Opening the Balance Sheet and looking at the asset side will not give the true answer.
Reasons:
- Fixed Assets are revalued and not MTM. We all know how much it will fetch if we are out to sale NOW. Yes but its Assets as long as it produces the goods which are acceptable in the Market with our cost structure.
- Stocks have two elements: Bogus & Inflated to boots profit and dead stock reflected having no market value. Remove these two to arrive at true value
- Debtors also have two elements: Generated through bogus sales and almost doubtful to doubtful debts
- Loans & Advances includes money given to associate concerns which is not recoverable in most cases.
Therefore after adjusting the Balance Sheet with above realities , you may arrive at the RIGHT figure of the assets. & if you adjust assets with actual liabilities , you may be surprised { shocked } with your networth figure.
Therefore Balance Sheet is not the right place to find out the TRUE assets of the company. Its the Non Balance Sheet assets that counts and matters the MOST.
Assets = Resources under Influence of an Enterprise which can be leveraged for Wealth Creation for all stake holders.
An enterprise can influence its people working for it to give their best, its suppliers to supply best at most competitive rates, its customers to patronage again and again and refer new customers also, its share holders to invest when opportunity demands , its relationship with government and other agencies to quicken the process and also policy influence, its relationship with local area groups/infrastructure ( What Tata Steel has done and is doing for the town Tata Nagar ) to garner their support as and when require , its Brand Promise & of-course its assets in the Balance Sheet. All these are the assets. All resources and relationships MUST be leveraged to create wealth. Not all area under INFLUENCE are reflected in the Balance Sheet.
Question is HOW to leverage assets and HOW to expand area of Influence ?? Truly successful companies are masters of both. If any one is missing success will be limited but when both are present success is to be seen to believe. In personal category Amitabh Bachchan , Dr Manmohan Singh are the shining examples of how they leveraged their Assets ( Voice / Acting and Knowledge / Experience - nothing is reflected in their balance sheet on the contrary these assets have made their balance sheet stronger ) and expanded area of influence. Two of the largest enterprises in the country Reliance leveraged their capacity to deal with govt , capacity to execute at jet speed & Infosys leveraged owners' foresightedness , perseverance and governance policies to create wealth. None reflected in the Balance Sheet.
To conclude its Assets outside the Balance Sheet that makes enterprise Balance Sheet stronger. Not the other way. Take stock , become aware of your off balance sheet assets TODAY and have plan to leverage them fully.
Assets = Resources under Influence of an Enterprise which can be leveraged for Wealth Creation for all stake holders.
