Case 1 Signal Cable Company
Case 1: Signal Cable Company
Introduction
The Signal Cable Company, located in Tarrytown NY, is a cable manufacturer for analog and digital interconnects, speaker, video and home theater cables. The company is well known for “highest standard in quality and customer service” and their “superior design” and “No-Hype approach resulted in one of the best price/performance ratio in the industry” (www.signalcable.com).
After a steady growth over the last few years, the management decided to enter in the fiber optics business. The market was growing, the demand increased and the competition was not too severe. Thus the company established two additional manufacturing facilities and increased its inventory to meet the raising number of orders.
Current Situation
But despite or because of these investments the results showed a lower net profit margin, furthermore the cash balance and the stock price had fallen recently.
Jay Smith, Assistant of the President, has now the challenge to prepare some feasible answers and suggestions for his boss, Joe Mathis, who has to inform the shareholders about the current situation.
Questions of the Case Study
1. Why has the stock price fallen despite the fact that the net income has increased?
The stock price has fallen from $7 to $5.50 despite the fact that the net income has increased. The reason for the decrease of the stock price is that the shareholders are concerned about the increasing debts and liabilities, caused by the recent investments in two additional manufacturing facilities and a significant increase of its inventory. The concerns are based on the belief that the increased amount of debts and liabilities will result in lower future net income, because of the interests, which the company will have to pay. So the negative effects of these recent investments are visible in some severe changes in the balance sheet, the income statement and the financial ratios. For example from 2003 to 2004 the amount of interest
Introduction
The Signal Cable Company, located in Tarrytown NY, is a cable manufacturer for analog and digital interconnects, speaker, video and home theater cables. The company is well known for “highest standard in quality and customer service” and their “superior design” and “No-Hype approach resulted in one of the best price/performance ratio in the industry” (www.signalcable.com).
After a steady growth over the last few years, the management decided to enter in the fiber optics business. The market was growing, the demand increased and the competition was not too severe. Thus the company established two additional manufacturing facilities and increased its inventory to meet the raising number of orders.
Current Situation
But despite or because of these investments the results showed a lower net profit margin, furthermore the cash balance and the stock price had fallen recently.
Jay Smith, Assistant of the President, has now the challenge to prepare some feasible answers and suggestions for his boss, Joe Mathis, who has to inform the shareholders about the current situation.
Questions of the Case Study
1. Why has the stock price fallen despite the fact that the net income has increased?
The stock price has fallen from $7 to $5.50 despite the fact that the net income has increased. The reason for the decrease of the stock price is that the shareholders are concerned about the increasing debts and liabilities, caused by the recent investments in two additional manufacturing facilities and a significant increase of its inventory. The concerns are based on the belief that the increased amount of debts and liabilities will result in lower future net income, because of the interests, which the company will have to pay. So the negative effects of these recent investments are visible in some severe changes in the balance sheet, the income statement and the financial ratios. For example from 2003 to 2004 the amount of interest