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Cash Conversion Cycle

August 22, 2026 · Aditya Gupta

Business Finance

The Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC) measures the number of days a company's cash is tied up in operations — calculated as Days Inventory Outstanding + Days Sales Outstanding – Days Payable Outstanding. A retailer holding 60 days of inventory, collecting receivables in 30 days, and paying suppliers in 45 days has a 45-day CCC. Lower CCC = better cash efficiency. Negative CCC (Amazon, Dell historically) means suppliers fund operations. Reducing CCC frees cash for growth without external financing. CCC trends reveal operational improvements or deterioration. Manufacturers and retailers face longer CCCs; software businesses (no inventory) have shorter CCCs.

Corporate Finance

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