Current Ratio – Formula, Meaning, Assumptions and Interpretations
April 3, 2025
The current ratio is the most popularly used metric to gauge the short term solvency of a company. This article provides the details about this ratio. Formula Current Ratio = Current Assets / Current Liabilities Meaning Current ratio measures the current assets of the company in comparison to its current liabilities. This means that the…
Common size statements are not financial ratios. Rather they are a way of presenting financial statements that makes them more suitable for analysis. However, analysts always use them in conjunction with ratio analysis. In fact, financial analysts use common size statements as the starting point to help them dig deeper. Common size statements tell them…
The cash ratio is limited in its usefulness to investors and financial analysts. It is the least popular of the liquidity ratios and is used only when the company under question is under absolute duress. Only in desperate circumstances do situations arise where the company is not able to meet its short term obligations by…
Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) is another popular metric that is used widely in financial analysis. The reason for its popularity is that like ROA, ROIC can be used by both equity and debt holders. Also, like ROA, it provides data about return to the company as a whole and is not affected by leverage. Here is more about Return on Invested Capital;
The formula for calculating ROIC is as follows:
Return on Invested Capital = EBIT / Invested Capital
Invested capital is derived by starting from the Balance Sheet Liabilities total and then subtracting the current liabilities from it. This is because current liabilities are not sustainable sources of long term financing and therefore cannot qualify as capital.
The Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) metric measures the company’s efficiency at allocating its resources to generate the maximum return. Thus ROIC shows the relationship between invested capital and return. It must be thought about as having Rs X in earnings for every rupee in invested capital.
No Break-Up Provided: ROIC does not provide break up about whether income has been earned from regular operations or from one time activities.
Used to Evaluate Acquisitions: Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) is useful in case of companies that have done many acquisitions. Since it is difficult to segregate the cash flows of the two merged companies, ROIC with and without the acquisition serves as a measure of gauging success.
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