1. Short-Term Liquidity Assessment
Liquidity metrics assess a firm’s capacity to meet its short-term operating liabilities (maturing within 12 months) using its short-term liquid assets.
Current Ratio
Measures general short-term financial safety:
Current Ratio = Total Current Assets / Total Current Liabilities
Current Ratio = Total Current Assets / Total Current Liabilities
Quick (Acid-Test) Ratio
Excludes less liquid, harder-to-monetize current assets like inventory and prepaid expenses:
Quick Ratio = (Cash + Marketable Securities + Accounts Receivable) / Total Current Liabilities
Quick Ratio = (Cash + Marketable Securities + Accounts Receivable) / Total Current Liabilities
Cash Ratio
The most conservative liquidity test, isolating pure cash and equivalents:
Cash Ratio = (Cash + Marketable Securities) / Total Current Liabilities
Cash Ratio = (Cash + Marketable Securities) / Total Current Liabilities
Â
2. Asset Efficiency and Turnover Ratios
Efficiency metrics quantify how effectively management deploys its working capital and operational assets to generate revenues.
Inventory Turnover & Days Inventory Outstanding (DIO)
- Inventory Turnover = COGS / Average Inventory
- DIO = 365 / Inventory Turnover
- Receivables Turnover = Total Credit Sales / Average Accounts Receivable
- DSO = 365 / Receivables Turnover
- Payables Turnover = (COGS or Total Purchases) / Average Accounts Payable
- DPO = 365 / Payables Turnover
- Total Asset Turnover = Total Revenue / Average Total Assets
Â