Issue of Fully Paid Bonus Share: Outflow or Inflow for a Company?
When a company issues fully paid bonus shares to its shareholders, it affects the cash flow of the company. In this article, we will discuss whether the issue of fully paid bonus shares is an outflow or an inflow for a company.
Definition of Fully Paid Bonus Shares
A fully paid bonus share is a free share of stock given to existing shareholders in proportion to their current holdings. The bonus shares are issued by a company to reward its shareholders, and it does not require any payment from the shareholders. The bonus shares are fully paid, which means that the company has already paid for them.
Is Issue of Fully Paid Bonus Shares an Outflow or Inflow?
The issue of fully paid bonus shares is not an outflow or inflow for a company. This is because the company is not receiving any cash inflow or outflow when it issues fully paid bonus shares. Instead, the company is transferring a portion of its reserves to the shareholders in the form of bonus shares. The reserves of the company are reduced, and the number of outstanding shares increases. The value of each share is reduced, but the total value of the company remains the same.
Impact of Fully Paid Bonus Shares on Company's Financial Statements
The issue of fully paid bonus shares affects the financial statements of a company in the following ways:
- The reserves of the company are reduced, and the retained earnings account is debited.
- The number of outstanding shares increases, and the share capital account is credited.
- The earnings per share (EPS) of the company decrease, as the net income is distributed over a larger number of shares.
- The dividend per share (DPS) of the company decreases, as the dividend is distributed over a larger number of shares.
- The market price per share (MPS) of the company may decrease, as the supply of shares increases.
Conclusion
To sum up, the issue of fully paid bonus shares is neither an outflow nor an inflow for a company. It is a transfer of reserves to the shareholders in the form of bonus shares. The issue of fully paid bonus shares reduces the reserves of the company, increases the number of outstanding shares, and affects the financial statements of the company in various ways.