The cash ratio is a financial ratio that measures a company’s ability to pay off its short-term debt obligations with its cash and cash equivalents. It is a more conservative measure of liquidity than the current ratio, as it only considers a company’s most liquid assets.
The formula for calculating the cash ratio is as follows:
Cash Ratio = (Cash and Cash Equivalents) / (Current Liabilities)
Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand, demand deposits, and short-term, highly liquid investments that can be easily converted into cash. Current liabilities include any obligations that are due within one year, such as accounts payable, accrued expenses, and short-term debt.
A higher cash ratio indicates that a company has a greater ability to pay off its short-term obligations with its available cash and cash equivalents. However, a very high cash ratio may also suggest that a company is not making effective use of its cash and could benefit from investing some of its excess cash into its business or returning it to shareholders through dividends or share buybacks.
Generally, a cash ratio of 1 or higher is considered to be a good indication of a company’s liquidity, as it suggests that the company has enough cash to cover its short-term obligations. However, the ideal cash ratio will vary depending on the industry and the specific circumstances of the company.