Business is always placed on top of the hierarchy in the difficulty of the responsibilities. If you own a company, the brunt you bear through the multiple stages can never be equal to an employee’s level of stress. Since there are several aspects to take into consideration when managing a business, there is a need to look for the best paths to a successful venture. The balance between the inflow of money and expenses isn’t what you should be aiming for; instead, you need to attain better financial stability by increasing the profits. Net working capital is one factor you need to pay attention to at all times since it gathers all the important elements of a successful business.
The assets held by a company should always be at least on the next rung compared to the current liabilities. NWC is a value that indicates the difference between the two and determines the flow of finances in a company. Businesses will always find net working capital beneficial if calculated regularly. With a basic understanding of how the finances are being handled, you can direct certain funds to buy some assets or invest in some profitable area.
Pros and Cons of Net Working Capital
The net working capital indicates a business’s short-term liquidity, and it also shows you whether or not your company has sufficient capital to meet the financial obligations. The ability to pay off these debts alone cannot determine the company’s profits or stability. Every business should also be able to generate enough funds to invest for better growth. Let us look at a few pros and cons of positive net working capital.
Pros of Net Working Capital
- All the current financial obligations can be met when the net working capital is positive.
- Multiple investment options can be learned and leveraged with a positive NWC; it could also be for operational needs.
Cons of Net Working Capital
- Most people might consider a high NWC value to be a good sign but indeed only indicates that the company fails to use short-term assets effectively.
- Since some current assets cannot be converted to cash, NWC may not give you an accurate measure of the liquidity.
Increasing Net Working Capital
1. Sell the Long-Term Assets
Several long-term assets that aren’t considered current assets must be sold. It could include certain equipment and machinery. Make sure to sell all these unused assets for cash rather than credit.
2. Build Your Inventory Turnover
Overstocking is an issue you need to fight, and it can only be done by finding ways to increase the company’s inventory turnover. Although inventory is a current asset, you shouldn’t keep it for long since it isn’t as liquid as cash. Current assets will increase if you sell inventories even for a small margin of profit.
3. Refinance Debts
You can increase your NWC by refinancing the short-term debts with long-term debts so that they don’t appear as current liabilities on the balance sheet.