What is 'Working Capital'?

Working capital, also known as net working capital, is the difference between a company’s current assets, like cash, accounts receivable (customers’ unpaid bills) and inventories of raw materials and finished goods, and its current liabilities, like accounts payable.

Working Capital = Current Assets/Current Liabilities

BREAKING DOWN 'Working Capital'

Working capital is a measure of both a company's operational efficiency and its short-term financial health. The working capital ratio (current assets/current liabilities), or current ratio, indicates whether a company has enough short-term assets to cover its short-term debt. A good working capital ratio is considered anything between 1.2 and 2.0. A ratio of less than 1.0 indicates negative working capital, with potential liquidity problems, while a ratio above 2.0 might indicate that a company is not using its excess assets effectively to generate maximum possible revenue.

Source : Investopedia