Inventory Days Formula:
| From: | To: |
Inventory Days, also known as Days Inventory Outstanding (DIO), measures the average number of days a company holds its inventory before selling it. It indicates how efficiently a company manages its inventory levels.
The calculator uses the Inventory Days formula:
Where:
Explanation: This formula converts the annual inventory turnover ratio into the average number of days inventory remains in stock before being sold.
Details: Inventory Days is a critical financial metric that helps businesses optimize inventory management, reduce carrying costs, improve cash flow, and identify potential inventory obsolescence issues.
Tips: Enter the inventory turnover ratio in turns per year. The value must be greater than zero. The calculator will compute the average number of days inventory remains unsold.
Q1: What is a good Inventory Days value?
A: Lower values are generally better, indicating faster inventory turnover. Ideal values vary by industry, but typically 30-60 days is considered efficient for most retail businesses.
Q2: How does Inventory Days differ from Inventory Turnover Ratio?
A: Inventory Turnover Ratio shows how many times inventory is sold and replaced annually, while Inventory Days shows the average time inventory stays in stock.
Q3: Why use 365 days in the formula?
A: 365 represents the standard number of days in a year. Some businesses may use 360 days for simplicity in financial calculations.
Q4: What causes high Inventory Days?
A: High Inventory Days can indicate slow-moving inventory, overstocking, poor demand forecasting, or declining sales.
Q5: How can companies reduce Inventory Days?
A: Strategies include improving demand forecasting, implementing just-in-time inventory systems, optimizing reorder points, and liquidating slow-moving items.