Inventory turnover

Definition

Inventory revenue is a financial metric used to evaluate how efficiently a company manages its inventory. It measures the number of times a company’s inventory is sold and replaced over a specific period.

What is inventory revenue?

Inventory revenue is a key indicator of operational effectiveness, and the inventory revenue ratio is calculated using the following formula:

Inventory revenue = cost of goods sold (COGS) / average inventory 

A high inventory revenue ratio suggests that a company is efficiently managing its inventory. This can lead to reduced holding costs, lower risk of obsolete goods, and increased cash flow.

Efficient inventory revenue contributes to effective working capital management. It allows companies to free up capital that would otherwise be tied up in inventory.

While high inventory revenue is generally positive, it’s important to balance it with maintaining adequate product availability for customers. Overly aggressive inventory management can lead to stockouts, potentially impacting sales and customer satisfaction.

A low inventory revenue ratio may indicate that a company is holding excess inventory, which can lead to increased holding costs and a higher risk of obsolescence.

Monitoring changes in inventory revenue over time can provide valuable insights into a company’s performance and its ability to adapt to shifting market conditions.

Example of inventory revenue

XYZ Clothing Store is a retail business specialising in apparel. At the beginning of the year, the store had an inventory value of R200,000.

Throughout the year, XYZ Clothing Store made additional inventory purchases amounting to R500,000. During the same period, the store successfully sold clothing with a total sales revenue of R700,000. Let’s say the ending inventory is R50,000.

Then the inventory revenue ratio can be calculated as:

COGS = R500,000 – R50,000 = R450,000

Average inventory = (R200,000 + R50,000) / 2 = R125,000

Inventory revenue = R450,000 / R125,000 = 3.6

The calculated inventory revenue of 3.6 indicates that, on average, XYZ Clothing Store sold and replaced its inventory approximately 3.6 times during the year.