It’s probably just us, but we recently pondered the fact that many clients we meet are suffering from what might be called ‘ selective amnesia ‘… a ‘ loss of inter-related memories ‘ . It appears to be in conjunction with forgetting what is was like to have business bank lines of credit. Have they disappeared? Weren’t they relatively easy to get? Didn’t they always cover off all the working capital you needed?
Today ours is not to debate, defend or promote Canadian chartered bank lines (by the way, we love Canadian banks) but instead to ensure Canadian business owners and financial managers understand a very solid…we repeat ‘ solid ‘ alternative, namely ABL asset finance lines of credit.
Asset finance lenders in Canada provide lines of credit to Canadian businesses of all size. In truth we would say that the more assets your firm has the larger the facility is available and somewhat easier to get, but companies of all size, including start ups by the way, are immediately eligible.
In many cases asset based line of credit facilities either replace bank financing or are a first source of working capital lines for Canadian business. We can’t over emphasize the fact that even companies in bankruptcy, receivership, or who are in the unfortunate position of being in ‘ special loans ( we know … it’s not that special!)are always eligible for ABL asset finance facilities.
We also point out to clients that just because ABL facilities consider firms that are in some way troubled or challenged that they should never always be viewed as the ‘ lender of last resort’ financing . How can we prove this to you? Simply by advising you that many of the largest corporations in Canada are financed by this bank alternative, and companies who utilize asset based lines of credit because they have been punished elsewhere for ‘ hyper growth ‘ often find themselves solicited by banks again for their commercial credit lines. Go figure!
So yes, your firm does qualify for working capital ABL asset finance lines of credit if you have financial losses, shareholder equity issues, CRA arrears, etc, it’s just that the facility will be structured a bit differently in terms of rate and structure.
Clients often ask about pricing on asset based credit lines… its a difficult question for us to answer because depending on the type and size and quality of your a/r and inventory and your overall general financial health our ABL financing alternative is priced better than, equal to, or substantially higher .It would seem we have covered off all the bases!
Bottom line on ABL financing… it works, it’s an accepted alternative and if you find yourself suffering form that ‘ selective amnesia ‘ on the ‘ old days ‘ of business banking then barrel in to the new kid on the block. Speak to a trusted, credible, and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you in identifying the benefits of this great working capital facility.