What is 'Working Capital'?

Working capital, also known as net working capital (NWC), is a measure of a company's liquidity, operational efficiency and short-term financial health. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Term of the Day | Words to Know Working Capital (NWC) Working capital, also known as net working capital (NWC), is the difference between a company's current assets, such as cash, accounts receivable (customers' unpaid bills) and inventories of raw materials and finished goods, and its current liabilities, such as accounts payable. Net operating working capital is a measure of a company's liquidity and refers to the difference between operating current assets and operating current liabilities. In many cases these calculations are the same and are derived from company cash plus accounts receivable plus inventories, less accounts payable and less accrued expenses. Working capital is a measure of a company's liquidity, operational efficiency and its short-term financial health. If a company has substantial positive working capital, then it should have the potential to invest and grow. If a company's current assets do not exceed its current liabilities, then it may have trouble growing or paying back creditors, or even go bankrupt. Read More » Related to "Working Capital (NWC)" The Importance of Working Capital Management Good working capital management is essential to maintaining liquidity and profitability, not to mention the coverage of cash-flow. Read More » Advantages of Maintaining Low Working Capital Understand the benefits and advantages of maintaining low working capital as related to liquidity needs, capital allocation and operational efficiency. Read More » SPONSORED BY FIDELITY INVESTMENTS When Others Step Back, Fidelity Steps Up Attracting the next generation of talented associates is a top priority for the Fidelity leadership team. Here's what they're doing to navigate the current crisis. Learn More » What Are Working Capital Costs? Discover the costs included in working capital, and learn how to use working capital as an indicator of a company's ability to finance daily operations. Read More » Sign Up for 'Chart Advisor' Want more Investopedia market news? Investopedia's expert analysts present market performance for the day and discuss with in-depth charting and technical analysis, a must read for traders. Subscribe» Related Definitions Current Assets Current assets are a balance sheet item that represents the value of all assets that can reasonably be expected to be converted into cash within one year. Read More » Current Liabilities Current liabilities are a company's debts or obligations that are due to be paid to creditors within one year. Read More » Liquidity Liquidity refers to the speed with which an asset or security can be bought or sold in the market, without affecting its price—the ease of converting it to ready money, or cash. Cash is considered the most liquid of assets. Read More » Operational Efficiency Operational efficiency is primarily a metric that measures the efficiency of profit earned as a function of operational costs. Read More » CONNECT WITH INVESTOPEDIA Email sent to: mondemand.forex@blogger.com To update your newsletter preferences or unsubscribe, click here. 114 West 41st St, floor 8 New York NY 10036 © 2020, Investopedia, LLC, All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy