Real World Lessons On Inventory Financing From Purchase Order To Cash
It’s possible. It’s certainly not easy though, but inventory financing and purchase order finance are two little known and under utilized Canadian business financing strategies for business owners and financial managers.
In certain industries, probably yours if you are reading this!, inventory is one of your key assets. The turnover and financing of that inventory play a key role in your sales and profit growth. You ability to purchase and turn inventory are key to the earnings you generate. That’s why when clients ask for information on their ability to finance purchase orders and inventory it becomes critical that they understand their options and the cost of those options.
It’s worth stepping back a bit and focusing on the fact that your ability to manage your inventory will play a key role in the ability to finance it. Simply speaking your ability to demonstrate turnover of product, controls in purchasing, and as important, and your firm’s ability to demonstrate reporting around this key current assets on your balance sheet.
The purchase order/contract and sales generation is of course the ultimate balance act for any firm – no inventory, or improper levels wont allow you to fulfill sales, too much inventory can drain cash flow.
Financing inventory in Canada really boils down to two essential solutions, your bank, or independent finance firms who are willing to take greater risks and offer you additional leverage on financing your products. Why do they take more risk – simply because it’s their business to understand your industry and the nature of your products and the ultimate salability or liquidation value? Their expertise in this area translates into greater borrowing power for your firm – and that’s a good thing!
Investing and monetizing your inventory is a good thing, provided that the inventory produces a solid rate of return – therefore financing and management of your products is key to overall business success.
Inventory financing and purchase order finance is Canada is available, it’s also specialized. As your firm generates new contracts and purchase orders that you are having a challenge in fulfilling (because of finance and cash flow pressures) you should consider finding an alternative source of financing based on your overall current business financing with your senior lender, typically a bank.
Specialized inventory financing and purchase order finance firms are most likely your problems solution. Funding is provided to fund the cost of your products with your suppliers, and the actual day to day finance strategy is much focused – payments are made to your suppliers, often directly, allowing you to receive product, and ship, thereby generating a receivable. Receivables turn into cash and the cycle is complete.
Inventory finance works best when it involves a holistic approach of collateralizing the purchase order, the inventory and the receivable that you generate as sales by its necessity typically involves a non banking institution, i.e. the private independent finance firms we’ve discussed. One tool, an asset based line of credit which collateralizes inventory, A/R, and even equipment is often the total solution you are looking for.
Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced business financing advisor to ensure you understand solutions available to inventory and p o financing for long term sales and profit growth.
