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Accountancy Ratios

Here are short notes and formulas for major accountancy ratios, categorized by type:

1. Profitability Ratios

Measure a company’s ability to generate profit.

  • Gross Profit Margin

    Gross Profit Margin=(Gross ProfitRevenue)×100 \text{Gross Profit Margin} = \left( \frac{\text{Gross Profit}}{\text{Revenue}} \right) \times 100


    Indicates profit after direct costs (COGS).

  • Net Profit Margin

    Net Profit Margin=(Net ProfitRevenue)×100 \text{Net Profit Margin} = \left( \frac{\text{Net Profit}}{\text{Revenue}} \right) \times 100


    Shows overall profitability after all expenses.

  • Return on Capital Employed (ROCE)

    ROCE=(EBITCapital Employed)×100 \text{ROCE} = \left( \frac{\text{EBIT}}{\text{Capital Employed}} \right) \times 100


    Measures efficiency in using capital (Capital Employed = Equity + Debt).


2. Liquidity Ratios

Assess short-term financial health.

  • Current Ratio

    Current Ratio=Current AssetsCurrent Liabilities \text{Current Ratio} = \frac{\text{Current Assets}}{\text{Current Liabilities}}


    Ideal: 2:1. Tests ability to cover short-term debts.

  • Quick (Acid-Test) Ratio

    Quick Ratio=Current Assets−InventoryCurrent Liabilities \text{Quick Ratio} = \frac{\text{Current Assets} - \text{Inventory}}{\text{Current Liabilities}}


    Stricter measure (excludes inventory). Ideal: 1:1.


3. Efficiency Ratios

Evaluate operational effectiveness.

  • Inventory Turnover

    Inventory Turnover=Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)Average Inventory \text{Inventory Turnover} = \frac{\text{Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)}}{\text{Average Inventory}}


    Higher = better inventory management.

  • Receivables Days

    Receivables Days=(Accounts ReceivableCredit Sales)×365 \text{Receivables Days} = \left( \frac{\text{Accounts Receivable}}{\text{Credit Sales}} \right) \times 365


    Measures how quickly customers pay.

  • Payables Days

    Payables Days=(Accounts PayableCredit Purchases)×365 \text{Payables Days} = \left( \frac{\text{Accounts Payable}}{\text{Credit Purchases}} \right) \times 365


    Shows how quickly a company pays suppliers.


4. Gearing (Leverage) Ratios

Measure financial risk and debt reliance.

  • Debt-to-Equity Ratio

    Debt-to-Equity=Total DebtTotal Equity \text{Debt-to-Equity} = \frac{\text{Total Debt}}{\text{Total Equity}}


    High ratio = higher financial risk.

  • Interest Cover

    Interest Cover=EBITInterest Expense \text{Interest Cover} = \frac{\text{EBIT}}{\text{Interest Expense}}


    Ability to pay interest from profits (Ideal: >3x).


5. Investment Ratios

For shareholder returns.

  • Earnings Per Share (EPS)

    EPS=Net ProfitNumber of Shares \text{EPS} = \frac{\text{Net Profit}}{\text{Number of Shares}}
  • Price-to-Earnings (P/E) Ratio

    P/E=Market Price per ShareEPS \text{P/E} = \frac{\text{Market Price per Share}}{\text{EPS}}


    Higher P/E = growth expectations.

  • Dividend Yield

    Dividend Yield=(Dividend per ShareMarket Price per Share)×100 \text{Dividend Yield} = \left( \frac{\text{Dividend per Share}}{\text{Market Price per Share}} \right) \times 100

Key Notes:

  • Profitability → Focus on margins and returns.
  • Liquidity → Short-term solvency.
  • Efficiency → Asset/utilization management.
  • Gearing → Debt vs. equity structure.
  • Investment → Shareholder value metrics.

These ratios help analyze financial statements for decision-making. Adjust formulas based on context (e.g., using EBITDA instead of EBIT).

Would you like a deeper dive into any specific ratio?