What is working capital?

“Working capital” is the cash a company has to fund its short-term operational needs like payroll, rent, and monthly utility bills. Working capital is calculated as current assets minus current liabilities. … Positive working capital is required to ensure that a firm is able to continue its operations and that it has sufficient funds to satisfy both maturing short-term debt and upcoming operational expenses. If the company has negative working capital that means that the business requires of a working capital funding to stay afloat. Working capital funding are a business funding option that can help the business to continue operating when there’s a shortage of working capital.

• Fast approval time
• Funds may be received within a week
• No limit on how a business can use funds
• Application process is less rigorous than other funding

Sometimes a company does not have adequate cash on hand or asset liquidity to cover day-to-day operational expenses and, thus, will secure a funding for this purpose. Companies that have high seasonality or cyclical sales usually rely on working capital funding to help with periods of reduced business activity. Many companies do not have stable or predictable revenue throughout the year. Manufacturing companies, for example, have cyclical sales that correspond with the needs of retailers. Most retailers sell more product during the fourth quarter – that is, the holiday season – than at any other time of the year.

Businesses that experience seasonality in their revenues are the most common users of working capital funding. Companies often use these small business funding to get through slow periods with the intention of paying the money back when the lull is over and business is bustling again. Other small businesses might use a working capital funding to stock up on inventory before their busy season.

Types of financing include a term funding, a business line of credit or invoice financing, a form of short-term borrowing that is extended by a funder to its business customers based on unpaid invoices. Business credit cards, which allow you to earn rewards, can also provide access to working capital.

Since working capital funding have shorter terms typically have higher cost of working capital. Total of purchased receivables can vary from around 10 percent to 25 percent depending on the funding company, your credit, and your business history. The longer you’ve been in business and the better your credit score (both personal and business), the better your cost. The amount of valuable assets your business owns (like real estate and vehicles) will also impact your working capital cost. The more assets you can use as collateral, the lower your cost and the more money you can borrow. This is due to the funding company considering you as a lower risk to fund money. If you want to find out what cost of capital your business qualify for please contact First Down Funding.