Accounts and finance

Table of Contents

1. Topic pack - Accounts and finance - introduction
2. 3.1 Sources of finance - notes
3. 3.1 Sources of finance - questions
4. 3.2 Investment appraisal - notes
5. Investment appraisal
6. 3.2 Investment appraisal - questions
7. 3.3 Working capital - notes
8. 3.3 Working capital - questions
9. 3.4 Budgeting - notes (HL only)
10. 3.4 Budgeting - questions
11. 3.5 Final accounts - notes
12. 3.5 Final accounts - questions
13. 3.5 Final accounts - simulations and activities
14. 3.6 Ratio analysis - notes
    1. Ratio analysis
    2. Profitability ratios
    3. Interpretation of profitability ratios
    4. Profitability - examples
    5. Liquidity ratios - introduction
    6. Current ratio
    7. Acid test ratio
    8. Efficiency ratios
    9. Efficiency ratios - ROCE
    10. Efficiency ratios - asset turnover ratio
    11. Efficiency ratios - stock turnover ratio
    12. Debtor days
    13. Creditor days
    14. Efficiency ratios - use and calculation
    15. Financial efficiency ratios - examples
    16. Shareholders' ratios
    17. Factors affecting share prices
    18. Gearing
    19. Ratio analysis - A summary
15. 3.6 Ratio analysis - questions
16. 3.6 Ratio analysis - simulations and activities
17. Printable version

Creditor days

This ratio measures the length of time it takes the firm to pay its creditors.

In general the firm should seek to maximise the period that it takes to pay its debts. In this way it has the materials and the products it requires, but still has the money for these in its bank account gaining interest.

However, having a high creditor days figure may indicate that the firm is losing out on discounts for early repayment, meaning it is paying more for its materials than perhaps its competitors. Again it is important to place this ratio in the context of the industry in which it operates. For food retailers the creditor days' ratio may be as low as 8 - 12 days. In manufacturing, averages tend to be closer to 37 days.

There should be a link between debtors' days and creditors' days. Creditors' days should be at least as long (or short) as the debtor's days. One can finance the other.