Economics Vs Finance
Off-balance sheet financing is strictly regulated, and generally accepted accounting principles govern its use. This type of financing is not appropriate for most businesses, but it may become an option for small businesses that grow into much larger corporate structures. It is primarily a way to keep large purchases off a company’s balance sheet, making it look stronger and less debt-laden. For example, if the company needed an expensive piece of equipment, it could lease it instead of buying it or create a special purpose vehicle —one of those “alternate families” that would hold the purchase on its balance sheet. The sponsoring company often overcapitalizes the SPV to make it look attractive should the SPV need a loan to service the debt. Planning, analysis, and control operations are responsibilities of the financial manager, who is usually close to the top of the organizational structure of a firm. In very large firms, major financial decisions are often made by a finance commi...