RE: 20%24 May 2018 21:28
Squiffy - here's the inherent fallacy in your assumption that Sales = Cash.
Finance 101 - Sales IS NOT EQUAL to cash flow!!! Surely, you'd know this basic fact before investing in the stock market?
Let me give you a scenario to make you understand, if that is indeed ever possible - Let's say that Enquest extracted 1.5 million barrels oil in January 2018 agreed a sale with a refiner in the gulf coast @ $60 a barrel, and shipped it out on 31/1/2018 via a VLCC to them. As soon as the shipment has left the port in the UK, Enquest books a sale on its books. This is treated as 'Revenue'. Does it mean that Enquest has received this cash. NO, NO, NO.
The VLCC may take 20 days to reach the gulf coast. Once the shipment has been delivered to the buyer, there will be payment terms such as 30 days or something like this example from a real crude oil transaction
" F. Payment: Unless otherwise specified in the Special Provisions of this Original Agreement, Buyer agrees to make payment against Seller�s Invoice for the crude oil purchased hereunder to a bank designated by Seller in U.S. dollars by telegraphic transfer in immediately available funds. Unless otherwise specified in the Special Provisions of this Original Agreement, payment will be due on or before the 20th of the month following the month of delivery."
If I were to take either case, the crude shipped on January 31st is recorded as sale on that date, and payment is made only on March 20th. Do you now at least understand the difference between a sale and a cash inflow?
It's typically the treasury department's job to ensure that the proper matching of cash flows are done - matching outflows and inflows.
in my mind, this is the biggest reason why the cash position is as it is for Enquest at the end of April, even though they may have had excellent sales in the first 4 months.