Newtake Records Ltd owns a chain of 14 shops selling CDs and DVDs. At the beginning of June, the business had an overdraft of £35,000 and the bank has asked for this to be eliminated by the end of November of the same year. As a result, the directors of the business have recently decided to review their plans for the next six months in order to comply with this requirement.

The following forecast information was prepared for the business some months earlier:

May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov

£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 Expected sales 180 230 320 250 140 120 110 Purchases 135 180 142 94 75 66 57 Admin. expenses 52 55 56 53 48 46 45 Selling expenses 22 24 28 26 21 19 18 Tax payment 22 Finance payments 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Shop refurbishment – – 14 18 6 – –

Notes 1 Inventory held at 1 June was £112,000. The business believes it is necessary to maintain a minimum inventory level of £40,000 over the period to 30 November of the same year.

2 Suppliers allow one month’s credit. The first three months’ purchases are subject to a contractual agreement that must be honoured.

3 The gross profit margin is 40 per cent.

4 All sales income is received in the month of sale. However, 50 per cent of customers pay with a credit card. The charge made by the credit card business to Newtake Records Ltd is 3 per cent of the sales value. These charges are in addition to the selling expenses identified above. The credit card business pays Newtake Records Ltd in the month of sale.

5 The business has a bank loan that it is paying off in monthly instalments of £5,000 per month. The interest element represents 20 per cent of each instalment.

6 Administration expenses are paid when incurred. This item includes a charge of £15,000 each month in respect of depreciation.

7 Selling expenses are payable in the following month.

Required:

(a) Prepare a projected cash flow statement for the six months ended 30 November that shows the cash balance at the end of each month.

(b) Compute the projected inventory levels at the end of each month for the six months to 30 November.

(c) Prepare a projected income statement for the six months ended 30 November. (A monthly breakdown of profit is not required.)

(d) What problems is Newtake Records Ltd likely to face in the next six months? Can you suggest how the business might deal with these problems?