Financial modelling terms explained

Quick Ratio

The quick ratio is an indicator of the liquidity of a company. It is calculated by dividing a company's book value of cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments by its current liabilities.

What Is the Quick Ratio?

The quick ratio, also known as the acid-test ratio, is a financial metric used to measure a company's liquidity. The quick ratio is calculated by taking a company's current assets and dividing it by the company's current liabilities. This metric measures a company's ability to meet its short-term obligations with its most liquid assets.

The quick ratio is a helpful measure for investors to gauge a company's liquidity and overall financial health. A high quick ratio indicates that a company has a strong liquidity position and is able to meet its short-term obligations. A low quick ratio, on the other hand, may indicate that a company is struggling to meet its short-term obligations.

The quick ratio is also a helpful measure for banks and other lenders when assessing a company's creditworthiness. A high quick ratio is indicative of a healthy company that is able to repay its debts on time. A low quick ratio may suggest that a company is struggling financially and is not able to repay its debts on time.

How Do You Calculate the Quick Ratio?

The quick ratio is a liquidity measure that is used to assess a company's ability to meet its short-term obligations. The quick ratio is calculated by dividing a company's current assets by its current liabilities.

Why Is the Quick Ratio Important?

The quick ratio is an important metric for assessing a company's liquidity. It measures a company's ability to meet its short-term obligations using only its most liquid assets. A high quick ratio indicates that a company has a strong liquidity position and is able to meet its short-term obligations easily. A low quick ratio indicates that a company is not as liquid and may have difficulty meeting its short-term obligations. The quick ratio is important for investors because it can give them a sense of how likely a company is to be able to meet its obligations in the near future.

What's an Example of a Company That Has a High Quick Ratio?

An example of a company that has a high quick ratio is Coca-Cola. Their quick ratio is 2.01, which indicates that they have more than enough short-term assets to cover their short-term liabilities. This means that they are able to quickly pay off their debts and are not as reliant on their long-term assets. This makes them a more stable company and gives investors peace of mind.

What's an Example of a Company That Has a Low Quick Ratio?

An example of a company that has a low quick ratio is ExxonMobil Corporation (XOM). In the fiscal year of 2017, XOM had a quick ratio of 0.5, meaning that for every $1 of current liabilities, the company had $0.50 of cash and equivalents on hand. This low quick ratio is due in part to the company's large amount of long-term debt, which can take a long time to pay off and thus won't be available to cover current liabilities immediately. Additionally, XOM's low profit margins mean that it doesn't have as much cash on hand as other companies in its industry.

What's an Example of a Company That Has an Abnormal Quick Ratio?

An abnormal quick ratio would be a company that has a quick ratio of less than 1.0. This would indicate that the company is not able to cover its short-term liabilities with its short-term assets. This could be a sign of financial distress for the company. Some possible reasons for why a company would have a low quick ratio include:

-The company has a lot of long-term liabilities that it would not be able to pay off in a short period of time

-The company has a lot of inventory that it would not be able to sell in a short period of time

-The company is not able to generate a lot of cash from its operations

Get started today with Causal

Start building your own custom financial models, in minutes not days.