What is the Current Ratio?

The current ratio is also called a working capital ratio. This measures a company’s capacity to pay a company’s obligations or those due within one year of the time limit.

It states to stakeholders and specialists how a company can make the best use of the current assets on its balance sheet to please its existing debt and other payables.

A current ratio that is matched with the industry average or a little higher is generally measured as acceptable. This ratio which is lesser than the industry average may point out the higher risk of suffering or default.

Also, if a company has a very high working capital ratio matched to its peer group, it specifies that management might be using its assets resourcefully.  This ratio is also knowns as “current” because, distinct from some other liquidity ratios, it incorporates all current assets and current liabilities of the company.

Sometimes the current ratio is known as the “Working capital ratio”.

Understanding the Current Ratio.

The working capital ratio deals with the company’s ability to pay current, or short-term liabilities such as debts and payables.

Including its current or short-term assets such as cash, inventory, and receivables.

In many cases, a company with a working capital ratio lesser than 1 does not have the capital on hand to meet its required short-term obligations if they were all due at once, while a higher than 1 specifies that the company has the financial resources to remain solvent in the short term.

However, because the current or quick ratio at any one time is just a snap, it is usually an incomplete representation of a company’s short-term liquidity or longer-term affluence.

E.g., a company may have a very high quick ratio, but its accounts receivable may be very old, perhaps because its customers pay very slowly, which may be hidden in the working capital ratio.

Experts must also reflect the quality of a company’s other assets versus its responsibilities. If the inventory is not able to be sold then the current ratio may still look satisfactory at one point in time, even though the company may be ruled for default.

The current ratio of less than 1 may seem distressing, even though different situations can disturb the working capital ratio in a well-settled company. E.g., a monthly cycle for any normal company’s collections and payment processes might lead to high working capital as payments are received, but a low current ratio as those collections receding tide.

Calculation of the working capital at just one point of time could specify the company which can’t cover all its current debts, but it doesn’t mean that it won’t be able to do once the payments are received.

Especially larger retailers such as Walmart, have been able to exchange much longer than average payment terms with any suppliers. If a retailer refuses to offer credit to its customers then this can show on its balance sheet as a high payables balance relative to its receivables balance.

Large retailers cannot maximize their inventory volume over an efficient supply chain, which makes their current assets lesser against their current liabilities, resulting in a lower current ratio.

The current ratio of any company can be useful for short-term solvency when it is placed in the background of what has been factually normal for the company and its peer group. It also offers more awareness when calculated frequently over numerous periods.

Formula and How to calculate Current Ratio?

The ratio is calculated by the experts by comparing a company’s current assets to its current liabilities.

Current assets registered on a company’s balance sheet include cash, receivable accounts, inventory, and other current assets (OCA) that are predictable to be liquidated or changed into cash in less than a year.

Current liabilities contain accounts outstanding, wages, taxes payable, short-term debts, and the current share of long-term debt.

Interpretation of Current Ratio-

The Current Asset which is greater than Current Liability, then Ratio is greater than 1.0 in a desirable situation to be in.

The Current Asset is equal to the Current Liability, the Ratio is equal to 1.0. The Current Asset is not just enough to pay down the long-term commitment.

The Current Asset is lesser than the Current Liability, then the Ratio is less than 1.0 or equal to or greater than the problem situation at hand as the company does not have sufficient to pay for its short-term commitments.

How current ratio changes over time?

Which conditions make the current ratio “Good” or “Bad” often depends on how it is changing. The company which seems to have a satisfactory working capital could be trending toward a situation where that particular company struggles to pay its bills.

Equally, a company that may appear to be facing problems now could be making good progress towards an improved current ratio and will also improve equity multiplier.

As we can see the trend of the current ratio over time would be predictable that it might harm the company’s valuation in the market. A refining working capital meanwhile could specify an opportunity to invest in an underestimated stock amid a reversal.

How the Balance Sheet Current Ratio Formula Works?

The Current ratio formula in the balance sheet is a financial ratio that measures current assets compared to current liabilities. It is considered by separating total current assets by total current liabilities in dollars.

Current Ratio vs. Other Liquidity Ratios

Other equivalent liquidity ratios can be used to enhance a working capital analysis.

In every case, the differences between these measures can help the stakeholder understand the present position of the company’s assets and liabilities from different angles, as well as to understand how those accounts are fluctuating from time to time.

The most frequently used acid-test ratio, or quick ratio compares a company’s easily satisfied assets (including cash, accounts receivable, and short-term investments, excluding inventory and prepaid expenses) to its current liabilities.

The cash asset ratio or cash ratio is also similar to the current ratio, but it compares only a company’s merchantable securities and cash to its current liabilities.

Example using the Current Ratio

The current ratio is an assessment of current assets to current liabilities. It is calculated by dividing the company’s current assets by the company’s current liabilities.

Industry Standards of Current Ratio

The current ratio must be examined in the context of the norms of a, particularly specified industry. What may be considered normal in one industry may not be considered likewise in another sector.

The manufacturing industries which are not modern enough mostly require substantial working capital investment in inventory, trade debtors, cash, etc., and consequently, companies functioning in such a kind of industries may be reasonably estimated to have current ratios of 2 or more.

Nevertheless, with the upcoming one in time management techniques, modern industrial companies have managed to not increase the size of buffer inventory. So there is a leading substantial reduction in working capital investment and hence there is a decrease in working capital and will improve the debt-equity ratio.

Mostly in a few of the industries, the current ratio which is lower than 1 might also be measured as acceptable. Hence this is normally the truth of the retail sector which is dominated by giants such as Wal-Mart and Tesco.

This is primarily stalking from the fact that such small business holders or retailers can negotiate in long credit periods with contractors or suppliers while offering little acknowledgment to customers leading to higher trade payables as compared with trade receivables this will also improve Quick Ratio. These kinds of retailers are also able to maintain their inventory capacities to a minimum through well-organized supply chain management.

KNOW THE SENIOR ACCOUNTANT SALARIES

Advantages and Disadvantages of Current Ratio-

1. Advantages of Current Ratio-

The current ratio helps in understanding how valuable the company is. It helps us measure the short-term financial strength of any particular company. The stability of any company depends on its ratio. So in this case the company with a higher ratio has more stability and the company with a lower ratio has less stability.

We can understand the company’s operating cycle by checking its working capital ratio. It helps us in understanding how well the company is good in its sales. That is, how efficiently the company can convert its inventory or current assets into cash. By knowing this, the company can enhance its production. This allows the company to plan its inventory storage appliances and optimize the above costs.

We can see that the working capital of a company shows the company’s management efficiency in meeting the market demands and it also gives us an understanding of the working capital management or requirement of any particular company.

1. Disadvantages of Current Ratio

Using this ratio on a separate basis may not be sufficient enough to analyze the liquidity position of the company in any market. As it depends on the number of current assets instead of the quality of the assets.

The current ratio also includes inventory in the calculation, which may be leading to the overestimation of the liquidity position of the company in many cases. Companies, which have higher inventory exist due to lesser sales or outdated nature of the product which may take inventory of the company under calculation. This may lead to displaying the inapplicable liquidity health of the company.

For companies where sales are seasonal there, we might see a reduction in the current ratio in some months and an increased ratio in the other.

The working capital ratio of a company may be obstructed due to a change in the inventory valuation method of the company. While using the quick ratio it might be not a case since it doesn’t consider the inventory of a company at all.

An equal increase and decrease in the current assets and current liabilities of the company may change the ratio. So an overdraft against the inventory of a company can cause the current ratio to change.

Therefore it is very easy to manipulate the current ratio of a company.

Limitations of using the Current Ratio-

The elevated current ratio isn’t necessarily good and a low working capital ratio is not fundamentally bad.

The Indication of the existence of all idle or underutilized resources in the company might be because of the very high current ratio.

These are because most of the current assets receive low or no return as related to long-term assets which are mostly more productive. But a very high current ratio may affect the company’s profitability and productivity.

Additionally, two companies might be having similar current ratios but immensely different liquidity positions.

For example, when one company has a large number of outdated inventories.

A more significant liquidity analysis can be done by calculating the quick ratio (also known as the acid-test ratio) and cash ratio.

These ratios eradicate the illiquid current assets such as advances and inventories from the numerator and are a better pointer of very liquid assets.

Importance of Current Ratio-

The main measure of a company’s liquidity is the Current Ratio.

Minimum levels of the current or quick ratio are frequently defined in loan contracts to protect the interest of the creditors in the event of the declining financial position of the borrowers.

Financial positions of various countries also execute restrictions on financial institutions to offer credit facilities to potential debtors that have a current or quick ratio that is lesser than the distinct limits.

Frequently Asked Question-

How Current Ratio helps in Decision making?

The working capital ratio is considered one of the most useful ratios in financial or accounting analysis as it helps to measure the liquidity position of the business in a market. It indicates a company’s potential to convert its assets into cash to manage and pay off its short-term liabilities.

What would increase a Current Ratio?

Rescheduling any capital purchases that would require any cash payments ahead. Having a close look to see if any term loans can be re-amortized. Reduction in any personal draw on the business. Proper sales in any capital assets of the company that are not producing or generating any return to the business. This means the company have to use cash to reduce current debt.

What does the Current Ratio do?

The current ratio is used in the balance sheet of a company to measure the financial performance company’s liquidity.

The working capital ratio of a company also indicates a company’s potential to meet short-term debt requirements. The current or working capital ratio of a company measures whether or not the company has enough resources to pay its amount overdue over the next 12 months. The current ratio is also known as the working capital ratio.