This tool provides a quick assessment of a company’s ability to meet its short-term obligations with its most liquid assets, excluding inventory. It refines the current ratio by removing less liquid assets, offering a more conservative and realistic view of immediate solvency. For example, a business with \$100,000 in cash, \$50,000 in accounts receivable, and \$75,000 in current liabilities would have a quick ratio of (\$100,000 + \$50,000) / \$75,000 = 2, indicating strong short-term liquidity.
The result of this calculation is crucial for investors, creditors, and management teams to evaluate the financial health of a company. Its use has become increasingly vital to understand the state of a firms finances as understanding the degree of immediate solvency can help avoid bankruptcy and other financial disasters. Its application is also present in historical contexts where the liquidity of firms needed to be assessed due to instability in the economy.