6 Reasons Working Capital is the Blood and Nerve Center of a Business
Start writing a post
Adulting

6 Reasons Working Capital is the Blood and Nerve Center of a Business

Why working Capital is most Important Aspect of Every Business?

628
6 Reasons Working Capital is the Blood and Nerve Center of a Business

Working capital is simply the amount of money that a business has to operate with. It is the current assets minus the current liabilities. Current assets include cash on hand, inventory and accounts receivable. Liabilities include accounts and notes payable, expenses, and current loan/debt payments.

Working capital represents the liquidity of a company, a measure of its value, efficiency or stability (depending on how you want to look at it).

Working capital is important primarily because it is the money that keeps a business running. With little working capital, a company won’t . . . work. Here are some of the ways that working capital is the lifeblood of a business.

1. Strengthening Solvency

Solvency is the measure of how much greater your assets are than your liabilities; it tells you how easily you can pay off your debts. Having sufficient working capital is the first and best way to pay off short-term liabilities. When you are able to easily pay salaries, equipment rentals, and other immediate costs, then your company can run more smoothly.

2. Moving Forward

One of the most effective ways to propel your business forward is with the use of working capital. When you have the right amount of disposable working capital, you can easily pay off any debts or costs and focus on investing for future expansion. Negative working capital (i.e. a situation where your liabilities are greater than your assets) means that you do not have the capacity to expand.

3. Developing Relationships

When a business is able to make all its necessary payments in a timely manner, it breeds trust and goodwill among its employees, with its vendors and other external agents. With sufficient working capital, a business never has to worry about running afoul of someone to whom it owes money.

4. Improving Health

Working capital can tell you how healthy your company currently is. The current liquidity of a business, also the net working capital, is one of the most important determinants of its health. Liquidity tells investors how easily a company’s assets can be converted into cash. As the amount of money available for day-to-day operations, working capital is intimately tied to liquidity and how easily work can get done in the business.

5. Getting Loans

Every business owner hopes to be able to expand his or her business. In cases where large expansions are planned, a loan may have to be taken out. When a business has good solvency and credit, it is more likely to be approved for a loan. Good working capital, therefore, helps you not only expand using your own resources but also helps you find external funding for expansion.

6. Handling Crises

Any business is likely to face a crisis at some time in its life. How these crises are handled depend largely on the working capital available to the business. Firms with good working capital are able to absorb blows to their revenue stream and keep moving forward.

Make Working Capital Work for You

Working capital is either expressed as a money value (assets minus liabilities) or as a ratio (assets over liabilities). Any business should aim for at least a working capital ratio of 1.2. Whether your company is just getting off the ground or has been operating for decades, managing working capital is key to its profitability.

Managing working capital is an important skill to have. As we have seen, a company’s working capital is one of the most important pieces of information to know regarding its current health and future profitability. Managers who understand working capital and how to use it stand poised to leverage its many benefits to increasing profits.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

20947
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

948281
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

125098
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lots of people sat on the cinema wearing 3D glasses
Pinterest

Ever wonder what your friend meant when they started babbling about you taking their stapler? Or how whenever you ask your friend for a favor they respond with "As You Wish?" Are you looking for new and creative ways to insult your friends?

Well, look no further. Here is a list of 70 of the most quotable movies of all time. Here you will find answers to your questions along with a multitude of other things such as; new insults for your friends, interesting characters, fantastic story lines, and of course quotes to log into your mind for future use.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments