Ratios — Excel guide

Ratios turn statements into judgments: can they pay their bills, how leveraged are they, and how hard do the assets work. The formulas fit on one card.

Liquidity — can they pay soon?

Quick ratio strips inventory because it's the slowest current asset to become cash.

RatioFormula
Current ratioCurrent assets ÷ current liabilities
Quick ratio(Current assets − inventory) ÷ current liabilities
Working capitalCurrent assets − current liabilities

Leverage & coverage

How much of the company the lenders own, and how comfortably earnings cover the interest.

RatioFormula
Debt-to-equityTotal liabilities ÷ total equity
Times interest earnedEBIT ÷ interest expense

Profitability & efficiency

Margins read top-down from the income statement; turnover ratios ask how hard the balance sheet works.

RatioFormula
Gross marginGross profit ÷ revenue
ROENet income ÷ average equity
ROANet income ÷ average total assets
Asset turnoverRevenue ÷ average total assets
Inventory turnoverCOGS ÷ average inventory
DSO(A/R ÷ credit sales) × 365
EPS (basic)Net income to common ÷ weighted-avg shares

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