21-07-2012, 05:11 PM
Working Capital
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WORKING CAPITAL
- Meaning of Working Capital
Capital required for a business can be classified under two main categories via,
1) Fixed Capital
2) Working Capital
Every business needs funds for two purposes for its establishment and to carry out its day- to-day operations. Long terms funds are required to create production facilities through purchase of fixed assets such as p&m, land, building, furniture, etc. Investments in these assets represent that part of firm’s capital which is blocked on permanent or fixed basis and is called fixed capital. Funds are also needed for short-term purposes for the purchase of raw material, payment of wages and other day – to- day expenses etc.
These funds are known as working capital. In simple words, working capital refers to that part of the firm’s capital which is required for financing short- term or current assets such as cash, marketable securities, debtors & inventories. Funds, thus, invested in current assts keep revolving fast and are being constantly converted in to cash and this cash flows out again in exchange for other current assets. Hence, it is also known as revolving or circulating capital or short term capital.
CONCEPT OF WORKING CAPITAL
There are two concepts of working capital:
1. Gross working capital
2. Net working capital
The gross working capital is the capital invested in the total current assets of the enterprises current assets are those
Assets which can convert in to cash within a short period normally one accounting year.
CONSTITUENTS OF CURRENT ASSETS
1) Cash in hand and cash at bank
2) Bills receivables
3) Sundry debtors
4) Short term loans and advances.
5) Inventories of stock as:
a. Raw material
b. Work in process
c. Stores and spares
d. Finished goods
6. Temporary investment of surplus funds.
7. Prepaid expenses
8. Accrued incomes.
9. Marketable securities.
In a narrow sense, the term working capital refers to the net working. Net working capital is the excess of current assets over current liability, or, say:
NET WORKING CAPITAL = CURRENT ASSETS – CURRENT LIABILITIES.
Net working capital can be positive or negative. When the current assets exceeds the current liabilities are more than the current assets. Current liabilities are those liabilities, which are intended to be paid in the ordinary course of business within a short period of normally one accounting year out of the current assts or the income business.
CONSTITUENTS OF CURRENT LIABILITIES
1. Accrued or outstanding expenses.
2. Short term loans, advances and deposits.
3. Dividends payable.
4. Bank overdraft.
5. Provision for taxation , if it does not amt. to app. Of profit.
6. Bills payable.
7. Sundry creditors.
The gross working capital concept is financial or going concern
concept whereas net working capital is an accounting concept of working capital. Both the concepts have their own merits.
The gross concept is sometimes preferred to the concept of working capital for the following reasons:
1. It enables the enterprise to provide correct amount of working capital at correct time.
2. Every management is more interested in total current assets with which it has to operate then the source from where it is made available.
3. It take into consideration of the fact every increase in the funds of the enterprise would increase its working capital.
4. This concept is also useful in determining the rate of return on investments in working capital. The net working capital concept, however, is also important for following reasons:
• It is qualitative concept, which indicates the firm’s ability to meet to its operating expenses and short-term liabilities.
• IT indicates the margin of protection available to the short term creditors.
• It is an indicator of the financial soundness of enterprises.
• It suggests the need of financing a part of working capital requirement out of the permanent sources of funds.
CLASSIFICATION OF WORKING CAPITAL
Working capital may be classified in to ways:
o On the basis of concept.
o On the basis of time.
On the basis of concept working capital can be classified as gross working capital and net working capital. On the basis of time, working capital may be classified as:
Permanent or fixed working capital.
Temporary or variable working capital