Is your business ready to tackle the challenges and opportunities ahead in 2023? Financial statements show how a company has performed in the past. But historical data doesn't necessarily predict future performance, especially in an uncertain, volatile market. As part of your planning, it's essential for management to prepare forecasted statements.
Make Reasonable Assumptions
The purpose of forecasting is to obtain the most realistic picture possible of a company's future performance as far out as management can look. Forecasts provide essential information that can be used to make decisions, such as:
- When working capital shortages are likely to occur — and whether the line of credit is sufficient to bridge cash flow gaps.
- How much inventory, including raw materials, parts, and finished goods, should the company purchase each month?
- Whether the company has the right mix of employees to meet its operational goals — and how it should remedy any deficiencies (or excess capacity).
- Which fixed assets should be retired (or acquired)?
A forecast is typically organized using the same format as the company's financial statements: an income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. Most conclude with a statement of assumptions that underlie critical numbers in the forecast. A detailed forecast of revenue drives many of these assumptions.
Roll with the Punches
Managers use forecasts in their annual budgeting and strategic decision-making processes. But many budgets and business plans are out of date before the end of the first quarter. That's because today's complex, the dynamic marketplace is almost impossible to forecast with certainty. As a result, many companies have replaced traditional annual budgets with rolling 12-month forecasts that are adaptable and look beyond year-end.
Creating a meaningful rolling forecast necessitates ongoing comparisons between the forecast and actual results. This enables management to unearth and respond to weaknesses in forecast assumptions and unexpected changes in the marketplace. For example, a retail store that suffers a data breach could experience an unexpected drop in revenue. If the company maintains a rolling forecast, it could revise its plans for temporary inventory decreases, technology, and marketing cost increases related to remedying the breach.
Consider External Market Conditions
Almost all forecasts begin with historical financial results, but that's only a starting point. Nowadays, you can only assume current revenue and expenses will grow at a constant rate commensurate with inflation. Management needs to evaluate the marketplace for emerging external threats and opportunities. For example, healthcare providers need to anticipate how emerging government regulations, including the CDC and FDA guidance, will affect their future revenue and expenses.
Examples of other external obstacles that management can't change, but may need to factor into forecasts, include rising energy costs, evolving weather patterns, and changes to tax and labor laws. On the other hand, technological changes — including the growing popularity of social media and smart devices — may create marketing opportunities that proactive businesses can use to their advantage.
Savvy managers watch how competitors are performing under the same market conditions. In an evolving market, competitors’ performance — especially market leaders — is often more meaningful than historical results.
Evaluate Forecasting Risks
Once you've developed your preliminary forecast for 2023, consider performing a sensitivity analysis to identify which components are most critical to your business's success (or failure). Sensitivity analysis starts with a base case scenario. Then assumptions are changed — one at a time — to see how the changes flow through the financial statements.
Input is more "sensitive" and, therefore, has high forecasting risk if a slight change in the assumption significantly affects the bottom line (or asset values). If the most sensitive variables in your forecast are also the most unpredictable, you may need to monitor the situation closely to minimize problems.
Team Effort
Forecasts that employees perceive as dictatorial mandates are doomed to fail. Reliable ones are based on input from all functional areas, including finance, sales and marketing, operations, and human resources. Cross-functional collaboration on forecasts can help you balance predicting demand with planning for supplies, catching errors and omissions, and achieving companywide buy-in.
Getting input from your tax and financial advisor helps, too. In addition to providing objective market data, experienced professionals understand financial reporting and offer fresh perspectives that can breathe new life into your company's budget or business plan.
We are here to help. Contact us today with any questions.
Reynolds + Rowella is a regional accounting and consulting firm known for a team approach to financial problem solving. As Certified Public Accountants, our partners foster a personal touch with our clients. As members of DFK International/USA, an association of accountants and advisors, our professional network is international, yet many of our clients have known us for years through the local communities we serve. Our mission is to operate as a financial services firm of outstanding quality. Our efforts are directed at serving our clients in the most efficient and responsive manner possible, delivering services that exceed the expectations of those we serve. The firm has offices at 90 Grove St., Ridgefield, Conn., and 51 Locust Ave., New Canaan, Conn. For more information, please contact Elizabeth Bresnan at 203.438.0161 or email.
