Days of Inventory on Hand (DOH)

DOH is a measure of how rapidly a business uses the typical inventory at its disposal

Author: Bayrem Yaakoubi
Bayrem Yaakoubi
Bayrem Yaakoubi
I am a finance professional with a BSBA degree from Tunis Business School, specializing in finance, and holding an FMVA certificate. Currently working as a Financial Auditor at Deloitte, I bring expertise in financial analysis, valuation, and Microsoft Office. As a CFA candidate, I am dedicated to furthering my knowledge and skills, positioning myself for dynamic opportunities in the evolving financial landscape.
Reviewed By: Hassan Saab
Hassan Saab
Hassan Saab
Investment Banking | Corporate Finance

Prior to becoming a Founder for Curiocity, Hassan worked for Houlihan Lokey as an Investment Banking Analyst focusing on sellside and buyside M&A, restructurings, financings and strategic advisory engagements across industry groups.

Hassan holds a BS from the University of Pennsylvania in Economics.

Last Updated:December 11, 2023

What Is Days of Inventory on Hand (DOH)?

Days of Inventory On Hand (DOH) is a metric that measures how rapidly a business uses the typical inventory at its disposal.

It also goes by the name "days inventory outstanding" (DIO), and there are various ways to interpret it. The days of inventory on hand value represents inventory liquidity since it calculates the days that stock is kept on hand.

A company operating profitably should have a low ratio, which shows that inventory gets cleared quickly.

Days of inventory on hand is a crucial metric for potential investors and financial analysts because it depicts how efficiently a company manages its inventory.

A company's inability to swiftly convert its inventory into sales is indicated by a high number of days of inventory outstanding. Poor sales results or the procurement of excessive inventory may be to blame in these cases.

A firm should avoid having excess idle inventory since it might become unusable and outdated. But on the other hand, keeping too much stock also has a damaging effect on cash flow.

Additionally, a brief holding time reduces the likelihood that inventory will become outdated, lowering the possibility that the inventory asset would need to be written off entirely.

Key Takeaways

  • Days of Inventory On Hand (DOH) is crucial for evaluating a company's efficiency, measuring how rapidly it uses its inventory.
  • DOH provides insights for investors, with a lower ratio attracting potential investors, while a higher ratio may indicate inventory management issues.
  • DOH is calculated using Avg Inv, COGS, and the number of days: DOH = (Avg Inv/COGS) x No. of days.
  • Comparative analysis of DOH values among similar companies is essential, considering industry-specific variations.
  • DOH and Inventory Turnover are inversely related, with a higher turnover ratio indicating more sales. Understanding these metrics attracts investors, prevents stockouts, and enhances overall efficiency.

Understanding Days of Inventory on Hand (DOH)

Days of inventory on hand are essential for any firm with the inventory. It is an indicator of a company's operational and financial efficiency.

It demonstrates the speed at which management may convert inventories into cash. Generally speaking, a decline indicates an improvement in working capital. An increase, on the other hand, suggests a decline.

A corporation can determine how long its cash is locked up in its inventory by calculating its stock days.

A smaller ratio indicates improved performance, as was previously mentioned. In theory, this suggests that the business is utilizing its inventory more effectively and frequently. This could lead to a rise in profit.

On the other hand, a high value indicates that the company is having trouble moving its inventory. Therefore, a firm may have made unwise investments if it displays an excessive list.

High amounts of inventory are not necessarily harmful to firms, though. Instead, the business may be keeping an extra list to accommodate unforeseen spikes in demand.

Comparing the DOHs of comparable firms within the same industry is essential when doing financial research. For instance, businesses working in the food sector often have days of inventory on hand of roughly 6, but companies in the steel sector typically have a ratio of 50.

How to Calculate Days of Inventory on Hand?

A business must spend money on high-quality raw materials and other resources, which are included in inventory. But, of course, the products are not free. The business also pays additional expenditures for costs associated with the production process.

They include salaries and payments for utilities like electricity. All costs are tallied as the cost of goods sold (COGS) and are regarded as the price of producing the goods.

The COGS is factored into the calculation of days of inventory on hand. It includes the number of days, COGS, and average inventory.

The formula is:

DOH = (Avg Inv/ COGS ) x No. of days

Where,

  • DOH: Days of inventory on hand
  • Avg Inv: Average Inventory = [(beginning inventory + ending inventory)/2] or Average inventory = ending inventory in some cases
  • COGS: Cost of Goods Sold
  • The number of days is 365 for a full accounting year and 90 for a quarter.

Days Of Inventory On Hand Example

To illustrate, suppose firm A has a $6,000 average inventory, a $25,000 cost of goods sold, and 365 days. Whereas firm B has $8000 beginning inventory, $2,000 ending list, $30,000 worth of goods sold, and 365 days. Which company has a better day of stock on hand?

DOH A = (6,000/25,000) x 365 = 87.6 days

To find it for firm B, we have to compute the average inventory first:

Average inventory = (8,000 + 2,000) /2 = $5,000

 DOH B = (5,000/35,000) x 365 = 52.14 days

Therefore, firm B is performing better than firm A regarding days of inventory on hand.

By comparing the ratios of two comparable companies in the same industry, you can evaluate which one is more efficient with its inventory.

In this example, company B converts its inventory into cash much faster than company A. As a result, the manager of firm A may arrange a meeting with the sales and marketing department to discuss ways to boost sales.

Analysis of Days Of Inventory On Hand (DOH)

DOH metric reveals how long a company's cash is trapped in its inventory, therefore a lower figure is preferred.

A lower number implies that a company utilizes its inventory more frequently and effectively. This leads to a quick turnover and the potential for higher profits (assuming the sales made result in gain).

On the other hand, a high value may indicate that the company is having problems managing its high-volume, obsolete inventory. As a result, the firm may have overspent on it.

The company might be retaining substantial inventory to achieve high order fulfillment rates, perhaps in anticipation of strong sales during the upcoming season.

The efficacy of a company's inventory management is measured using the DOH metric. A large portion of the inventory is included in the operational capital requirements of a company.

By tracking the days a company holds its inventory until it sells, this efficiency ratio calculates the typical time a company's cash is tied up in its inventory. However, because this number frequently lacks context, it should be carefully considered.

It tends to differ widely among sectors depending on various factors, including product type and firm approach. Thus, comparing the values of businesses in the same industry is essential.

Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) businesses cannot afford to hold onto their inventory for as long as their technology, automobile, and aerospace counterparts.

Inventory Turnover Vs. days of inventory on hand

Inventory turnover, which measures the frequency a business can sell or use its inventory during a specific period, such as quarterly or annually, is a ratio similar to days of stock on hand.

The cost of goods divided by average inventory is used to calculate inventory turnover. It has the following relationship to DOH:

DOH= ( 1/ inventory turnover ) x 365 days

Where:

  • Inventory turnover = COGS / Average Value of inventory

Days of inventory on hand are essentially the inverse of inventory turnover over a specific period. Lower turnover and higher days of stock on hand go hand in hand.

In general, a higher inventory turnover ratio is better for the business because it generates more sales.

High inventory turnover will also occur if the inventory is lower and sales are the same. However, even with a high turnover ratio, a company may occasionally experience sales declines if the demand for a product exceeds the inventory on hand.

This confirms the significance of contextualizing these numbers by contrasting them with those of industry competitors.

It is part of the three-step cash conversion cycle (CCC). CCC is the entire process of converting raw materials into realizable cash from sales. The remaining two stages are sales outstanding (DSO) and days payable special (DPO).

The DPO value indicates how long a firm takes to pay off its accounts payable. The DSO ratio shows how long a company takes to receive payment on accounts receivable.

The CCC value, in its entirety, aims to quantify the typical amount of time that each net input dollar (currency) is tied up in the manufacturing and sales cycle before it is turned into cash earned through client sales.

Importance of Days of Inventory on Hand

Calculating DOH is crucial for firms with inventory since it serves as a performance gauge. Additionally, it can improve productivity, draw in investors, forecast storage costs, and assist firms in avoiding stockouts and overstocking.

Some of the main points that make Days Of Inventory On Hand important are: 

1. Attracts investors

Investors will want to know about the DOH and inventory turnover. These indicators demonstrate how effective the firm is at managing and selling inventory

By calculating the days of inventory on hand, you can progressively implement strategies and ways to improve it. Lower values will play an essential role in attracting investors.

2. Prevenst stockouts and overstocking

Stockouts and overstocking can be avoided when you are aware of your DOH and can anticipate supply chain issues. However, stockouts are a concern since they aggravate customers and result in missed business opportunities.

However, you can refill in time to satisfy demand if you know how long it takes for the firm to exhaust its stock. The problem with overstocking is that your money is tied up in inventory you can't sell.

So to avoid paying too much for storage, you must either discount it and sell it with lower profit margins or donate it.

3. Improves efficiency

DOH fluctuations or levels above your benchmark can be signs of ineffective inventory management.

You can enhance your inventory management procedures and, more precisely, predict when you'll need to replenish inventory by keeping track of it. In the end, having less inventory will result in more considerable earnings because you'll make back your stock investment and profits.

Researched and authored by Bayrem Yaakoubi | LinkedIn

Reviewed and edited by James Fazeli-Sinaki | LinkedIn

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