1. Short-term financing is money that will be used for one year or less and then repaid.

There are many short-term financing needs. Two deserve special attention. First, certain necessary business practices may affect a firm’s cash flow and create a need for short-term financing.

Cash flow is the movement of money into and out of an organization. The ideal is to have sufficient money coming into firm, in any period, to cover the firm’s expenses during that period. But the ideal is not always achieved. For example, a firm that offers credit to its customers may find an imbalance in its cash flow. Such credit purchases are generally not paid until thirty or sixty days (or more) after the transaction. Short-term financing is then needed to pay the firm’s bills until customers have paid their bills. Unanticipated expenses may also cause a cash-flow problem.

A second major need for short-term financing that is related to a firm’s cash-flow problem is inventory.

Inventory requires considerable investment for most manufactures, wholesales, and retailers. Moreover, most goods are manufactured four to nine months before they are sold to the ultimate customer. As a result, manufacturers often need short-term financing. The borrowed money is used to buy materials and supplies, to pay wages and rent, and to cover inventory costs until the goods are sold. Then, the money is repaid out of sales revenue. Additionally, wholesalers and retailers may need short-term financing to build up their inventories before peak selling periods. Again, the money is repaid when the merchandise is sold.

2. Long-term financing is money that will be used for longer period than one year. Long-term financing is needed to start a new business. It is also needed for executing business expansion and mergers, for developing and marketing new products, and for replacing equipment that becomes obsolete or inefficient.

The amounts of long-term financing needed by large firms can be very great.