Symptoms of financial stress
Entrepreneurship is a driving ambition for many people, but it’s never been such a challenging time to be running a business. Inflation, energy costs, environmental and sustainability issues, skills shortages, global supply chain concerns, the aftermath of the pandemic and the challenges of hybrid working have created a perfect storm of complications which can cause financial stress in even the most robust companies. Directors need to be aware that the slide towards insolvency can be so gradual that by the time the danger signals are apparent, it’s almost too late to reverse the damage. The issues surrounding a failing business can be financially and personally devastating. Directors often feel out of their depth at a time when prompt action is essential not only to pull the business back from the brink, but to guarantee they are complying with numerous mandatory regulations. Getting advice from a trusted professional - for example, your accountant and/ or solicitor - can ensure that you address the most urgent issues to protect your business. Ill-advised decisions at this stage can create personal liabilities for the directors and accelerate the demise of the business into a formal insolvency process. Early intervention is crucial, but how do you know when to start worrying? And how do you go about putting it right? In this brochure, we’ll answer these questions and hopefully help get your business back on track.
The more of these problems you recognise, the more urgent the action that is required.
Deteriorating results
Adverse performance to budget Declining sales, sales margin or retained profit Reducing order book Significant ‘exceptional’ costs Covenants tight, waived or breached Late accounts or qualified audit report
There are a number of signs that your company may be facing increasing difficulties. Some potential signs of trouble include:
Operational
On stop with suppliers Legal letters, CCJs or the threat of winding-up petitions Loss of credit insurance limits Difficulty retaining or recruiting staff Difficulties fulfilling orders, delivering on time or to specified quality Management time taken up ‘fighting fires’ and managing stakeholders Implementing short term cost reduction programmes
Balance sheet
Negative tangible net worth Trade creditors increasing faster than business growth (stretch) Increasing debtor days (poor credit control)
Arrears accumulating to HMRC Increasing stock holding or stock turnaround times
Negative operating cash flows Tight or hardcore overdraft Time to pay agreements with HMRC or other suppliers Increasing borrowings and financing costs with tertiary funders Inability to make payments on due dates Reduced liquidity (cash flow)
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