ACCA FM Key Topics Simplified

1. Investment Appraisal

What It Is: Investment appraisal involves evaluating potential investment projects to determine their financial viability. This includes assessing the expected returns, risks, and overall impact on the organisation.

Key Concepts:

• Net Present Value (NPV): The difference between the present value of cash inflows and outflows. A positive NPV indicates a good investment.
• Internal Rate of Return (IRR): The discount rate that makes the NPV of an investment zero. A higher IRR than the cost of capital suggests a good investment.
• Payback Period: The time it takes for an investment to generate cash flows sufficient to recover the initial investment cost.

Example:

NPV Calculation: Suppose a project requires an initial investment of £100,000 and is expected to generate £30,000 annually for 5 years. If the discount rate is 10%, the NPV can be calculated as follows:

• NPV = £30,000 / (1+0.10)^1 + £30,000 / (1+0.10)^2 + £30,000 / (1+0.10)^3 + £30,000 / (1+0.10)^4 + £30,000 / (1+0.10)^5 - £100,000
• NPV = £24,545 + £22,314 + £20,285 + £18,441 + £16,764 - £100,000
• NPV = £2,349 (Positive NPV, so the investment is viable)

2. Working Capital Management

What It Is: Working capital management involves managing the short-term assets and liabilities of a company to ensure it can meet its short-term obligations and operate efficiently.

Key Concepts:

• Current Ratio: Measures the ability of a company to pay its short-term liabilities with its short-term assets. Calculated as Current Assets / Current Liabilities.
• Quick Ratio: Similar to the current ratio but excludes inventory from current assets. Calculated as (Current Assets - Inventory) / Current Liabilities.
• Cash Conversion Cycle: The time it takes for a company to convert its investments in inventory and other resources into cash flows from sales.

Example:

Current Ratio Calculation: Suppose a company has current assets of £150,000 and current liabilities of £100,000.

• Current Ratio = £150,000 / £100,000 = 1.5 (Indicates the company has £1.50 in current assets for every £1 of current liabilities)