm has climbed into pantheon of India's corporate giants on the strength of its IT products and services. HCL Infosystems specializes in IT hardware (PC's and servers, as well as networking, imaging and communications products), and system integration services serving the domestic Indian market. In addition to its consumer products, the company provides commercial IT products, facilities management, network services, and IT security services for clients in such industries as government, financial services, and education. HCL Corporation owns significant stakes in HCL Infosystems (about 44%) and sister company HCL Technologies.
HISTORY
HCL Infosystems Ltd is one of the pioneers in the Indian IT market, with its origins in 1976. For over quarter of a century, we have developed and implemented solutions for multiple market segments, across a range of technologies in India. We have been in the forefront in introducing new technologies and solutions.
Gross working capital:
It refers to firm's investment in current assets. Current assets are the assets, which can be converted into cash with in a financial year. The gross working capital points to the need of arranging funds to finance current assets.
Net working capital:
It refers to the difference between current assets and current liabilities. Net working capital can be positive or negative. A positive net working capital will arise when current assets exceed current liabilities. And vice-versa for negative net working capital. Net working capital is a qualitative concept. It indicates the liquidity position of the firm and suggests the extent to which working capital needs may be financed by permanent sources of funds. Net working capital also covers the question of judicious mix of long-term and short-term funds for financing current assets.