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Financial covenants are commitments in financial contracts that outline actions to be taken if not fulfilled. They are found in loan agreements, supplier-customer contracts, and employment contracts to minimize misunderstandings and protect all parties’ interests.
Financial covenants are part of the terms and conditions found in any type of financial contract. The covenants represent specific commitments that all parties involved in the contract are making to each other and outline the type of actions that can be pursued if these covenants are not fulfilled. Typically, care is taken in drafting financial covenants so that there is no room for misunderstanding as to what is meant by each covenant contained in the body of the contract and who is responsible for making sure that covenant is met.
One of the easiest ways to understand how financial covenants work is to consider the content of a loan agreement. Within the text of this agreement, the lender makes certain promises or covenants to the applicant, in the form of loan approval under certain conditions. In return for receiving the loan, the borrower agrees to make payments on the outstanding balance in accordance with the outlined payment schedule, use specific means of communication with the lender in the event certain events occur, and generally honor all provisions established by the lender in the body of the contract. In the event that a borrower fails to comply with one or more financial covenants in existing loan agreements with various lenders, the latter have the right to take any action identified in the body of the agreements, up to and including the right to declare loans in default and request the immediate liquidation of the debt.
Financial covenants are also found in contracts between suppliers and their customers. Typically, covenants have to do with timely payment for goods or services rendered to the customer, with clauses allowing for the inclusion of late fees or other penalties if remittance is not made on time. For example, the contract between a salesperson and a customer may require the addition of late fees if payment for an invoice is not received within 30 days of being issued. These fees are then applied to the customer’s account balance and will usually be included in the next invoice. In some cases, financial covenants may also commit the seller to provide some sort of credit to the customer if invoices are paid within a shorter period of time, such as ten days or less from the date of issue.
The purpose of financial covenants in any type of employment contract is to ensure that all parties understand the nature of the commitments they are making as part of their mutual liability. By including stipulations within the body of a contract and by using very direct and concise language, the opportunity for any party to be ignorant of its responsibilities is minimized. At the same time, the inclusion of financial covenants also protects the interests of all parties and goes a long way towards preventing losses from entering into the agreement.
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