Activity ratios measure how efficiently a company performs day-to-day tasks, such us the collection of receivables and management of inventory.

Short-term Activity Ratios (Summary)
Inventory Turnover
Receivables Turnover
Payables Turnover
Working Capital Turnover
Average Inventory Processing Period
Average Receivable Collection Period
Operating Cycle
Average Payables Payment Period
Cash Conversion Cycle

Caterpillar Inc., short-term (operating) activity ratios (quarterly data)

		Jun 30, 2019	Mar 31, 2019	Dec 31, 2018	Sep 30, 2018	Jun 30, 2018	Mar 31, 2018	Dec 31, 2017	Sep 30, 2017	Jun 30, 2017	Mar 31, 2017	Dec 31, 2016	Sep 30, 2016	Jun 30, 2016	Mar 31, 2016	Dec 31, 2015	Sep 30, 2015	Jun 30, 2015	Mar 31, 2015	Dec 31, 2014	Sep 30, 2014	Jun 30, 2014	Mar 31, 2014
	Turnover Ratios
	Inventory turnover
	Receivables turnover
	Payables turnover
	Working capital turnover
	Average No. Days
	Average inventory processing period
	Add: Average receivable collection period
	Operating cycle
	Less: Average payables payment period
	Cash conversion cycle

Short-term activity ratio	Description	The company
Inventory turnover	An activity ratio calculated as cost of goods sold divided by inventory.
Receivables turnover	An activity ratio equal to revenue divided by receivables.
Payables turnover	An activity ratio calculated as cost of goods sold divided by payables.	Caterpillar Inc.’s payables turnover ratio declined from Q4 2018 to Q1 2019 but then increased from Q1 2019 to Q2 2019 exceeding Q4 2018 level.
Working capital turnover	An activity ratio calculated as revenue divided by working capital.

Short-term activity ratio	Description	The company
Average inventory processing period	An activity ratio equal to the number of days in the period divided by inventory turnover over the period.
Average receivable collection period	An activity ratio equal to the number of days in the period divided by receivables turnover.
Operating cycle	Equal to average inventory processing period plus average receivables collection period.
Average payables payment period	An estimate of the average number of days it takes a company to pay its suppliers; equal to the number of days in the period divided by payables turnover ratio for the period.
Cash conversion cycle	A financial metric that measures the length of time required for a company to convert cash invested in its operations to cash received as a result of its operations; equal to average inventory processing period plus average receivables collection period minus average payables payment period.

Caterpillar Inc., inventory turnover calculation (quarterly data)

		Jun 30, 2019	Mar 31, 2019	Dec 31, 2018	Sep 30, 2018	Jun 30, 2018	Mar 31, 2018	Dec 31, 2017	Sep 30, 2017	Jun 30, 2017	Mar 31, 2017	Dec 31, 2016	Sep 30, 2016	Jun 30, 2016	Mar 31, 2016	Dec 31, 2015	Sep 30, 2015	Jun 30, 2015	Mar 31, 2015	Dec 31, 2014	Sep 30, 2014	Jun 30, 2014	Mar 31, 2014
	Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions)
	Cost of goods sold
	Inventories
	Short-term Activity Ratio
	Inventory turnover¹
	Benchmarks
	Inventory Turnover, Competitors²
	Illinois Tool Works Inc.

¹ Q2 2019 Calculation
Inventory turnover = (Cost of goods sold_{Q2 2019} + Cost of goods sold_{Q1 2019} + Cost of goods sold_{Q4 2018} + Cost of goods sold_{Q3 2018}) ÷ Inventories
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