1.0 Introduction
1.1 General Overview of the Study
Finance as they say is the “life wire of every business organization. Finance has often been a hindrance to the survival of many businesses and many firm fail to achieve some of their objective due to inadequate finance and as we know this has adverse effects on business.
According to Osubor (2003:3) finance is the study of the feature and function of any means of payment” equity (common stock) is defined as a variable income security issued by various firms. Equity is the sum of preferred and common-stock. Equity is usually divided into smaller units known as shares. As the owners, common stock holders contribute the risk capital of the firm and they rank last in the order of claims on the firm's income on liquidation of the firm. Gitman (1988:104) states that investors in equity own the firm. Equity financing can be defined as the funds that are obtained by the firm through retaining the profits a firm has made through investment of more money by the owners (issuance of shares through capital market.
1.2 Statement of Problems
This section is essentially concerned with the statement of the problem which have led the researcher to center his study on equity finance as an alternative source of funding business firms. In this regard, stringent efforts, will be made to state the principal factor that constitute the research problem.
The problem associated with other sources of funding business firm such as debentures and unsecured stocks, convertible debentures and loan stocks, preference shares, warrants, factoring, leading and debt financing etc. have caused a lot of impediments to the development of most business firms.
For instance, preference shares generally are regarded as non growth stock and because of this it is been seen as debt. In addition because preference share dividend is not expected to grow, holders of preference share insist on the payment of their dividend annually. This therefore becomes a serious liability to the business firm.
Therefore the research topic is being selected so as to evaluate an alternative source of funding business firms.
1.3 Objective of Study
The objective of this work is to study the importance of equity as an alternative source of funding business firm or organization over the other source of funding business firm they are as follows:
- To evaluate the alternative source of funds for business.
- To assess the costs of alternative source of funds.
- To evaluate the advantages of equity over other source.
- To make recommendation based on the empirical evidence.
1.4 Scope of the Study
In carrying out this research work only ABC transport Nigeria Ltd Owerri branch which is the case study will be visited for collection of primary data but its finding, shall be deemed to be applicable to every other firms This assertion is so because it is my believe that equity is an alternative source of funding business firm.
1.5 Statement of Hypothesis
- H1: There is a significance relationship between equity financing and capital growth of business firm.
- H2: Equity financing is the cheapest source of funding business firm.
1.6 Significance of Study
This centers on the importance of the study and its impact on the economy generally. As it was clearly pointed out in the statement of problems, the study is crucial as it aims at evaluating an alternative source of funding for business firms. The study is relevant to the following:
- The research will benefit from it as it will form part of the requirement for the award of the higher national diploma (HND certificate)
- It will serve as a reference material to other student or classes who may be researching on related topic.
- Managers of firm: this study will provide them with the knowledge of an alternative source of fun ding their firms.
- It creates opportunity for students who are studying financial management and other related courses to have in-dept knowledge of equity financing.
- Researcher: it gives the researcher an insight of equity financing as a source of funding business firms.
1.7 Limitation of Study
In carrying out research, the researcher encountered some constraints, which includes
Financial Constraints:
Generally, cost of living is high, researcher work like this one takes a lot of money to complete as a result for this particular study, the researcher did not find it easy since the financial involvement was much.
Time Constraints:
As already mentioned, the research work was conducted along side other academic, activities as well as the researchers paid employment, therefore the allocation of time among the activities in order to achieve a balance between academic demands and office work was not easy.
Research Data Acquisition Constraints:
given the nature of the research work and data needed. It was not easy to acquire all the data needed. Many of the workers refused to release some of the data needed for fear of leaking classified information.
This problem persisted in spite of fact that they were informed that the workers was only for academic purposes Eventually with some assistance, a number of the material needed was realized.
1.8 Definition of Terms
Broker:
A middlemen who brings together buyers and sellers of the same product, service commodity or security for this source.
Brokerage:
The fee or commission paid a client to a broker for the execution of this order.
Capital Market:
It is market where loan medium term securities are bough and sold.
Stock Exchange:
Is a market place where government and private companies are able, by the issue of new share and shares to raise money to finance their operations.
Jobber:
Is a person who specialize and deals in certain securities or middlemen who buys from wholesale dealers and sells to retailers.
Equity Capital:
This is fund pounded for business by the owners of the firm this can be done by selling shares to the public for them to subscribe.
Shareholders:
They are those that risk their fund by buying shares from a company that wants to get more funds for their business.
Stockholder:
This is an individuals or firm who engage in the business of selling securities for firm.
Divided:
This is payment made out from the profit made by a firm to the shareholders or stock holders. It is paid according ton the number of shares bough by the investor or shareholders.
Bond:
Are interest bearing certificate of debt usually issued by obligates to itself to pay the principal amount and interest a specified time
Blue Clip:
This is highly priced and valued for its security or the ordinary shares of the highest class of firms.
Retained Earnings:
This is profit made by a firm which is plough back into the business of the payment of taxes.
Maturity Date:
This is the length of time between the issue and repayment period of share price.
Financial Market:
This is a market where only securities are traded on a regular basis. People seen in this market are brokers and jobbers and others.
Cost of Equity:
This is the rate which must effectively be paid in order to maintain the present market value of the equity.
Debt:
This means debenture, bond creditor and long term loan. This attracts interest which must be paid whether a form makes profit or not.
Capital Structure:
This is the permanent financial of a firm represented primarily long term debt, preferred stock and common equity.
Prospectus:
This is a form issued to the public by the firm for those who wish to subscribe for the firms share.
Allotment:
This is a part of an issued stock appointed by an investment firm to a purchaser on investor or subscriber.
New Issue:
This seen as those stock or share sold by corporation or firm for the first time.
Firm:
This is an independently administered business unit carrying out production, constructions or distribution activities.
