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Showing posts from June 12, 2017

Determinants of Dividend Policy by Companies

The payment of dividend involves some legal as well as financial considerations. It is difficult to determine a general dividend policy which can be followed by different firms at different times because dividend decision has to be taken considering the special circumstances of an individual case. The following are important factors which determine dividend policy of a firm: 1. Legal Restrictions : Legal Provisions relating to dividends as laid down in section, 205, 205A, 206 and 207 of companies Act, 1956 are significant because they lay down a framework within which dividend policy is formulated. These provisions require that dividend can be paid only out of current profit or past profits after providing for depreciation. The companies (Transfer of Profits to Reserves) Rules, 1975 require a company providing more than 10% dividend to transfer certain percentage of current year’s profit to Reserves. Companies Act, further provides that dividend cannot be paid out of capital, b...

Factoring

Introduction   : Receivables constitute a significant portion of current assets of a firm. But, for investment in receivables, a firm has to incur certain costs such as costs of financing receivables and costs of collection from receivables. Further, there is a risk of bad debts also. It is, therefore, very essential to have a proper control and management of receivables. In fact, maintaining of receivables poses two types of problems; (i) the problem of raising funds to finance the receivables, and (it) the problems relating to collection, delays and defaults of the receivables. A small firm’ may handle the problem of receivables management of its own, but it may not be possible for a large firm to do so efficiently as it may be exposed to the risk of more and more bad debts. In such a case, a firm may avail the services of specialised institutions engaged in receivables management, called factoring firms. Meaning and Definition   : Factoring may broadly be defined as t...