External Sources of Finance (Edexcel IGCSE Business)
Revision Note
Written by: Lisa Eades
Reviewed by: Steve Vorster
Introduction to External Sources of Finance
An external source of finance is money that is introduced into the business from outside
External finance is used when a business cannot fulfil its needs with internal sources of finance
The main Sources of External Finance
Overdrafts | Trade Credit | Loans |
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Share Capital | Venture Capital | Crowdfunding |
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The implications of the different types of external finance need to be carefully considered
Interest and fees to arrange finance can vary significantly between financial providers
The percentage of company ownership required in exchange for finance depends on how much risk investors are willing to take
The length of time allowed to repay borrowings or achieve investment targets also varies
Overdrafts & Trade Credit
An overdraft is a flexible arrangement for a business current account holder to spend more money than they have in their account
A limit is agreed and interest is charged only when a business ‘goes overdrawn
Overdraft users are typically charged interest at a daily rate
Using an overdraft for a long period can therefore be expensive compared to other methods
An overdraft may be ‘called in’ if the bank is concerned about a business's ability to repay what it owes
Some large businesses rely heavily on overdrafts to manage working capital
Trade credit is where a business has an agreement to delay paying suppliers for a typical period of 30 to 90 days
This helps to improve the cash flow position of the business
Trade credit is usually interest-free
Large businesses tend to be able to request more generous trade credit terms from suppliers than small businesses
Businesses using trade credit may miss out on early payment discounts
Finance from Loans
A sum of money is borrowed from a bank or other financial provider and repaid with a fixed interest rate over a specific period of time
The loan application must be approved before funds are transferred to the business
This may require a convincing business plan containing financial forecasts
Some financial providers demand collateral before a loan is granted
Long-term loans, known as mortgages, are used to fund the purchase of property
Repayment is typically over 25 or more years
Mortgages can have fixed or variable interest rates
Finance from Selling Shares
A private limited company can raise finance by selling shares to friends, family or private investors such as business angels
Public limited companies can raise large amounts of finance through the initial sale of shares during stock market flotation or through a rights issue
Debentures are long-term loan certificates issued by limited companies to shareholders
Debentures must be repaid with a fixed rate of interest to lenders
Venture Capital
Venture capital is sometimes available to businesses that are deemed too risky for other investors or lenders but are considered to have long-term growth potential
It generally comes from specialist businesses and banks that look to maximise their return on investment
Venture capitalists may invest technological expertise, financial advice and management experience in return for a share in the business
Their investment is usually made for a fixed period of time, typically four to six years
Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding allows businesses to access finance provided by a large number of small investors on online platforms such as Kickstarter and Fundable
Investments are voluntary donations that do not have to be repaid and do not attract a dividend
The business has to reach a target amount before any funds are released
They receive no funding if the investment target is not met by a set date
Crowdfunders do not own a share of the business
They are often attracted by incentives such as a sample or early access to a product
Flow Hive is a beekeeping system that was successfully funded on Indiegogo in 2015
Its crowdfunding campaign raised $12.2 million from 38,470 backers
Examiner Tips and Tricks
In recent years traditional lenders such as banks have been reluctant to lend to all but the least risky businesses
Peer to Peer lending, crowdfunding and sources such as business angels have been able to fill some of the gaps left by changes in the banking industry
Recognising that a business may not be able to achieve its objectives due to an inability to borrow can be a useful evaluative point
An Evaluation of External Sources of Finance
Businesses must investigate and select a combination of sources of finance that are most appropriate for their particular needs
A range of factors affect the suitability of sources of finance chosen by a business
Diagram: Factors Affecting the Choice of Finance
The choice of finance is affected by the timescale, cost and purpose of the finance, the legal structure of the business, willingness of owners to relinquish control and the level of existing debt
Timescale
Short-term sources of finance will be needed to meet unexpected costs or to pay bills and suppliers
These are likely to be relatively small amounts and are rarely needed beyond a year
Longer-term sources of finance will be needed to fund the purchase of non-current assets such as property and other types of capital equipment
These are likely to be large sums that may be required for a significant period of time
Diagram: Short-term & Long-term Sources of Finance
Long-term and short-term sources of finance
Legal structure
Sole traders, partnerships and small private limited companies usually have a more limited range of sources of finance as they are seen as being a greater lending risk
Interest rates on loans are likely to be higher as these businesses tend to lend smaller amounts than public limited companies and are not in a position to approach specialist lenders
Public limited companies are able to access a wide selection of sources of finance and are able to provide collatoral as security for lenders
Cost
Interest payable on loans can add a significant cost to the use of some sources of finance
Variable interest rates change during the borrowing term, which may make financial planning difficult
Fixed interest rates remain constant for the duration of the loan and for this reason, they are usually higher than variable rates
Selling shares in public limited companies is an expensive process
Flotation is usually carried out by merchant banks, which charge a premium for their specialist services
Selling shares through a rights issue may reduce the amount of share capital raised as they are usually sold at a discount to existing shareholders
Control
Selling shares or raising venture capital can result in some loss of control for business owners
Smaller businesses may have to accept the terms of more powerful suppliers or business angels, as they have little power to negotiate
Purpose of the finance
Certain sources of finance have narrowly focused uses
A mortgage is the most appropriate type of lending to purchase property
Overdrafts are flexible and are best used for short-term working capital requirements
The level of existing debt
Highly geared businesses already make use of significant amounts of debt
Lenders and investors may be reluctant to provide further funds due to the level of risk the business presents
Businesses with a poor or no borrowing history may not meet credit score requirements and would be excluded from most types of credit
Examiner Tips and Tricks
A frequently-asked question is one that asks you to justify a suitable source of finance for a particular business. In your justification you will need to consider the context of the business as well as the factors listed above. Your justification must recommend which one source of finance would be most appropriate in this particular scenario.
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