Strategic financial management means not only managing the finances of a company but also managing them with the intention of succeeding. One example is achieving the company’s long-term goals and objectives and maximizing shareholder value over time.
Strategic financial management deals with creating income for the business. It has to make sure that there is a satisfactory return on the financial venture. Financial management is accomplished through financial business plans, establishing financial controls, and making financial decisions.
Before a company can manage itself strategically, it must first define its objectives accurately and quantify and identify its potential and available resources. They have to develop a specific plan to use their finances and other capital resources to achieve their objectives.
Furthermore, strategic management comprises understanding and properly allocating, controlling, and obtaining the assets and liabilities of a company. It also includes monitoring operational finance elements such as expenses, profitability, accounts receivable and payable, revenues, and cash flow.
In addition, strategic financial management encompasses continuous assessment, planning, and adjustment to keep the company motivated and on track to long-term objectives. When a company manages cleverly, it deals with short-term problems on an unprepared basis in means that don’t derail its long-term vision.
Strategic financial management includes evaluating and managing a company’s capital structure, the mix of debt financing and equity used, to ensure a company’s long-term solvency.
A long-term focus helps a company maintain its goals, even if short-term opportunities come and go. Consequently, strategic management aids in keeping a firm cost-effective and stable by following its long-term plan. Strategic financial management not only sets company goals but also sets guidelines for achieving those goals, even if challenges arise along the way.