What does Benjamin Franklin Plumbing consider to be cash and cash equivalents?
Benjamin_Franklin_Plumbing Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
The Company considers all cash and highly liquid investments purchased with an initial maturity of three months or less to be cash or cash equivalents. Cash consists primarily of cash on hand and cash on deposit. The Company maintains its cash in banks in which deposits may, from time to time, exceed federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts and believes that it is not exposed to any significant credit risks related to cash.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 87–88)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Benjamin Franklin Plumbing FDD, the company defines cash and cash equivalents as all cash and highly liquid investments with an initial maturity of three months or less. This is a standard accounting practice, as it reflects assets that can be quickly converted to cash.
The FDD specifies that cash primarily consists of cash on hand and cash on deposit. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing maintains its cash in banks, and these deposits may, at times, exceed federally insured limits. However, the company states it has not experienced any losses in these accounts and believes it is not exposed to significant credit risks related to its cash management practices.
For a prospective franchisee, this definition is important for understanding the company's financial statements and how it manages its liquid assets. Knowing that Benjamin Franklin Plumbing considers short-term investments with maturities of three months or less as cash equivalents provides a clearer picture of the company's liquidity position. Additionally, the disclosure about maintaining cash in banks that may exceed federally insured limits, while not presenting a current risk, is something a franchisee might want to monitor as they assess the overall financial health and risk management of the company.