Defensive Interval Ratio

Defensive interval ratio is a variation of the quick ratio. The ratio uses the same figures used by the quick ratio to determine whether a business has an ability to pay its bills and liabilities. The aim of this ratio is calculate a defensive interval that is required by the company to pay its bills. There are no exact number of days in the interval instead the ratio examine whether the defensive interval is declining or not. The length of the defensive interval shows whether the current assets are sufficient for the business to pay its bills and liabilities. If the defensive interval is declining that means that buffer of liquid assets of the company that are being used to pay the bills are gradually declining.

There are a number of financial figures required to calculate defensive interval ratio. These figures include amounts of cash available with the business, marketable securities of the business and trades accounts receivable that are currently present within the business.  The formula can be shown as under:-

Defensive Interval Ratio = Cash+ Marketable Securities + Trade Receivables /Average Daily Expenditure

There are a number of issues associated with the calculation of defensive interval ratio such as expenditure inconsistency within the business and receivable replenishment trend in the business along with the receipt inconsistency within the business.

An example of defensive interval can be seen as the example of a company ABC that is suffering through a cyclic decline within the industry. The calculation of defensive interval for the company can be done with following information:-

Cash within hand = $1, 200, 000

Marketable Securities = $ 3, 700, 000

Trade Receivable = $4, 100,000

Average Daily Expenditure = $ 138, 500

Defensive Interval Ratio = 1,200,000 + 3,700,000 + 4,100,000 / 138,500

= 65 Days

This means that the company has sufficient amount of cash for keep operating for 65 days.

Other Related Accounting Articles:

• Liquid or Liquidity Ratio / Acid Test or Quick Ratio
• Acid Test Ratio
• Efficiency Ratio
• Back End Ratio
• Activity Ratios
• Cash Coverage Ratio
• Overhead Ratio
• Price Earnings Ratio (PE Ratio)
• Financial Ratios: Figures that keep you informed
• Gearing Ratio