role of financial management:

  • interdependence with other key business functions
    interdependence with other functions
    • Operations: need to design and develop iPhone models based on allocated funds
    • Marketing: depends on finance for secondary market research data (sales trends over demographics etc.)
    • Human resources: needs budget to address union/employee demands
    • Finance: depends on Marketing to increase sales for revenue
  • objectives of financial management

influences on financial management

  • internal sources of finance – retained profits
    internal sources of finance

    • Value of Apple’s retained profits has significantly declined in recent years:
      • from (==66% in 2018) to (9% in 2021==)
    • Apple has (recently) implemented a share repurchase scheme
      • to increase earnings per share
        • +40% in 2018 to. reach (COMPANY EVALUATION OF) US$2.2 trillion in 2022
  • external sources of finance
    external sources of finance

    • Apple has become highly geared (low solvency)
      • increased debt to equity ratio:
        • from ==270% in 2019==
        • to ==596% in 2022==
        • Apple’s strategy (see Apple’s highly geared strategy):
          • increased debt financing to take advantage of historically low interest rates globally

  • influence of government – company taxation
    influence of government

    • subject to US corporate tax
      • previously (==35% of profits==) holding funds overseas to avoid
      • ==after 2017 : reduced (21% of profits==) Apple moves funds back to US
        • pays ==$38 billion== in reprieve
    • Ireland exception:
      • (in 2014) EU found Apple paying Ireland <1% tax rate
        • instructed to repay 13 billion (euros)
          • appealed and ongoing legal battle
  • global market influences – economic outlook, interest rates
    global market influences

    • recent economic growth (China & India):
      • +++ demand for iPhones
    • low economic outlook:
      • Covid:
        • + unemployment less consumption
        • China lockdowns supply chain bottlenecks
    • Rising inflation:
  • TODO finish case study summary for processes (financial ratio trends, causes) 🔺 📅 2024-03-02

  • TODO bullet point draft responses to all possible question variants ⏫ 📅 2024-03-02

processes of financial management

  • planning and implementingfinancial needs, budgets, record systems, financial risks, financial controls
    • debt finance:
    • equity finance:
      • Apple raises equity finance by selling shares on the NASDAQ
        • considered less risky
        • BUT profits shared among a greater number of shareholders
  • monitoring and controlling – cash flow statement, income statement, balance sheet
    monitoring and controlling
  • financial ratios
    financial ratios
    • liquidity:
      • steady decline in liquidity
      • current ratio (current assets ÷ current liabilities)
        • ==107% in 2021 to 88% in 2022==
        • Due to ==23% increase== in current liabilities
    • gearing:
      • debt to equity ratio (total liabilities ÷ total equity)
    • profitability:
      • gross profit ratio (gross profit ÷ sales)
        • n/a
      • net profit ratio (net profit ÷ sales)
        • significant sales growth
          • due to demand for electronics in COVID
      • return on equity ratio (net profit ÷ total equity)
        • return on owner’s equity has largely increased (recent years)
          • (==87.9% in 2020) to (197% in 2022==)
          • due to decreased retained profits (==dividends funded by debt finance==)
          • also due to share buybacks (reduces owner’s equity)
    • efficiency: – expense ratio (total expenses ÷ sales), accounts receivable turnover ratio (sales ÷ accounts receivable)
      • expense ratio (total expenses ÷ sales)
        • increased (==12% in 2021) to (13% in 2022==)
          • shows minor decrease in Apple’s efficiency
      • accounts receivable turnover ratio (sales ÷ accounts receivable)
        • relatively unchanged
    • comparative ratio analysis – over different time periods, against standards, with similar businesses

Apple’s highly geared strategy:

  • Selling bonds (increasing debt)
    • to repurchase shares ($90.2 billion in 2022) (decreasing owner’s equity)
  • taking advantage of historically low interest rates to raise funds
  • fewer shareholders greater return per share
    • happy shareholders high bonuses for management
  • BUT, this is threatened by rising interest rates in 2022 (caused by inflation)

numbers:

  • what is Apple’s recent trend in liquidity?
    ?

  • A Current Ratio of: 107% in 2021 88% in 2022

  • Due to 23% increase in current liabilities

  • What is apple’s recent trend in earnings per share, what caused it?

  • Liquidity (current ratio)