What is a good current ratio for a company?

Asked by: Granville Cummerata  |  Last update: July 16, 2026
Score: 4.8/5 (6 votes)

A good current ratio is generally between 1.5 and 2.0, indicating a company can comfortably cover short-term debts, but it varies significantly by industry; some, like airlines, operate lower (around 0.66), while high-growth tech might aim higher, with ratios above 1.0 generally considered healthy and anything below 1.0 suggesting potential financial strain. While a ratio near 2.0 signals financial health, one too high (approaching 3.0+) might mean the company isn't investing cash efficiently for growth, so comparing to industry peers is crucial.

Is 4 a good current ratio?

Generally speaking, a “good” current ratio is considered to be within 1.5 and 2.0. If your current ratio is greater than 2.0, the business could have a surplus of capital that isn't being used effectively.

Is a current ratio of 2.3 good?

A good current ratio for a company is considered between 1.5-2.0 and higher, which indicates a comfortable financial position. As a rule of thumb, investors don't want to see a ratio below 1.0. This would indicate that the company might run out of money within the year or even sooner.

What does a 1.2 current ratio mean?

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.

Is a current ratio of 0.78 good?

A current ratio of less than 1.0 indicates that a company's short-term assets, even if fully realized at their book value, would not be able to cover its short-term liabilities. This is to say that a current ratio of less than 1.0 is generally a bad current ratio.

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34 related questions found

What's a bad current ratio?

A high ratio (greater than 2.0) indicates excessive current assets in the form of inventory, and underemployed capital. A low ratio (less than 1.0) indicates difficulty to meet short-term financial obligations, and the inability to take advantage of opportunities requiring quick cash.

What does a current ratio of 1.41 mean?

The Current Ratio here is 1.41x, which means that ITW has $1.41 of current assets for each $1.00 in current liabilities. Most people would say this is a “good sign” for the company, but you also need to consider the trends and changes over time.

What is considered a low current ratio?

Generally, finance professionals view a Current Ratio between 1.5 and 2.0 as healthy. Below 1.0 can indicate potential short-term liquidity struggles, while a figure significantly above 2.0 might suggest inefficient use of resources.

What does a current ratio of 2.5 mean?

The current ratio for Company ABC is 2.5, which means that it has 2.5 times its liabilities in assets and can currently meet its financial obligations Any current ratio over 2 is considered 'good' by most accounts.

What is considered a healthy current ratio?

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.

What does a current ratio between 1.2 and 2.0 generally indicate?

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.

What does a current ratio of 4.2 indicate?

This indicates that the company has $4.20 worth of current assets for every $1 of current liabilities.

How to determine a good current ratio?

A good current ratio is between 1.2 to 2, which means that the business has 2 times more current assets than liabilities to covers its debts. A current ratio below 1 means that the company doesn't have enough liquid assets to cover its short-term liabilities.

What ratios does Warren Buffett look at?

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 is Coca-Cola's debt ratio?

The ratio of debt to assets has decreased from 0.49 in 2020 to 0.42 in 2022, with a slight increase to 0.44 by 2024.

What can current ratio tell us?

Current ratio measures a company's liquidity. It compares a company's current assets to its current liabilities to determine whether the company has enough assets to pay its bills in the short-term, technically, within a year.

What does a 3.0 current ratio mean?

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.

What is a 2.6 current ratio?

Current Ratio = Current Assets / Current Liabilities

The company's current ratio is 2.6. It means that it has enough funds to pay off short-term loans or accounts payable by 2.6 times.

What is a bad current ratio?

What is a bad current ratio? A current ratio below 1.0 suggests that a company's liabilities due in a year or less are greater than its assets. A low current ratio could indicate that the company may struggle to meet its short-term obligations.

What is a minimum current ratio?

1. In many cases, a company with a current ratio of less than 1.00 would not have the capital on hand to meet its short-term financial obligations should they all come due at once. A current ratio greater than 1.00 indicates that the company has the financial resources to remain solvent in the short term.

What happens if current ratio is too high?

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.

What is another name for current ratio?

Another name for the current ratio is the 'working capital ratio. ' This ratio measures a company's ability to cover its short-term obligations with its short-term assets.

What is the rule of thumb for current ratio?

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.

What does a 1.22 current ratio mean?

Interpretation: Ratio Greater Than 1: A current ratio greater than 1 indicates that the company has more current assets than current liabilities, suggesting that it should be able to cover its short-term obligations.

What does a current ratio of 0.75 mean?

A ratio of 1 means that a company can exactly pay off all its current liabilities with its current assets. A ratio of less than 1 (e.g., 0.75) would imply that a company is not able to satisfy its current liabilities.