Step 1: Understand the concept of inventory turnover. Inventory turnover measures how efficiently a company manages its inventory by calculating how many times inventory is sold and replaced during a specific period.
Step 2: Identify the correct formula for inventory turnover. The formula is: Inventory Turnover = \frac{Cost\ of\ Goods\ Sold}{Average\ Inventory}. This formula highlights the relationship between the cost of goods sold (COGS) and the average inventory held during the period.
Step 3: Break down the components of the formula. 'Cost of Goods Sold' represents the direct costs attributable to the production of goods sold by the company. 'Average Inventory' is calculated as the average of the beginning and ending inventory for the period.
Step 4: Analyze why the other formulas provided are incorrect. For example, \frac{Net\ Sales}{Ending\ Inventory} does not account for the cost of goods sold, which is essential for inventory turnover. Similarly, \frac{Gross\ Profit}{Average\ Inventory} is unrelated to inventory turnover as it focuses on profitability rather than inventory management.
Step 5: Apply the correct formula to calculate inventory turnover in practice. Gather the values for Cost of Goods Sold and Average Inventory from the financial statements, substitute them into the formula, and perform the calculation to determine the inventory turnover ratio.