Tuesday, 29 May 2012

Funding squeeze getting tighter



The Bank of England has drawn attention yet again to the difficulties of firms to obtain finance against the current economic backdrop. In its latest dire assessment it cites that many companies (particularly SME’s) are “unable to obtain credit at any cost”.

Long term funding is especially hard to secure requiring the renegotiations of existing facilities with the accompanying charges. It is not unusual that overdrafts are being reduced or even withdrawn with the subsequent knock-on effect.

Latest figures for April show 1,564 companies failed with SME’s hardest hit.

The Banks are still trying to repair their balance sheets at the same time that the problems in the Eurozone take centre stage and against this background they will not change their current operating procedures.

It is imperative that all Debtors are rigorously policed, Stock holdings kept to a minimum and the utmost scrutiny is applied to all elements of operating costs.

Expect some very inventive tactics from Debtors to delay their payment obligations and the damage done to your own cash-flow should they be allowed to do so.

 


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