tailieunhanh - FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

For many companies, the decision would have been an easy “yes.” However, Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc. has always taken pride in doing things differently. Its profits had been declining, but in 1995 the company was offered an opportunity to sell its premium ice cream in the lucrative Japanese market. However, Ben & Jerry’s turned down the business because the Japanese firm that would have distributed their product had failed to develop a reputation for promoting social causes! Robert Holland Jr., Ben & Jerry’s CEO at the time, commented that, “The only reason to take the opportunity was to make money.” Clearly, Holland, who resigned from the company in late 1996, thought there. | FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT BRIGHAM HOUSTON LHAPTER An Overview of Financial Management SOURCE Courtesy BEN JERRY S HOMEMADE INC. STRIKING THE RIGHT BALANCE BEN JERRY S For many companies the decision would have been an easy yes. However Ben Jerry s Homemade ---- Inc. has always taken pride in doing things differently. Its profits had been declining but in 1995 the company was offered an opportunity to sell its premium ice cream in the lucrative Japanese market. However Ben Jerry s turned down the business because the Japanese firm that would have distributed their product had failed to develop a reputation for promoting social causes Robert Holland Jr. Ben Jerry s CEO at the time commented that The only reason to take the opportunity was to make money. Clearly Holland who resigned from the company in late 1996 thought there was more to running a business than just making money. The company s cofounders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield opened the first Ben Jerry s ice cream shop in 1978 in a vacant Vermont gas station with just 12 000 of capital plus a commitment to run the business in a manner consistent with their underlying values. Even though it is more expensive the company only buys milk and cream from small local farms in Vermont. In addition percent of the company s before-tax income is donated to charity and each of the company s 750 employees receives three free pints of ice cream each day. Many argue that Ben Jerry s philosophy and commitment to social causes compromises its ability to make money. For example in a recent article in Fortune magazine Alex Taylor III commented that Operating a business is tough enough. Once you add social goals to the demands of serving customers making a profit and returning value to shareholders you tie yourself up in knots. Ben Jerry s financial performance has had its ups and downs. While the company s stock grew by leaps and bounds through the early 1990s problems began to arise in 1993. .