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Multiple Choice
Short-term creditors are typically most interested in analyzing a company's:
A
property, plant, and equipment
B
accounts receivable and liquidity position
C
retained earnings
D
long-term investments
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the perspective of short-term creditors: Short-term creditors are primarily concerned with the company's ability to meet its short-term obligations. This means they focus on assets and metrics that can be quickly converted into cash or are directly related to liquidity.
Identify the relevant financial metrics: Accounts receivable and liquidity position are key indicators of a company's ability to pay off short-term debts. Accounts receivable represents money owed to the company that can be collected in the near term, while liquidity position refers to the company's ability to convert assets into cash quickly.
Exclude irrelevant options: Property, plant, and equipment are long-term assets and are not easily liquidated to meet short-term obligations. Retained earnings represent accumulated profits and are not directly tied to liquidity. Long-term investments are also not relevant for short-term creditors as they are not readily available for immediate use.
Focus on accounts receivable: Analyze the accounts receivable turnover ratio to understand how efficiently the company collects money owed by customers. A higher turnover ratio indicates faster collection, which is favorable for short-term creditors.
Evaluate liquidity position: Use liquidity ratios such as the current ratio (Current Assets ÷ Current Liabilities) and the quick ratio ((Current Assets - Inventory) ÷ Current Liabilities) to assess the company's ability to meet short-term obligations. These ratios provide insight into the company's financial health from a short-term perspective.