What Is Capitalization?

Capitalization is one of the most important parts of financial decision, which is related to the total amount of capital employed in the business concern.

Understanding the concept of capitalization leads to solve many problems in the field of financial management. Because there is a confusion among the capital, capitalization and capital structure.

Meaning of Capitalization

Capitalization refers to the process of determining the quantum of funds that a firm needs to run its business. Capitalization is only the par value of share capital and debenture and it does not include reserve and surplus.

Definition of Capitalization

Capitalization can be defined by the various financial management experts. Some of the definitions are mentioned below:

• Aoccording to Guthman and Dougall, “capitalization is the sum of the par value of stocks and bonds outstanding”.
• “Capitalization is the balance sheet value of stocks and bonds outstands”. — Bonneville and Dewey
• According to Arhur. S. Dewing, “capitalization is the sum total of the par value of all shares”.

Capitalization may be classified into the following three important types based on its nature:

Over Capitalization

Over capitalization refers to the company which possesses an excess of capital in relation to its activity level and requirements. In simple means, over capitalization is more capital than actually required and the funds are not properly used. According to Bonneville, Dewey and Kelly, over capitalization means, “when a business is unable to earn fair rate on its outstanding securities”.

Causes of Over Capitalization

Over capitalization arise due to the following important causes:

• Over issue of capital by the company.
• Borrowing large amount of capital at a higher rate of interest.
• Providing inadequate depreciation to the fixed assets.
• Excessive payment  for acquisition of goodwill.
• High rate of taxation.
• Under estimation of capitalization rate.

Effects of Over Capitalization

Over capitalization leads to the following important effects:

• Reduce the rate of earning capacity of the shares.
• Difficulties in obtaining necessary capital to the business concern.
• It leads to fall in the market price of the shares.
• It creates problems on re-organization.
• It leads under or misutilisation of available resources.

Remedies for Over Capitalization

Over capitalization can be reduced with the help of effective management and systematic design of the capital structure. The following are the major steps to reduce over capitalization.

• Efficient management can reduce over capitalization.
• Redemption of preference share capital which consists of high rate of dividend.
• Reorganization of equity share capital.
• Reduction of debt capital.

Under Capitalization

Under capitalization is the opposite concept of over capitalization and it will occur when the company’s actual capitalization is lower than the capitalization as warranted by its earning capacity.

Under capitalization is not the so called inadequate capital. Under capitalization can be defined by Gerstenberg, “a corporation may be under capitalized when the rate of profit is exceptionally high in the same industry”.

Hoagland defined under capitalization as “an excess of true assets value over the aggregate of stocks and bonds outstanding”.

Causes of Under Capitalization

• Under capitalization arises due to the following important causes:
• Under estimation of capital requirements.
• Under estimation of initial and future earnings.
• Maintaining high standards of efficiency.
• Conservative dividend policy.
• Desire of control and trading on equity.

Effects of Under Capitalization

Under Capitalization leads certain effects in the company and its shareholders.

• It leads to manipulate the market value of shares.
• It increases the marketability of the shares.
• It may lead to more government control and higher taxation.
• Consumers feel that they are exploited by the company.
• It leads to high competition.

Remedies of Under Capitalization

Under Capitalization may be corrected by taking the following remedial measures:

1. Under capitalization can be compensated with the help of fresh issue of shares.
2. Increasing the par value of share may help to reduce under capitalization.
3. Under capitalization may be corrected by the issue of bonus shares to the existing shareholders.
4. Reducing the dividend per share by way of splitting up of shares.

Watered Capitalization

If the stock or capital of the company is not mentioned by assets of equivalent value, it is called as watered stock. In simple words, watered capital means that the realizable value of assets of the company is less than its book value.

According to Hoagland’s definition, “A stock is said to be watered when its true value is less than its book value.”

Causes of Watered Capital

Generally watered capital arises at the time of incorporation of a company but it also arises during the life time of the business. The following are the main causes of watered capital:

1. Acquiring the assets of the company at high price.
2. Adopting ineffective depreciation policy.
3. Worthless intangible assets are purchased at higher price.