I calculated an “inventory turnover ratio” which measures the number of times a company sells its inventory during a year. A high rate of turnover indicates easiness in selling inventory; a low rate indicates difficulty. In 2011, the inventory turnover was 6.1. By 2012 the ratio decreased to 5.2. The decrease may be due to a slow ability to turn around merchandise in sales and potentially due to paying a higher cost for goods.
During 2004, the situation got worse and the assets had gone down to 48.5%. Lucent’s cash and cash equivalents went down from 24% of their entire assets in 2003 to almost 20% in 2004. Lucent’s inventories, however, came up from 4.0% in 2003 to 4.8% in 2004, this is about a 20 percent increase in the total inventory. Lucent Technologies had a quite significant drop of their debt structure between the years of 2003 and 2004. While the current liability dropped from 25.6% in 2003 to 24.3% in 2004, it is apparent that this company has allocated for this as a long-term debt since it rose from 23% of total liabilities in 2003 to 26.4% in 2004.
Though oil prices recovered somewhat in the second quarter of 2009, energy exports continued to fall as decreased demand outweighed supply.16 Canada’s automotive and industrial goods industries also experienced substantial declines in exports. In 2009, automotive exports (predominantly to the U.S) slumped by 19% and earnings in the industrial goods and materials sector fell by $11.7 billion over the last three quarters. More than half of the losses in the latter sector resulted from decreased Chinese demand (one of the largest importers of earth materials) and deflated metal ore and alloy prices. Nickel ore experienced the largest and most rapid decline in value; prices fell by 75% (almost $1 billion). In addition, copper and aluminum fell by 50% whereas gold incurred a small loss in the second quarter.
Recent indicators display worsening conditions as mid January new unemployment claims have increased. The economy has continued to decline based on the unemployment rate, heavy equity losses in housing, and the continued difficulty in obtaining credit. Manufacturing output declines of the last few months of 2008 fell even more in January to the lowest since World War II. The exports had eased the demand decline domestically during mid 2008 but that market also experienced a decline by the end months. The reduction of energy prices mid 2008 is being credited for the overall inflation price slowing.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, median household income in the United States dropped 2.3% in 2010 after accounting for inflation. Overall, median household income in the United States has declined by a total of 6.8% once you account for inflation since December 2007. Should we be excited that our incomes are going down and that a record number of Americans slipped into poverty last year? Should we be thrilled that the economic pie is shrinking and that our debt levels are exploding? All of those that claimed that the U.S. economy was recovering and that everything were going to be just fine having some explaining to do.
However during bad times there was an access of inventory which led to problems. Another issue in the auto industry is the interest rates as high interest rates led to a decrease in consumer demand for vehicles due to higher monthly payments. Eaton’s strategy to counteract a downturn was to set aside built up cash balance of $7.6 Billion or $21.13 per share as a cushion for the next downturn. Eaton’s move had critics but results showed that Chrysler’s pension was fully funded for the first time in almost 40 years and their credit rating was also upgraded to single A by major credit agencies. Without the implementation of Eaton’s strategy Chrysler’s credit rating would be poor.
John majors government came into office after the downfall of Margret Thatcher, which ultimately created divisions within the party. Not only did the party suffer from the internal conflict but also faced the problems of the recession after the ‘Lawson boom’. In order to stabilise the economy he joined the ERM getting a good deal but ultimately resulting in ‘black Wednesday’ causing Major to raise interest rates to 15%. This was political suicide and he soon lost the support of the press we had once relied so much on to get re-elected in 1992. The housing market also plummeted leading to negative equity, which the majority of the working class could not afford resulting in the repossession of their houses combined with the drastic increase in unemployment Britain was in a mess.
Revenue fell 4 per cent to $7.9 billion. Qantas' domestic operations reported a 74 per cent fall in pre-tax profit to $57 million, which was blamed on intense competition in the domestic market and growth in capacity. But it was overshadowed again by Qantas' international operations, which slumped to a $262 million loss compared with a $91 million loss previously. This article refers to Qantas cutting down jobs for many workers. This is an internal issue- business management; this affects the business in a negative way.
During autumn of 1929 the stock market began behaving highly volatile. Stock market prices were expanded to just about breaking point, and then suddenly it crashed. Because of the Stock Market Crash the gross national product dropped 40 %, $6.1 billion in 1929 to $3.5 billion in 1933 (The Canadian History Page). The Bank had no money left because of the effect of the stock market crash. Wages in the industrial sector were not keeping up with huge increase in manufacture and profits.
What Caused the Great Depression? Many believe that the stock market crash that occurred on Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929 is one and the same with the Great Depression. Actually, the stock market crash was only one of the major causes that led to the Great Depression. Two months after the original crash in October, stockholders had lost more than $40 billion dollars (Doc D). Even though the stock market began to regain some of its losses, by the end of 1930, it just was not enough and American truly entered what is called the Great Depression.