A current ratio of 1.33 means a company has $1.33 in current assets for every $1.00 in current liabilities, generally indicating good short-term liquidity.
"Banks like to see a current ratio of more than 1 to 1, perhaps 1.2 to 1 or slightly higher is generally considered acceptable," explains Trevor Fillo, Senior Account Manager with BDC in Edmonton, Alberta. "A current ratio of 1.2 to 1 or higher generally provides a cushion.
(Reason: Current ratio is current assets/current liabilities, so a current ratio of 1.38 times means the firm has 1.38 times more current assets than it does current liabilities, or has its current liabilities covered 1.38 times.)
A good current ratio typically ranges between 1.2 and 2.0, showing that a company has enough current assets to cover its short-term obligations while ensuring that its operations stay efficient.
A good current ratio is generally considered to be between 1.5 and 2.0, indicating a healthy ability to cover short-term debts, but the ideal range varies significantly by industry, with some needing higher (e.g., manufacturing) and others lower (e.g., retail, utilities) ratios, while a ratio below 1.0 signals potential liquidity issues and a very high one (above 3.0) might suggest inefficient asset use.
This is to say that a current ratio of less than 1.0 is generally a bad current ratio. This isn't to say, however, that a current ratio of 1.0 is necessarily good. Remember, not all current assets on a business' balance sheet will be realizable at book value.
Buffett considers a company's debt-to-equity ratio (D/E) when deciding on an investment opportunity. D/E is a financial metric that measures the proportion of a company's financing from debt compared to equity. Buffett prefers investing in companies with smaller debt and earnings growth from shareholders' equity.
What does a current ratio of 1.4 mean? For each $1 of inventory, the company has about $1.40 of current liabilities. For each $1 of current assets, the company has about $1.40 of current liabilities. For each $1 of total assets, the company has about $1.40 of current liabilities.
The current ratio, also known as the working capital ratio, measures the capability of a business to meet its short-term obligations that are due within a year. The ratio considers the weight of total current assets versus total current liabilities.
A commonly referenced healthy range is between 1.2 and 2.0. Ratios within this range typically indicate that short-term obligations can be managed without undue strain while maintaining an efficient use of assets.
Above 1.0: A current ratio greater than 1.0 suggests a business has more current assets than current liabilities. This indicates the business should be able to cover its short-term obligations without having to sell long-term assets or raise additional capital. A high ratio might suggest an inefficient use of assets.
It is expressed as a ratio and often rounded off to two decimal places, such as 2:1 or 2.25:1. A ratio of 1:1 indicates that the firm has an equal amount of current assets and current liabilities. If the current ratio is above 1, then it means that a company has sufficient assets to cover its liabilities.
The current ratio describes the relationship between a company's assets and liabilities. So, a higher ratio means the company has more assets than liabilities. For example, a current ratio of 4 means the company could technically pay off its current liabilities four times over.
The ideal current ratio varies by industry. However, an acceptable range for the current ratio could be 1.0 to 2. Ratios in this range indicate that the company has enough current assets to cover its debts, with some wiggle room.
By rule of thumb, if a company's current ratio is above 1.00, it has sufficient current assets to cover its current liabilities. If a company's current ratio is 1.50 or above, it has ample working capital to cover all current liabilities.
A ratio above 1.0 means you can cover your short-term debts. A ratio below 1.0 means you could struggle to pay bills as they come due. A very high ratio—say, above 3.0—might signal inefficiency. You could be holding too much cash or inventory instead of investing it in growth.
A good current ratio is generally considered to be between 1.5 and 2.0, indicating a healthy ability to cover short-term debts, but the ideal range varies significantly by industry, with some needing higher (e.g., manufacturing) and others lower (e.g., retail, utilities) ratios, while a ratio below 1.0 signals potential liquidity issues and a very high one (above 3.0) might suggest inefficient asset use.
Companies with a high current ratio are well positioned to pay their debts in the short-term, while companies with a low current ratio may be at risk of default. Investors use current ratio to assess the financial health of a given company.
Generally, your current ratio indicates your business's ability to generate cash to meet its short-term obligations. A decrease in this ratio can be attributed to an increase in short-term debt, a decrease in current assets, or a combination of both.
A relative risk or odds ratio greater than one indicates an exposure to be harmful, while a value less than one indicates a protective effect. RR = 1.2 means exposed people are 20% more likely to be diseased, RR = 1.4 means 40% more likely. OR = 1.2 means that the odds of disease is 20% higher in exposed people.
Generally, a good debt ratio for a business is around 1 to 1.5. However, the debt-to-equity ratio can vary significantly based on the business's growth stage and industry sector. For example, newer and expanding companies often utilise debt to drive growth.
The golden ratio, also known as the golden number, golden proportion, or the divine proportion, is a ratio between two numbers that equals approximately 1.618. Usually written as the Greek letter phi, it is strongly associated with the Fibonacci sequence, a series of numbers wherein each number is added to the last.
Warren Buffett's #1 rule of investing is famously simple and stark: "Rule No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget Rule No. 1.". This principle emphasizes capital preservation and avoiding significant losses, suggesting that protecting your principal is more crucial for long-term wealth building than chasing high, risky returns. It means focusing on buying good businesses at fair prices, understanding what you invest in, and being disciplined to prevent large, permanent losses, even if it means missing out on some fast gains.