What Do Liquidity Ratios Measure?
Liquidity ratios work with cash and near-cash assets (together called “current” assets) of a business on one side, and the immediate payment obligations (current liabilities) on the other side. The near-cash assets mainly include receivables from customers and inventories of finished goods and raw materials. The payment obligations include dues to suppliers, operating and financial expenses that must be paid shortly and maturing installments under long-term debt. Liquidity ratios measure a business’ ability to meet the payment obligations by comparing the cash and near-cash with the payment obligations. If the coverage of the latter by the former is insufficient, it indicates that the business might face difficulties in meeting its immediate financial obligations. This can, in turn, affect the company’s business operations and profitability. The near-cash assets are not all equal in their nearness to cash. Inventories are farthest from cash (apart from advance payments and such minor i
