In order to better serve their rural patients, Drs. Dan and Jack Fleming (brothers) began giving safety seminars. Especially popular were their "emergency-preparedness" talks given to farmers. Many people asked whether the "kit" of materials the doctors recommended for common farm emergencies was commercially available.

After checking with several suppliers, the doctors realized that no other company offered the supplies they recommended in their seminars, packaged in the way they described. Their wives, Julie and Amy, agreed to make a test package by ordering supplies from various medical supply companies and assembling them into a "kit" that could be sold at the seminars. When these kits proved a runaway success, the sisters-in-law decided to market them. At the advice of their accountant, they organized this venture as a separate company, called Life Protection Products (LPP), with Julie Fleming as CEO and Amy Fleming as Secretary-Treasurer.

LPP soon started receiving requests for the kits from all over the country, as word spread about their availability. Even without advertising, LPP was able to sell its full inventory very month. However, the company was becoming financially strained. Julie and Amy had about $100,000 in savings, and they invested about half that amount initially. They believed that this venture would allow them to make money. However, at the present time, only about $30,000 of the cash remains, and the company is constantly short of cash.

Julie has come to you for advice. She does not understand why the company is having cash flow problems. She and Amy have not even been withdrawing salaries. However, they have rented a local building and have hired two more full-time workers to help them cope with the increasing demand. They do not think they could handle the demand without this additional help.

Julie is also worried that the cash problems mean that the company may not be able to support itself. She has prepared the cash budget shown below. All seminar customers pay for their products in full at the time of purchase. In addition, several large companies have ordered the kits for use by employees who work in remote sites. They have requested credit terms and have been allowed to pay in the month following the sale. These large purchasers amount to about 25% of the sales at the present time. LPP purchases the materials for the kits about 2 months ahead of time. Julie and Amy are considering slowing the growth of the company by simply purchasing less materials, which will mean selling fewer kits.

The workers are paid in cash weekly. Julie and Amy need about $15,000 cash on hand at the beginning of the month to pay for purchases of raw materials. Right now they have been using cash from their savings, but as noted, only $30,000 is left.

Instructions

Write a response to Julie Fleming. Explain why LPP is short of cash. Will this company be able to support itself? Explain your answer. Make any recommendations you deemappropriate.

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LIFE PROTECTION PRODUCTS Cash Budget For the Quarter Ending June 30, 2011 April $15,000 May June Cash balance, beginning $15,000 $15,000 Cash received From prior month sales 5,000 7,500 12,500 37,500 From current sales 15,000 22,500 35,000 Total cash on hand 45,000 65,000 Cash payments To employees For products Miscellaneous expenses Postage 3,000 3,000 3,000 45,000 25,000 35,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 Total cash payments 34,000 45.000 56,000 $ 9,000 $ 1,000 Cash balance $ 1,000 Borrow from savings $15,000 $14,000 $ 5,000 Borrow from bank?