MrktMkr's Random Trading Tip:
Liquidity, put simply, is how easily an asset can be turned into cash. The easiest way to calculate a company's liquidity is to calculate what is called the
current ratio. This is the formula:
Current Ratio = Current Assets
Current Liabilities
Expect this number to vary from business to business and from industry to industry. In general the higher the number the more liquid the company is. The best way to determine if the company is more/less liquid, compare the number to a competing company.
If the number is
too high (in comparison to a similar company), this may indicate that the company is not good at using its capital to make a profit. If the number is
too low (in comparison to a similar company), the company may not be able to pay off its liabilities with ease, or may be paying interest rates higher than the competing company.
Examples:
Based on Q3 2004 balance sheet data,
General Motors has a current ratio of 0.85.
Ford has a current ratio of 1.17. Though both numbers a low (in general), you can see that Ford is more "liquid" than General Motors.
Kohl's has a current ratio of 1.92, while its competitor
Sears has a current ratio of 1.28.
Microsoft (though based on Q4 2004 results) has a current ratio of 2.95.
IBM on the other hand has a current ratio of 1.21.
NOTE: It is best to compare ratios etc. between competing companies!