Principles of Finance: Liuren Wu

FIN 3000
Chapter 1
Principles of Finance
Liuren Wu
Overview
1. What is Finance
2. Three Types of Business Organizations
3. The Goal of the Financial Manager
4. The Four Basic Principles of Finance
2 FIN3000, Liuren Wu
Learning Objectives
1. Identify the 3 primary business decisions that financial

managers make.
2. Identify the key differences between 3 major legal forms of

business.
3. Understand the role of the financial manager within the

firm and the goal for making financial choices.
4. Memorize the 4 principles of finance that form the basis of

financial management for both businesses and individuals.
What is Finance?
 Finance is the study of how people and businesses evaluate
investments and raise capital to fund them. (-- How to get
and use money)
 Three questions addressed by the study of finance
1. What long-term investments should the firm undertake?
(capital budgeting decisions – how to spend the money?)
2. How should the firm fund these investments? (capital structure
decisions -- How to get the money?)
3. How can the firm best manage its cash flows as they arise in its
day-to-day operations? (working capital management decisions
– how to manage cash (liquid) money?)
Three Types of Business Organizations
Business
Forms
Sole Partnerships Corporations

Hybrids
Proprietorships
Sole Proprietorship
 It is a business owned by a single individual that is entitled to
all the firm’s profits and is responsible for all the firm’s debt.
 There is no separation between the business and the owner
when it comes to debts or being sued.
 Sole proprietorships are generally financed by personal loans
from family and friends and business loans from banks.
 Advantages:
 Easy to start
 No need to consult others while making decisions
 Taxed at the personal tax rate
 Disadvantages:
 Personally liable for the business debts
 Ceases on the death of the proprietor
Partnership
 A general partnership is an association of two or more persons
who come together as co-owners for the purpose of operating a
business for profit.
 There is no separation between the partnership and the owners
with respect to debts or being sued.
 Advantages:
 Relatively easy to start
 Taxed at the personal tax rate
 Access to funds from multiple sources or partners
 Disadvantages:
 Partners jointly share unlimited liability
Limited Partnership
 In limited partnerships, there are two classes of partners:

general and limited.
 The general partners runs the business and face unlimited

liability for the firm’s debts, while the limited partners are
only liable on the amount invested.
 One of the drawback of this form is that it is difficult to

transfer the ownership of the general partner.
Corporation
 Corporation is “an artificial being, invisible, intangible, and
existing only in the contemplation of the law.”
 Corporation can individually sue and be sued, purchase, sell
or own property, and its personnel are subject to criminal
punishment for crimes committed in the name of the
corporation.
 Corporation is legally owned by its current stockholders.
 The Board of directors are elected by the firm’s shareholders.

One responsibility of the board of directors is to appoint the
senior management of the firm.
Corporation Pros & Cons
 Advantages
 Liability of owners limited to invested funds
 Life of corporation is not tied to the owner
 Easier to transfer ownership
 Easier to raise Capital
 Disadvantages
 Greater regulation
 Double taxation of dividends
Hybrid Organizations
 These organizational forms provide a cross between a

partnership and a corporation.
 Limited liability company (LLC) combines the tax benefits of

a partnership (no double taxation of earnings) and limited
liability benefit of corporation (the owner’s liability is limited
to what they invest).
 S-type corporation provides limited liability while allowing

the business owners to be taxed as if they were a partnership
– that is, distributions back to the owners are not taxed twice
as is the case with dividends in the standard corporate form.
The Goal of the Financial Manager
 The goal of the financial manager must be consistent with
the mission of the corporation.
• To maximize firm value shareholder’s wealth (as
measured by share prices).
 While managers have to cater to all the stakeholders (such as
consumers, employees, suppliers etc.), they need to pay
particular attention to the owners of the corporation, i.e.,
shareholders.
 If managers fail to pursue shareholder wealth maximization,
they will lose the support of investors and lenders. The
business may cease to exist and ultimately, the managers will
lose their jobs!
Corporate Mission Statements: Examples
 “To achieve sustainable growth, we have established a vision

with clear goals: Maximizing return to shareholders while
being mindful of our overall responsibilities” (part of Coca-
Cola’s mission statement)
 “Our final responsibility is to our stockholders …when we

operate according to these principles, the stockholders
should realize a fair return” (part of Johnson & Johnson’s
credo)
 “Optimize for the long-term rather than trying to produce

smooth earnings for each quarter” -- Google.
The Four Basic Principles of Finance
1. Money has a time value.
 A dollar received today is more valuable than a dollar received in the future
(due to interests, investment returns,…)
2. There is a risk-return trade-off.

 One shall take extra risk only if one expects to be compensated for extra
return.
3. Cash flows are the source of value.

 Profit is an accounting concept designed to measure a business’s performance
over an interval of time.
 Cash flow is the amount of cash that can actually be taken out of the business
over this same interval.
4. Market prices reflect information.

 Investors respond to new information by buying and selling their investments.

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FIN 3000

1. Identify the 3 primary business decisions that financial

2. Identify the key differences between 3 major legal forms of

3. Understand the role of the financial manager within the

4. Memorize the 4 principles of finance that form the basis of

Sole Partnerships Corporations

 In limited partnerships, there are two classes of partners:

 The general partners runs the business and face unlimited

 One of the drawback of this form is that it is difficult to

 The Board of directors are elected by the firm’s shareholders.

 These organizational forms provide a cross between a

 Limited liability company (LLC) combines the tax benefits of

 S-type corporation provides limited liability while allowing

 “To achieve sustainable growth, we have established a vision

 “Our final responsibility is to our stockholders …when we

 “Optimize for the long-term rather than trying to produce

2. There is a risk-return trade-off.

3. Cash flows are the source of value.

4. Market prices reflect information.

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