Final answer:
Firms use various investment strategies to fund long-term assets, which are classified as Amortized, FVTOCI, and FVTPL for financial reporting. They can raise capital through savings bonds, IRAs, and more, and a stable inflation rate facilitates focusing on growth. Future values of these investments are predicted using a formula that factors in the present investment and estimated future returns at a given interest rate.
Step-by-step explanation:
Firms engage in various investment strategies to bolster their prospects for future profits by acquiring assets such as machinery, plants, or initiating research and development. These investments can be classified into different categories based on how they are treated in financial statements: Amortized (cost is gradually written off), Fair Value Through Other Comprehensive Income (FVTOCI), and Fair Value Through Profit or Loss (FVTPL). These accounting treatments determine how changes in the value of these investments are reflected in the company’s financials.
To finance these investments, firms might utilize capital markets, issuing government savings bonds, IRAs, or investing in money market mutual funds and small CDs, targeting various maturities and risk profiles. These financial tools are essential for maintaining liquidity and funding long-term projects. A stable inflation rate is crucial for investment, as it allows companies to concentrate on the real economy rather than safeguarding against inflation’s costs and risks, promoting long-term growth.
The future value of such investments is calculated using the formula ‘future value received years in the future = (1 + Interest rate) ^ (number of years t)’, where the present value and expected future payments from the firm are taken into account. For instance, a $15 million investment now could result in $20 million in one year and $25 million in two years, assuming a particular interest rate is applied.