What do you mean by zero working capital?
Andrew Mclaughlin
Published Feb 20, 2026
When a company has exactly the same amount of current assets and current liabilities, there is zero working capital in place. This is possible if a company’s current assets are fully funded by current liabilities.
Why would a leading company seek to have zero working capital?
Zero Working Capital is a strategy to reduce the level of investment in the working capital and thereby increase the investments in the long term assets. Following this strategy, companies avoid excess investments in current assets and prefer paying off their current liabilities using the existing current assets only.
What is a negative working capital?
Negative working capital is when a company’s current liabilities exceed its current assets. This means that the liabilities that need to be paid within one year exceed the current assets that are monetizable over the same period.
What is the purpose of working capital?
Working capital is the money used to cover all of a company’s short-term expenses, which are due within one year. Working capital is the difference between a company’s current assets and current liabilities. Working capital is used to purchase inventory, pay short-term debt, and day-to-day operating expenses.
What is NWC calculation?
Net working capital as business can be calculated as the difference between its short-term assets and its short-term debts & liabilities. The formula to calculate the net working capital is – Net Working Capital = Current Assets (less cash) – Current Liabilities (less debt)
Is negative working capital good?
Generally, having anything negative is not good, but in case of working capital it could be good as a company with negative working capital funds its growth in sales by effectively borrowing from its suppliers and customers. Such firms don’t supply goods on credit and constantly increase their sales.
How does working capital work?
Is working capital a cash?
What Is Working Capital? Working capital, also known as net working capital (NWC), is the difference between a company’s current assets, such as cash, accounts receivable (customers’ unpaid bills), and inventories of raw materials and finished goods, and its current liabilities, such as accounts payable.