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Keep the stated convention visible
| Component | Current | Quick | Cash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash and equivalents | Included | Included | Included |
| Short-term marketable securities | Included | Included | Included |
| Net current receivables | Included | Included | Excluded |
| Inventory and prepaids | Included | Excluded | Excluded |
| Other current assets | Included | Excluded | Excluded |
Interpret the current-versus-quick gap
Under this exact convention, the gap reflects inventory, prepaids and other excluded current assets relative to current liabilities. If the two ratios use different reporting dates or another quick-asset definition, the same interpretation may not follow.
Distinguish a cash-only variant
A source may show a stricter cash-only numerator. Cash 200, securities 100 and current liabilities 500 produce 0.6× with securities and 0.4× without them. Compare labelled definitions rather than treating both as an unlabeled identical metric.
Investigate availability and payment timing
The numerator categories are accounting inputs. They do not certify that an asset can be converted into available cash by a specific due date. Read timing and restriction information alongside the ratios.