These days most people go for regular health check-ups in order to stay fit. During one such check-up, my friend was told that his blood sugar levels were higher than the normal range. Thus, the reading of his sugar level became an indicator that he should change his lifestyle, diet and exercise plans.
Just as there are indicators which give us an idea of our health, there are indicators like Liquidity Ratio that give us an idea about our financial health too.
One such liquidity ratio also known as acid test ratio which gives us an idea about how well prepared, we are to meet our emergency needs or short-term obligations.
To illustrate, it indicates the number of months you can manage your expenses in case of a job loss where income stops.
Liquidity Ratio = Liquid Assets/ Immediate Monthly Expenses
Liquid Assets include any cash that you may have stashed away in your savings bank accounts or savings in fixed deposits or liquid category mutual funds.
Equities & equity related mutual fund investments are usually not seen as liquid assets as they are subject to market movement.
Immediate monthly expenses include rent payment or equated monthly instalments (EMIs), if any. In other words, expenses that cannot be delayed.
On the other hand, insurance premiums or living & lifestyle expenses constitute outflows that can be delayed by a certain degree.
For example, if your liquid assets are Rs 6 lacs. Say your monthly expense is Rs 1 lac. Then your liquidity ratio as per the formula would be 6/1 = 6.
A liquidity ratio of 6 means that you can provide for 6 months of expenses without earning an income.
So, what is the right number for the liquidity ratio?
It is dependent from individual to individual. If a person has a large income and relatively low expenses, he need not have a high liquidity ratio. On the other hand, if a person does not have a steady flow of income, he should have a higher liquidity ratio.
Considering a Company, a liquidity ratio is a type of financial ratio used to determine a company’s ability to pay its short-term debt obligations.
The liquidity ratio affects the credibility of the company as well as the credit rating of the company. If there are continuous defaults in repayment of a short-term liability then this will lead to bankruptcy. Hence this ratio plays important role in the financial stability of any company and credit ratings.
When analyzing a company, investors and creditors want to see a company with liquidity ratios above 1.0. A company with highly liquidity ratios is more likely to be approved for credit.