What is the inventory turnover ratio?

What is the inventory turnover ratio?

‍

The inventory turnover ratio is a key financial metric used to measure the rate at which businesses sell and replace their inventory. It is an important indicator of how well a company is managing its stock levels and overall supply chain management. The ratio is the cost of goods sold (COGS) divided by the average inventory value over one year. The higher the inventory turnover ratio, the more efficiently a company is using its inventory.

Inventory turnover is an industry-specific metric, so businesses should compare it against industry peers to get an accurate picture of performance. For example, if a retail business has a high ratio compared to other retailers, this could be due to differences in sales or purchasing models. Inventory turnover tells companies how well their supply chain management system is working. Managers can make the most effective use of resources by identifying which actions have the greatest positive effect on customer satisfaction.

‍

Understanding the inventory turnover formula

‍

The inventory turnover ratio is an important financial measure used to assess how quickly businesses are selling and replacing their inventory. This metric, cost of goods sold over time divided by average inventory value, shows how well a company manages its inventory. A higher number typically indicates more efficient handling. It should be noted, however, that this calculation does not reflect whether such sales are profitable; other factors must also be considered when evaluating performance. 

Businesses should strive to optimize their inventory turnover ratio to improve supply chain management and stock levels. 

‍

Such optimization can be achieved through a variety of methods including: 

• Reducing excess stock while still making sure there are adequate amounts available for sale
• Increasing customer demand with marketing techniques
• Renegotiating supplier contracts and terms
• Streamlining delivery times
• Using data analysis tools
• Taking advantage of technology solutions like Orderful's EDI solution
• Outsourcing logistics operations where appropriate
• Introducing seasonal SKUs
• Offering discounts on slow-moving items or bundles
• And reducing lead times with suppliers.

‍

By understanding their inventory turnover ratio, companies can better manage their stock levels and overall supply chain efficiency—ultimately leading to greater profitability.

‍

How to calculate inventory turnover ratio

‍

Calculating the inventory turnover ratio is a useful way to measure the efficiency of a business’s stock management. To calculate this ratio, there are several key steps that need to be taken. 

First, it is necessary to understand the cost of goods sold and average inventory. The cost of goods sold (COGS) is the total cost associated with purchasing or producing a good to sell it. This includes all direct expenses related to manufacturing or delivering the product, such as materials and labor costs. The average inventory value is found by taking the total number of all available items and dividing it by the number of items available at any one time.

Once these two values have been determined, the COGS for a certain period can then be divided by the average inventory for that same period. This will give you your inventory turnover ratio for that specific period in time. To get an overall picture, it helps to calculate this ratio over several periods and take an average measurement from them as well.

By understanding and optimizing their inventory turnover ratio, businesses can better manage their stock levels and improve their overall supply chain management. Businesses should also calculate other ratios, like order fill rates and backorder ratios, to understand their supply chain performance. 

‍

Main challenges of inventory turnover

‍

The inventory turnover ratio is a good way to measure how well businesses manage their stock, but there are still challenges. Businesses face many problems when trying to maintain an optimal inventory turnover ratio, including variable product quality, seasonality, order fulfillment rates, and scalability.

Product variability can be disregarded regarding the inventory turnover calculation due to its wide range of product categories or individual items. Seasonality can be a problem for businesses. Customer demand changes over the year, which makes it hard to calculate what the business should make. Low order fulfillment rates can also cause problems as they indicate that customers are not being supplied with what they need quickly enough. On top of this, businesses may struggle to scale up their supply chain operations quickly enough if customer demand increases unexpectedly. Finally, high stock-out costs can be a major issue. Suppliers try to keep up with customer orders without having too much excess stock.

‍

4 strategies for inventory turnover optimization

‍

Optimizing inventory turnover ratio is essential for any business looking to maximize their profits. There are four main strategies that businesses can employ to improve their inventory turnover rate and better manage their stock levels. Using inventory management software helps businesses keep track of the amount of each product in stock and make adjustments as needed. Having an accurate forecasting system makes sure businesses have enough stock when customers want it without too much excess at any given time. Also, shortening lead times in fulfillment can speed up goods flow and reduce sales opportunities lost because of long wait times. Finally, a JIT system gets rid of extra stock while still giving customers what they need when they need it without delays. By following these strategies, businesses can more easily meet customer demand while avoiding unnecessary costs associated with overstocking or restocking.

‍

Determining a good inventory turnover ratio

‍

Determining a good inventory turnover ratio is essential for businesses looking to optimize their stock levels and maximize profits. A good ratio should reflect the balance between customer demand and the availability of stock while avoiding excess costs associated with overstocking or restocking.

To determine a good inventory turnover ratio, businesses should first understand the industry standards for comparison. This will give them an idea of what is considered a “good” rate for their particular industry, as different types of businesses may have different norms. Businesses should aim to keep their turnover rate at a steady rate, as this shows that they are selling enough products. They can also analyze customer purchases to prevent oversupply and find any trends in customer demand patterns that could affect inventory turnover rates.

Additionally, businesses should track the performance of their inventory turnover ratio over time by assessing current inventory management strategies and making the necessary adjustments. By understanding and optimizing their inventory turnover ratio, businesses can achieve greater profitability while making sure that customer service remains satisfactory at all times.

‍

Other related ratios

‍

The inventory turnover ratio is an important measure of a business’s efficiency, but it is not the only metric available. There are various other ratios used to evaluate the effectiveness of inventory management. 

Days of Supply (DS) ratio measures how long it takes for stock to be replenished. This is determined by dividing the average days of supply by total sales for a certain period. A low DS ratio means stock is being replaced quickly, while a high DS ratio means stock levels are taking too long to replace.

The Stock Turnover Ratio (STR) measures how often stock moves in and out of warehouses or stores over a given period. It is calculated by dividing the cost of goods sold by average inventory value. STR can help identify opportunities to reduce costs or increase sales.

‍

Gross Margin Return on Investment (GMROI) calculates the amount of profit generated from each dollar invested in inventory. This helps businesses understand how profitable their investments are and where they should invest more money into their inventory management processes.

Level Of Service (LOS) evaluates customer service satisfaction levels based on factors such as delivery times, order accuracy, product availability, and customer service responsiveness. The higher the LOS score, the better customers perceive the overall performance level of your business's services and products.

Finally, Vendor Compliance Index (VCI) evaluates supplier performance across categories such as pricing accuracy, quality control procedures, on-time, delivery rates, and more. High VCI scores mean suppliers are meeting customer satisfaction standards like timing and accuracy when ordering products.

‍

Enhance your inventory data interchange process with Orderful

‍

Orderful’s EDI solution makes it easy for businesses to connect with any trading partner in any format or language. This removes tedious tasks normally associated with manual data entry, such as re-keying orders or manually mapping fields from one system to another. Instead, Orderful's software automatically handles this process, reducing the risk of errors and saving valuable time in the long run.