Question Tag: Delayed Payment

The Chairman of Opeyemi plc, a company listed on the Alternative Investment Market, has circulated a memorandum to the company’s directors and senior managers which contains the following statements:

“Looking to the year ahead, there are a number of measures which I propose to increase the company’s earnings per share (EPS).

Payments to trade creditors should be made as late as possible, even if this means extending our credit beyond the terms allowed by our suppliers. The company currently runs a substantial overdraft, and this measure will cut the level of bank interest and charges.

Relatively high capital expenditure in recent years has resulted in substantial depreciation charges in the profit or loss account. All capital spending, including that on the Oloro II project – designed to reduce toxic emissions from the manufacturing plant – should be postponed except where such spending can be shown to be essential to current operations.

Staff pay should be frozen at this year’s level for the forthcoming year. The company’s sponsorship of the local charity events run by the Staff Social Club should also, regrettably, be ended.

By boosting profits and therefore EPS, these measures will help us to achieve the highest possible stock market capitalisation.”

Required:

a. Prepare a response to the Chairman’s proposals which examines the possible consequences of the proposals for the price of the company’s shares and for the company’s stakeholders. (9 Marks)

b. Discuss FOUR ways that encourage managers to achieve stakeholder objectives. (6 Marks)

(Total 15 Marks)