Working Capital & Cash Flow Solutions: Should I Borrow From A Bank?
Thursday, May 27th, 2010Recently, my newspaper reported that a local bank “… a rating of four stars for excellence Quarter 4 / 60 consecutive wins.” It is sixteen years of four star quality! The article goes on to say that the rating is based on a complicated formula that includes … levels of capital security, quality of loan portfolio, and the possibility of obligations … “The press is designed to highlight the value of this bank and to demonstrate its leading position in the economy.
As a former banker with over seventeen years of business experience, I chuckled this information is launched by the bank and its regulators for self-promotion and marketing. I suppose if you’re a blue-hair whose goal is to find a place other than under the mattress to keep your retirement funds, this article was good news. But what does this mean for the business owner or entrepreneur looking for funding partners to participate in an opportunity to grow, more jobs and profits? In short, this information should be a wake up call to find another bank here is why.
Let us explore the meaning underlying business in a part of that formula “complex”.
Security Level Capital
In other words, this means that the bank has sufficient cash reserves. The money is available but not borrowed – the capital of safety. The banks that have large reserves of capital may be considered too low on the scale of aggressive lending. They hoard cash – but not the same return on the money set aside would do if they can cash invested. But the bank is less risky than money lending panel cash, thus contributing to their rating of four stars for excellence.
The quality of loan portfolio
A loan portfolio of high quality means that the experience of loss of bank loans at or above the levels required by regulators. It can be concluded that the bank takes less risks. Banks are not supposed to do or to take risks. A banker is never rewarded for taking risks! The banking system rewards those who can apply for a loan outside the subscription settings the decrease. quality of loan portfolio is high = ready access to low rate of entrepreneurship. It is obvious that banks are not risk takers on the basis of low yields, they are willing to accept.
Banks with four star excellence ratings seek commercial customers who are stable and have little need to borrow. The remaining 72% of business customers are left outside the circle of those banks. Where do these companies turn cash flow working capital for their business? Where are they going to finance growth opportunities and develop new niche markets? companies most often they turn to the world commonly accepted non-traditional funding sources – Preferred SBA business loans for real estate and capital lease for the equipment required, and factoring companies for the needs of working capital. These non-traditional funding sources to assess the opportunities to participate in lending funds to small and medium enterprises. Non-traditional lending rate on funds borrowed may be higher than traditional bank rates, but their task is to collect funds to be used to generate a return, not to leave cash idle in the wings of a quality four stars available. Their price reflects the perceived risk. And they are not constrained by the regulatory bureaucracy or fear of loss of their four stars because the banks.
In this changing world, a private company said financing options outside the traditional channels to be explored. Before a need arises for a company must become familiar with alternative funding sources. And maybe, if your bank informs you that it is still a four star rating for excellence … wise to do your options for working capital and cash flow responses.