1 UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS HO CHI MINH CITY International School of Business NGUYEN THI THU THUY INEFFICIENCY RECEIVABLE MANAGEMENT CASE OF HIGH ACCOUNT RECEIVABLE IN THMC ID: 22130077 MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION SUPERVISOR: PhD. PHAM PHU QUOC Ho Chi Minh City – Year 2016 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This thesis becomes a reality with the kind support and help of many individuals. I would like to extend my truthful thanks to all of them. Foremost, I would like to express my gratitude and sincere thanks to my advisor, PhD.
Pham Phu Quoc for his guidance, imparting his knowledge and expertise my study. Special thanks to members of THM Company for cooperating, supporting and providing necessary information regarding this thesis. My thanks and appreciations also go to my group mates who have cooperated with me to complete this thesis and classmates who have willingly helped me out with their abilities. Last but not least, warmest thanks to my family and my fiancé who always support and encourage me in completion of this thesis.
2 TABLE OF CONTENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. 1 TABLE OF CONTENT. 2 CHAPTER 1 – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. 5 CHAPTER 2 - PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION.3 The first tentative problem: Trade credit policy .4 The second tentative problem: Ineffective coordination .5 The third tentative problem: External effects .6 The real core problem: Trace credit policy .1 Alternative 1 - Change trade credit policy .2 Alternative 2 - Bank guarantee .3 Alternative 3 - Factoring accounts receivable.4 Selection of solutions.
39 3 CHAPTER 6 – SUPPORTING INFORMATION .2 Definition of theoretical frameworks .3 Consequences of ineffective accounts receivable management. 63 4 List of figures Figure 2. Return on assets of THM, Nam Phong and the industry Figure 2. Return on equity of THM, Nam Phong and the industry Figure 2.
Decrease in sales and accounts receivable Figure 2. Receivable turnover ratio of THM, Nam Phong and the industry Figure 2. Days sales outstanding of THM, Nam Phong and the industry Figure 2.6 Aging of THM’s accounts receivable in 2014 Figure 2. Factors cause the inefficiency in accounts receivable Figure 6.1 Cash conversion cycle Figure 6.
Consequences of high accounts receivable List of tables Table 2. Revenue and profit after tax of THM Table 2. Percentage of accounts receivable on credit sales Table 2. Receivables’ ratios of THMC 5 CHAPTER 1 – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Working capital management is paramount for an enterprise, especially for manufacturing, trading and distribution firms, because of its significant effects on the profitability and liquidity of the firm (Lazaridis & Tryfonidis, 2006).
As one of three primary elements of working capital, accounts receivable also have impact on the operating result of the firm. It is the most important source of external finance of enterprises (Petersen & Rajan, 1997) and also a supporting source for buyers (Cheng & Pike, 2003). Thus, the managers can use accounts receivable as a tool to increase company’s revenue, profit as well as the relationship with customers. Too high amount of receivables, though, can lead to many consequences that make decreases on company’s performance (Gill, Biger & Mathur, 2010).
Thus, keeping accounts receivable at an optimal amount is an important financial issue. The thesis is about the problem of inefficient receivable management of THM. It causes the inefficient in cash conversion cycle and working capital management which have bad influence on the profitability of the company. The study will point out the factors that make this inefficiency as well as its financial outcomes.
After considering all the aspects leading to the problem, the thesis then aims at finding and advising the possible alternatives and practices for improving the efficiency of company’s receivables management. 6 CHAPTER 2 - PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION 2.1 Company Background THM trading and construction limited company is the 1st level agency of Akzo Nobel Vietnam. They distribute the painting products to the construction projects and the 2nd level agencies in Vietnam. Established in 1996, THM was a retail store supplying construction materials like brick, iron, steel, paint, roller… THM has developed strongly and steadily.
In 2002, the THM retail store was developed into THM trading and construction limited company with the business focus being painting products. Until now, their supply chain covers almost all provinces in the South of Vietnam. They achieve the highest revenue in Southern Vietnam for many years. In 2011, the company reached the highest revenue in both projects and agencies segments in the whole Vietnam market.
Below is some basic information of the company. Company name: Công ty trách nhiệm hữu hạn thương mại và xây dựng Thế Hệ Mới English name: The He Moi trading and construction limited company (THMC) Office: 299 Tan Ky Tan Quy Street, Tan Son Nhi Ward, Tan Phu District, HCMC 7 Warehouse: 259 Tan Ky Tan Quy Street, Tan Son Nhi Ward, Tan Phu District, HCMC Tel/fax: (08) 35367276/8472838 Capacity: 4.000 VND Company structure: 1 general director, 1 chef accountant, 1 warehouse manager, 1 sale leader and 20 staffs. Directorate Accounting department Warehouse department Sales department Accountants Warehouse staffs Salesman 2.2 Situational analysis Before conducting interviews with THM’s members, Company’s annual reports are provided. Having a glance at financial documents reveals the basics of the company’s situation at that time.
The most noticeable information is the significant decrease in total revenue and the profit during the period of 4 years. The company even made losses in 2013 and 2014. Revenue and profit after tax of THM 2011 2012 2013 2014 Revenue 83,873,256,871 50,348,740,377 34,229,467,210 26,441,898,754 Profit after tax 1,185,546,709 26,389,069 - 45,377,948 - 252,311,429 (THM’s Income statement, 2011-2014) In 2011, the return rates of THMC were very high in comparison to the rates of construction materials industry. Especially, return on equity (ROE) was over 45%.
However, in the next 3 years, ROA and ROE of the firm was decreased dramatically. In 2014, although the industry ROA and ROE ratio recovered and increased to 3% and 10%, respectively, THM’s ratios continued falling. In comparison to Nam Phong Company which is another supplier of Akzo Nobel’s products, the data also indicates the poor outcome from THM. During the period of 3 years from 2012 to 2014, Nam Phong’s return rates increased to the very high point.
The comparisons with the industry and Nam Phong, it can be easily noticed point out the ineffective in working of THM in the last 4 years. The figures below will show the details.00% 2011 2012 2013 2014 THM Nam Phong Industry Figure 2. Return on assets of THM, Nam Phong and the industry ROE 50.00% 2011 2012 2013 2014 THM Nam Phong Industry Figure 2. Return on equity of THM, Nam Phong and the industry 10 Conducting interviews with members of THM, they reveal many issues which have influences on the company’s performance and accounts receivable is one of the most challenging troubles in recent years.
According to Mrs. Nguyet, the director of THM, “there is too much capital tied up in the account receivables”. Through the financial statement, it can be noticed that there were considerable drops in accounts receivable amount during the period from 2011 to 2014. However, this decreases were not due to the efficient accounts receivable management but the large reduction of revenue.
The decrease speed of accounts receivable is even lower than sales which indicates that the credit terms are more lenient (Cheng & Pike, 2003). In 4 years, the sales felt down over 68% while amount of accounts receivable only decreases less than a half. Decrease in sales and accounts receivable 11 There are many factors affecting the level of receivable, but the amount of credit sales have direct influence on this accounts (Subramanyam & Wild, 2009). The table below shows the volume of credit sales and percentage of accounts receivable on the credit sales.
Percentage of accounts receivable on credit sales 2011 2012 2013 2014 Sale on credit 47,074,803,226 29,150,598,951 20,840,975,616 15,691,555,213 % AR/Sales on credit 23.56% (THM’s Income statement, 2011-2014) During 4 years, although the volume of sales on credit decrease sharply, the percentage of accounts receivable on total sales on credit climbed up from 23% and remain at a significant high level of 47% in 2014. The decrease speed of accounts receivable is also slower than credit sales. Based on data from financial reports, accounts receivable ratios are computed and indicated in the following table. Receivables’ ratios of THMC 2011 2012 2013 2014 THM Receivable Turnover ratio 4.10 THM days sales outstanding 85 134 156 174 Over 4 years, both two accounts receivable ratios tended to deteriorate.
Receivables turnover ratio decreased substantially from 4.1 and the number of days sales outstanding increased to over 5 months in 2014. The meaning of receivables turnover ratio is measure the number of times accounts receivable were collected during the year and how efficiently a company uses the working capital (Subramanyam & Wild, 2011). The decrease in account receivable turnover shows that the company was not successful in managing the account and it took more time to turn account receivable into cash. This is a signal of the fact that the company is having difficulties in collecting sales made on credit.
The number confirms the perspective of Ms. Nhi, who works in Finance – accounting department. She said that “the speed of collecting receivables in THM kept declining”; “customers delayed their debts for longer time” and it makes “an amount of working capital locked up in this account for long time”. In other words, there were more delinquent customers and also the costs of holding receivables for a longer period of time.
13 The figures below indicate the ratio comparison of THM with Nam Phong and industry. Receivable Turnover ratio 8.00 - 2011 2012 2013 2014 THM Nam Phong Industry Figure 2. Receivable turnover ratio of THM, Nam Phong and the industry Days sales outstanding 200.0 - 2011 2012 2013 2014 THM Nam Phong Industry Figure 2. Days sales outstanding of THM, Nam Phong and the industry 14 In comparison to the industry of construction materials and a competitor – Nam Phong, THM’s ratios are worst.
While Nam Phong had ratios being near by the industry, there was a significant gap between THM’s turnover and the others. That is a signal of the ineffective accounts receivable management. That means the company is having troubles in collecting accounts receivable and the customers hold a large number of working capital in too long period. The liquidity of THM accounts receivable and the speed that receivables are converted into cash is low.
In the interview, Miss Nhi, who works in financial – accounting department, revealed that “many customers delay their payment for long time. It is about 4-6 months, even 1 year. Moreover, some of them default in payment”. From the provided accounts receivable legers at the end of 2014, the accounts receivable of THM can be divided in to 6 levels.
The pie chart below indicates percentage of each element in accounts receivable in 2014. 15 8% 18% 6% 0 - 45 days 45days - 3 months 11% 3 months - 6months 6 months - 12 months 23% 1 year - 2 years over 2 year - consider as default 35% Figure 2. Aging of THM’s accounts receivable in 2014 It can be easily see that data from accounting documents reflects properly the results of direct interviews. At the end of 2014, the most percentage of total receivables concentrates in 3 to 6 months accounts receivable which is overdue for 1.
There is even 8% of debt is over 2 years and the company considers it as uncollectable debt. In reality, the company offer 45 days of credit period for all customers, account receivables lasted more than 45 days are overdue debts. In 2014, there is only 18% of receivable being in maturity and overdue debt occupied 82% of accounts receivable amount. This large number indicates that accounts receivable management of THM is not effective.