This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
7.1 Types of FirmsCategorize the major types of firms in theUnited States.
7.2 The Structure of Corporations and thePrincipal–Agent ProblemDescribe the typical management structure ofcorporations and understand the concepts ofseparation of ownership from control and theprincipal–agent problem.
7.3 How Firms Raise FundsExplain how firms raise the funds they needto operate and expand.
7.4 Using Financial Statements to Evaluate aCorporationUnderstand the information provided incorporations’ financial statements.
7.5 Corporate Governance PolicyUnderstand the role of government incorporate governance.
Appendix: Tools to Analyze Firms’ Financial Information
Understand the concept of present value and theinformation contained on a firm’s income statement and balance sheet.
Corporations Earn the Majority of Revenue and Profits
FIGURE 7-1Business Organizations: Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships, and Corporations
The three types of firms in the United States are sole proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations. Panel (a) shows that only 19 percent of all firms are corporations.Yet, as panels (b) and (c) show, corporations account for a large majority of the total revenue and profits earned by all firms.
Categorize the major types of firms in the United States.
How Important Are SmallBusinesses to the U.S. Economy?
Makingthe
Connection
In a typical year, 40 percent of new jobs are created by small firms like Yelp.com, which is a community-based review and directory website founded by Jeremy Stoppelman, left, and Russel Simmons.
YOUR TURN: Test your understanding by doing related problem 1.6 at the end of this chapter.
Entrepreneurs founding small firms have been the source of many of the most important new goods and services available to consumers.
Categorize the major types of firms in the United States.
The Structure of Corporationsand the Principal–Agent Problem
Corporate Structure and Corporate Governance
Separation of ownership from controlA situation in a corporation in which the top management, rather than the shareholders, control day-to-day operations.
Corporate governance The way in which a corporation is structured and the effect a corporation’s structure has on the firm’s behavior.
Principal–agent problem A problem caused by an agent pursuing his own interests rather than the interests of the principal who hired him.
Describe the typical management structure of corporations and understand the concepts of separation of ownership from control and the principal–agent problem.
Solved Problem 7-2Does the Principal–Agent Problem Apply to the Relationship between Managers and Workers?
Briefly explain whether you agree with the following argument:
The principal–agent problem applies not just to the relationship between shareholders and top managers. It also applies to the relationship between managers and workers.
Just as shareholders have trouble monitoring whether top managers are earning as much profit as possible, managers have trouble monitoring whether workers are working as hard as possible.
YOUR TURN: For more practice, do related problems 2.4 and 2.5 at the end ofthis chapter.
Describe the typical management structure of corporations and understand the concepts of separation of ownership from control and the principal–agent problem.
1. If you are making a profit, you could reinvest the profits back into your firm. Profits that are reinvested in a firm rather than taken out of a firm and paid to the firm’s owners are retained earnings.
2. You could raise funds by recruiting additional owners to invest in the firm
3. Finally, you could borrow the funds from relatives, friends, or a bank.
Explain how firms raise the funds they need to operate and expand.
7.3 LEARNING OBJECTIVE
As the owner of a small business, you can raise the funds for an expansion in three ways:
Indirect finance A flow of funds from savers to borrowers through financial intermediaries such as banks. Intermediaries raise funds from savers to lend to firms (and other borrowers).
Direct finance A flow of funds from savers to firms through financial markets, such as the New York Stock Exchange.
Explain how firms raise the funds they need to operate and expand.
The performance of the U.S. stock market is often measured by market indexes, which are averages of stock prices. The three most important indexes are the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500, and the NASDAQ. During the period from 1995 to mid-2009, the three indexes followed similar patterns, rising when the U.S. economywas expanding and falling when the economy was in recession.
Explain how firms raise the funds they need to operate and expand.
The landmark Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires that CEOs personally certify the accuracy of financial statements. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act also requires that financial analysts and auditors disclose whether any conflicts of interest might exist that would limit their independence in evaluating a firm’s financial condition.
Understand the role of government in corporate governance.
Beginning in 2007 and lasting into 2009, the U.S. economy suffered through the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. At the heart of the crisis was a problem in the market for home mortgages.
Fueled by the ease of obtaining a mortgage, housing prices in the United States soared before beginning a sharp downturn in mid-2006. By 2007, many borrowers—particularly subprime and Alt-A borrowers—began to default on their mortgages. This was bad news for anyone owning mortgage-backed securities because the value of these securities depended on steady payments being made on the underlying mortgages.
The Financial Meltdown of the Late 2000s
Understand the role of government in corporate governance.
Was the Principal–Agent Problemat the Heart of the Financial Crisis?
Makingthe
Connection
Did principal–agent problems lay low this Wall Street bull?
YOUR TURN: Test your understanding by doing related problem 5.8 at the end of this chapter.
Congress repealed the Glass-Steagall Act in 1999, after which some commercial banks began engaging in investment banking.
Traditionally, Wall Street investment banks had been organized as partnerships, but by 2000 they had all converted to being publicly traded corporations. With a publicly traded corporation, the principal–agent problem can be severe.
Understand the role of government in corporate governance.
Income statementIndirect financeInterest rateLiabilityLimited liabilityOpportunity costPartnershipPrincipal–agent problemSeparation of ownership from controlSole proprietorshipStock
Analyzing Income StatementsFIGURE 7A-1Google’s Income Statement for 2008
Google’s income statement shows the company’s revenue, costs, and profit for 2008. The difference between its revenue ($21,796 million) and its operating expenses ($16,258 million) is its operating income ($5,538 million). Most corporations also have investments, such as government or corporate bonds, that generate some income for them. In this case, Google earned $316 million, giving the firm an income before taxes of $5,854 million. After paying taxes of $1,627 million, Google was left with a net income, or accounting profit, of $4,227 million for the year.
Understand the concept of present value and the information contained on a firm’s income statement and balance sheet.
Analyzing Balance SheetsFIGURE 7A-2Google’s Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2008
Corporations list their assets on the left of their balance sheets and their liabilities on the right. The difference between the value of the firm’s assets and the value of its liabilities equals the net worth of the firm, or stockholders’ equity. Stockholders’ equity is listed on the right side of the balance sheet. Therefore, the value of the left side of the balance sheet must always equal the value of the right side.
Note: All values are in millions of dollars.
Understand the concept of present value and the information contained on a firm’s income statement and balance sheet.