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Principles of Finance

19.2 What Is Trade Credit?

Principles of Finance19.2 What Is Trade Credit?

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Table of contents
  1. Preface
  2. 1 Introduction to Finance
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 1.1 What Is Finance?
    3. 1.2 The Role of Finance in an Organization
    4. 1.3 Importance of Data and Technology
    5. 1.4 Careers in Finance
    6. 1.5 Markets and Participants
    7. 1.6 Microeconomic and Macroeconomic Matters
    8. 1.7 Financial Instruments
    9. 1.8 Concepts of Time and Value
    10. Summary
    11. Key Terms
    12. Multiple Choice
    13. Review Questions
    14. Video Activity
  3. 2 Corporate Structure and Governance
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 2.1 Business Structures
    3. 2.2 Relationship between Shareholders and Company Management
    4. 2.3 Role of the Board of Directors
    5. 2.4 Agency Issues: Shareholders and Corporate Boards
    6. 2.5 Interacting with Investors, Intermediaries, and Other Market Participants
    7. 2.6 Companies in Domestic and Global Markets
    8. Summary
    9. Key Terms
    10. CFA Institute
    11. Multiple Choice
    12. Review Questions
    13. Video Activity
  4. 3 Economic Foundations: Money and Rates
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 3.1 Microeconomics
    3. 3.2 Macroeconomics
    4. 3.3 Business Cycles and Economic Activity
    5. 3.4 Interest Rates
    6. 3.5 Foreign Exchange Rates
    7. 3.6 Sources and Characteristics of Economic Data
    8. Summary
    9. Key Terms
    10. CFA Institute
    11. Multiple Choice
    12. Review Questions
    13. Problems
    14. Video Activity
  5. 4 Accrual Accounting Process
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 4.1 Cash versus Accrual Accounting
    3. 4.2 Economic Basis for Accrual Accounting
    4. 4.3 How Does a Company Recognize a Sale and an Expense?
    5. 4.4 When Should a Company Capitalize or Expense an Item?
    6. 4.5 What Is “Profit” versus “Loss” for the Company?
    7. Summary
    8. Key Terms
    9. Multiple Choice
    10. Review Questions
    11. Problems
    12. Video Activity
  6. 5 Financial Statements
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 5.1 The Income Statement
    3. 5.2 The Balance Sheet
    4. 5.3 The Relationship between the Balance Sheet and the Income Statement
    5. 5.4 The Statement of Owner’s Equity
    6. 5.5 The Statement of Cash Flows
    7. 5.6 Operating Cash Flow and Free Cash Flow to the Firm (FCFF)
    8. 5.7 Common-Size Statements
    9. 5.8 Reporting Financial Activity
    10. Summary
    11. Key Terms
    12. CFA Institute
    13. Multiple Choice
    14. Review Questions
    15. Problems
    16. Video Activity
  7. 6 Measures of Financial Health
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 6.1 Ratios: Condensing Information into Smaller Pieces
    3. 6.2 Operating Efficiency Ratios
    4. 6.3 Liquidity Ratios
    5. 6.4 Solvency Ratios
    6. 6.5 Market Value Ratios
    7. 6.6 Profitability Ratios and the DuPont Method
    8. Summary
    9. Key Terms
    10. CFA Institute
    11. Multiple Choice
    12. Review Questions
    13. Problems
    14. Video Activity
  8. 7 Time Value of Money I: Single Payment Value
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 7.1 Now versus Later Concepts
    3. 7.2 Time Value of Money (TVM) Basics
    4. 7.3 Methods for Solving Time Value of Money Problems
    5. 7.4 Applications of TVM in Finance
    6. Summary
    7. Key Terms
    8. CFA Institute
    9. Multiple Choice
    10. Review Questions
    11. Problems
    12. Video Activity
  9. 8 Time Value of Money II: Equal Multiple Payments
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 8.1 Perpetuities
    3. 8.2 Annuities
    4. 8.3 Loan Amortization
    5. 8.4 Stated versus Effective Rates
    6. 8.5 Equal Payments with a Financial Calculator and Excel
    7. Summary
    8. Key Terms
    9. CFA Institute
    10. Multiple Choice
    11. Problems
    12. Video Activity
  10. 9 Time Value of Money III: Unequal Multiple Payment Values
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 9.1 Timing of Cash Flows
    3. 9.2 Unequal Payments Using a Financial Calculator or Microsoft Excel
    4. Summary
    5. Key Terms
    6. CFA Institute
    7. Multiple Choice
    8. Review Questions
    9. Problems
    10. Video Activity
  11. 10 Bonds and Bond Valuation
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 10.1 Characteristics of Bonds
    3. 10.2 Bond Valuation
    4. 10.3 Using the Yield Curve
    5. 10.4 Risks of Interest Rates and Default
    6. 10.5 Using Spreadsheets to Solve Bond Problems
    7. Summary
    8. Key Terms
    9. CFA Institute
    10. Multiple Choice
    11. Review Questions
    12. Problems
    13. Video Activity
  12. 11 Stocks and Stock Valuation
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 11.1 Multiple Approaches to Stock Valuation
    3. 11.2 Dividend Discount Models (DDMs)
    4. 11.3 Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Model
    5. 11.4 Preferred Stock
    6. 11.5 Efficient Markets
    7. Summary
    8. Key Terms
    9. CFA Institute
    10. Multiple Choice
    11. Review Questions
    12. Problems
    13. Video Activity
  13. 12 Historical Performance of US Markets
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 12.1 Overview of US Financial Markets
    3. 12.2 Historical Picture of Inflation
    4. 12.3 Historical Picture of Returns to Bonds
    5. 12.4 Historical Picture of Returns to Stocks
    6. Summary
    7. Key Terms
    8. Multiple Choice
    9. Review Questions
    10. Video Activity
  14. 13 Statistical Analysis in Finance
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 13.1 Measures of Center
    3. 13.2 Measures of Spread
    4. 13.3 Measures of Position
    5. 13.4 Statistical Distributions
    6. 13.5 Probability Distributions
    7. 13.6 Data Visualization and Graphical Displays
    8. 13.7 The R Statistical Analysis Tool
    9. Summary
    10. Key Terms
    11. CFA Institute
    12. Multiple Choice
    13. Review Questions
    14. Problems
    15. Video Activity
  15. 14 Regression Analysis in Finance
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 14.1 Correlation Analysis
    3. 14.2 Linear Regression Analysis
    4. 14.3 Best-Fit Linear Model
    5. 14.4 Regression Applications in Finance
    6. 14.5 Predictions and Prediction Intervals
    7. 14.6 Use of R Statistical Analysis Tool for Regression Analysis
    8. Summary
    9. Key Terms
    10. Multiple Choice
    11. Review Questions
    12. Problems
    13. Video Activity
  16. 15 How to Think about Investing
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 15.1 Risk and Return to an Individual Asset
    3. 15.2 Risk and Return to Multiple Assets
    4. 15.3 The Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM)
    5. 15.4 Applications in Performance Measurement
    6. 15.5 Using Excel to Make Investment Decisions
    7. Summary
    8. Key Terms
    9. CFA Institute
    10. Multiple Choice
    11. Review Questions
    12. Problems
    13. Video Activity
  17. 16 How Companies Think about Investing
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 16.1 Payback Period Method
    3. 16.2 Net Present Value (NPV) Method
    4. 16.3 Internal Rate of Return (IRR) Method
    5. 16.4 Alternative Methods
    6. 16.5 Choosing between Projects
    7. 16.6 Using Excel to Make Company Investment Decisions
    8. Summary
    9. Key Terms
    10. CFA Institute
    11. Multiple Choice
    12. Review Questions
    13. Problems
    14. Video Activity
  18. 17 How Firms Raise Capital
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 17.1 The Concept of Capital Structure
    3. 17.2 The Costs of Debt and Equity Capital
    4. 17.3 Calculating the Weighted Average Cost of Capital
    5. 17.4 Capital Structure Choices
    6. 17.5 Optimal Capital Structure
    7. 17.6 Alternative Sources of Funds
    8. Summary
    9. Key Terms
    10. CFA Institute
    11. Multiple Choice
    12. Review Questions
    13. Problems
    14. Video Activity
  19. 18 Financial Forecasting
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 18.1 The Importance of Forecasting
    3. 18.2 Forecasting Sales
    4. 18.3 Pro Forma Financials
    5. 18.4 Generating the Complete Forecast
    6. 18.5 Forecasting Cash Flow and Assessing the Value of Growth
    7. 18.6 Using Excel to Create the Long-Term Forecast
    8. Summary
    9. Key Terms
    10. Multiple Choice
    11. Review Questions
    12. Problems
    13. Video Activity
  20. 19 The Importance of Trade Credit and Working Capital in Planning
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 19.1 What Is Working Capital?
    3. 19.2 What Is Trade Credit?
    4. 19.3 Cash Management
    5. 19.4 Receivables Management
    6. 19.5 Inventory Management
    7. 19.6 Using Excel to Create the Short-Term Plan
    8. Summary
    9. Key Terms
    10. Multiple Choice
    11. Review Questions
    12. Video Activity
  21. 20 Risk Management and the Financial Manager
    1. Why It Matters
    2. 20.1 The Importance of Risk Management
    3. 20.2 Commodity Price Risk
    4. 20.3 Exchange Rates and Risk
    5. 20.4 Interest Rate Risk
    6. Summary
    7. Key Terms
    8. CFA Institute
    9. Multiple Choice
    10. Review Questions
    11. Problems
    12. Video Activity
  22. Index

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

  • Compute the cost of trade credit.
  • Define cash discount.
  • Define discount period.
  • Define credit period.

Trade credit, also known as accounts payable, is a critical part of a business’s working capital management strategy. Trade credit is granted by vendors to creditworthy companies when those companies purchase materials, inventory, and services.

A company’s purchasing system is usually integrated with other functions such production planning and sales forecasting. Purchasing managers search for and evaluate vendors, negotiate order quantities, and prepare purchase orders. In carrying out the purchasing process, credit terms are granted by the company’s vendors and purchases of inventory and services can be made on trade credit accounts—allowing the purchaser time to pay. The purchaser carries an accounts payable balance until the account is paid.

Trade credit is referred to as spontaneous financing, as it occurs spontaneously with the gearing up of operations and the additional investment in current assets. Think of it this way: If sales are increasing, so too is production. Increased sales mean more current assets (accounts receivable and inventory), and increased sales mean increases in accounts payable (financing happening spontaneously with increased sales and inventory purchases). Compared to other financing arrangements, such as lines of credit and bank loans, trade credit is convenient, simple, and easy to use.

Once a company is approved for trade credit, there is no paperwork or contracts to sign, as is the case with various forms of bank financing. Invoices specify the credit terms, and there is usually no interest expense associated with trade credit. Accounts payable is a type of obligation that is interest-free and is distinguished from debt obligations, such as notes payable, that require the creditor to pay back principal and interest.

How Trade Credit Works

Trade credit is common in B2B (business to business) transactions and is analogous to consumer spending using a credit card. With a credit card, a consumer opens an account with a credit limit. Most trade credit is offered to a company with an open account that has a credit limit up to which the company can purchase goods or services without having to pay the cash up front. As long as the payments are made in accordance with the terms of the agreement (also called credit terms), no interest or additional fees are charged on the credit balance except possibly for a fee for late payment.

Initially, the vendor’s credit department approves both a trade credit limit and credit payment terms (i.e., number of days after the invoice date that payment is due). Timely payments on accounts payable (trade credit) helps create a credit history for the purchasing firm.

Trade Credit Terms

Trade credit arrangements often carry credit terms that offer an incentive, called a discount, for a company (the buyer) to pay its bill within a relatively short period of time. Net terms, also referred to as the full credit period, are the number of days that a business (purchaser) has before they must pay their invoice. A common net term is Net 30, with payment due in full within 30 days of the invoice.

Many vendors also offer cash discounts to customers that pay their bill early. A company’s invoice that specifies payment terms of “2/10 n/30” (stated as: “two ten net 30”) would allow a 2 percent discount if the buyer’s account balance is paid within 10 days of the invoice date; otherwise, the net amount owed would be due in 30 days. The “10 days” in the example is the discount period—the number of days the buyer has to take advantage of the cash discount for an early payment, also known as quick payment.

For example, Jackson’s Premium Jams Inc. received a $10,500 invoice for the purchase of jelly jars. The invoice has payment terms of 2/10 n/30. Jackson’s pays the bill within 10 days of the invoice date. Jackson’s payment would be $10,290 = ($10,500 × (100%  2%))$10,290 = ($10,500 × (100%  2%)). The effect of taking a discount because of a quick payment is a lowering of the cost of inventory in the case of purchases of materials (for a manufacturer), merchandise (for a retailer or wholesaler), and operating expenses (for any company that “buys” services using trade credit). In Cost of Trade Credit, there is an example that shows the high annualize opportunity cost (36.73 percent) of not taking advantage of cash discounts.

Concepts In Practice

Trade Credit of International Trade

When international trade occurs, two important documents are commonly required: a letter of credit and a bill of lading. A letter of credit is issued by a financial institution on behalf of the foreign buyer (importer). The bill of lading is a legal document that gives proof of a contract between a transportation company and the buyer and is one important piece of documentation that allows the buyer to draw on the letter of credit. A bill of lading serves as a document of title and proof of receipt of goods by the shipper.

The letter of credit secures a promise of payment to the seller (exporter) provided that the terms of the sale are met. For an international trade transaction, the letter of credit is the main mechanism that establishes a liability for the buyer. Instead of a trade payable, the buyer uses a line of credit from a bank.

Cost of Trade Credit

Trade credit is often referred to as a no-cost type of financing. Unlike with other credit arrangements (e.g., bank loans, lines of credit, and commercial paper), there is usually no interest expense associated with trade credit, and as long as your account does not become delinquent, there are no special fees. Some accounts payable arrangements specify an interest penalty or a late fee when the account goes delinquent, but as long as payments are made on time, trade credit is thought of as a low-cost source of working capital.

However, there is one possible cost associated with trade credit for companies that don’t take advantage of cash discounts when offered by sellers. Using accounts payable to purchase goods and services can involve an opportunity cost—a cost of the forgone opportunity of making a quick payment and benefiting from a cash discount. A business that does not take advantage of a cash discount for early payment of trade credit will pay more for goods and services than a business that routinely takes advantage of discounts.

The annual percentage rate of forgoing quick payment discounts can be estimated with the following formula:

APR of Forgoing Quick Payment Discounts = 360Full Credit Period - Discount Period ×Discount100 - Discount %APR of Forgoing Quick Payment Discounts = 360Full Credit Period - Discount Period ×Discount100 - Discount %
19.16

Example: Novelty Accessories Inc. (NAI) purchases products from a vendor that offers credit payment terms of 2/10, net 30. The annual cost to NAI of not taking advantage of the discount for quick payment is 36.73 percent.

APR of Quick Payment Discounts=36030 -10×2%100%-2%= 36020 × 2%98%=36.73%APR of Quick Payment Discounts=36030 -10×2%100%-2%= 36020 × 2%98%=36.73%
19.17
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