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Page 4 of 5 Current Assets Now let's examine reducing Current Assets. Consider these cases: | Sales | $100,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CASE 1 | | | | | | | | ASSETS ($000) | | | | LIABILITIES & OWNER'S EQUITY | | Current Assets | | | | Liabilities | | | | Cash | $6,500 | | | Accts Payable | $6,000 | | | Accts Receivable | $7,000 | | | Current Debt | $4,000 | | | Inventories | $6,500 | | | Current Liabilities | | $10,000 | | Current Assets | | $20,000 | | | | | | Current Ratio | 2.0 | | | Days of Working Capital | 36.5 | | | | | | | | | | CASE 2 | | | | | | | | ASSETS ($000) | | | | LIABILITIES & OWNER'S EQUITY | | Current Assets | | | | Liabilities | | | | Cash | $2,500 | | | Accts Payable | $6,000 | | | Accts Receivable | $7,000 | | | Current Debt | $0 | | | Inventories | $2,500 | | | Current Liabilities | | $6,000 | | Current Assets | | $12,000 | | | | | | Current Ratio | 2.0 | | | Days of Working Capital | 21.9 | Case 1 and 2 both have Current Ratios of 2.0, but Case 2 is much more worrisome. If demand increases, you stock out after selling only $2.5 million of inventory. If demand falls, you run out of cash after building only $2.5 million of additional inventory. You have little room for error.
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