Fixed Assets to Net Worth Ratio

Fixed assets to net worth, also known as the non-current assets to net worth ratio, is a financial ratio used to measure the solvency of a company.

The ratio shows how much of the owner’s cash (net worth) is tied up in the form of fixed assets such as property, plants and equipment. This is important because it shows what funds are actually available as working capital for the operation of the company.

So what is a fixed asset? It’s an asset that is purchased for the long term and is not expected to be converted to cash within one year. Examples of fixed assets include land, property and company equipment. The details of the fixed assets a company has can be found on the balance sheet.

Fixed Assets to Net Worth Ratio Formula

The net fixed assets is calculated by deducting accumulated depreciation from total fixed assets:

The net worth of the company is the value that is left after all of the liabilities have been paid off.

Intangible assets like goodwill, patents, brand recognition etc are not included in the net worth calculation because they aren’t physical in nature and cannot be as easily converted to cash.

To calculate net worth, we use the following formula:

Note: net worth is also known as shareholders’ equity and the formula above is the basic accounting equation rearranged to give the value of shareholders’ equity.

Fixed Assets to Net Worth Ratio Example

A soap production company, Caslim, has its balance sheet for the previous fiscal year showing fixed assets of $100,000. Caslim’s total assets, including patents and other investments in other companies, is $500,000 while its total liabilities are $200,000. The accounting department is to calculate the fixed assets to net worth ratio.

Let us obtain our data from the question. To calculate the fixed assets to net worth ratio, we first need to calculate the net worth. The net worth is the difference between the total assets (500,000) and total liabilities (200,000).

• Net worth = $300,000
• Net fixed assets = $100,000
  
  

In this example, the fixed assets to net worth ratio is 0.3333 or 33.33%. This is neither a high or low value and it shows that the company doesn’t have any liquidity issues. They have immediate access to cash if needed.

A fixed assets to net worth ratio of 0.75 (75%) or higher would indicate a risk because the company would be vulnerable to any unexpected events or changes to the business because the majority of the net worth is tied up in long-term assets.

Fixed Assets to Net Worth Ratio Analysis

Fixed assets to net worth ratio is a metric that is used to determine what fraction of net worth is fixed assets. It is an accounting tool that shows what percentages of a company’s total assets can or cannot be used for financial obligations. 

Failure to understand the tool can leave the company vulnerable to solvency problems caused by unexpected events and sudden changes in the business climate. It also represents the portion of the total assets that can’t be used as working capital.

The effective use of the fixed assets to net worth is dependent on comparison to other ratios and considered indeterminable as well as misinformation. The fixed assets to net worth ratio could, however, encounter drawbacks owing to certain cash flow reasons. 

For instance, an influx of customer deposits or progress payments with corresponding current liabilities might lead to lower fixed ratio whereas using most of the available cash to acquire a new asset at the end of the financial year might distort the ratio for the year.

In non-GAAP terms “fixed assets” has a number of different interpretations. This means it is hard to properly compare this ratio as different companies will use different values for fixed assets.

Instead, it’s common to use non-current assets to net worth instead, which uses the IFRS term “non-current assets” for the calculation.

Fixed Assets to Net Worth Ratio Conclusion

• Fixed asset to net worth ratio is a financial ratio for determining the solvency level of a business.
• This formula uses two variables: net fixed assets and net worth. 
• Fixed assets are those long term, tangible assets held by the firm for business use, and which the firm does not plan to convert to cash in the current or upcoming fiscal years.
• The net worth is known as the owner’s total assets minus total liabilities.
• The fixed assets to net worth ratio are the quotient of net fixed assets and net worth.

Fixed Assets to Net Worth Ratio Calculator

You can use the fixed assets to net worth ratio calculator below to quickly calculate the fixed assets to net worth ratio of a company by entering the required numbers.

FAQs

1. What are fixed assets to net worth?

The fixed assets to net worth is a financial ratio that provides information about the proportion of long-term assets in relation to net worth. The ratio indicates what percentage of the total assets, also known as net assets or capital, are tied up in long-term investments or fixed assets. The fixed assets to net worth help investors and creditors determine how much of the capital of a company is available for financing purposes.

2. What is the formula for calculating fixed assets to net worth?

The formula for calculating the fixed assets to net worth ratio is as follows:

Fixed Assets to Net Worth = Net Fixed Assets ​/ Net Worth

3. What is a good fixed asset to net worth ratio?

Ideally, a fixed asset to net worth ratio of 0.50 or lower is considered good, but there is no real standard.

4. What do the high fixed assets to net worth ratio mean?

The higher the ratio is, the more an entity is relying on fixed assets for financing. For firms that require large amounts of capital to finance projects, this ratio could indicate that a significant sum of money will be tied up in long-term investments and unable to be accessed as cash. This can leave the firm vulnerable to any unexpected events or changes in the business climate.

5. What do the low fixed assets to net worth ratio mean?

A low ratio might indicate that the firm is financing its projects with current assets, which is good for liquidity purposes. However, it could also mean that the company is keeping more cash than necessary and limiting its ability to invest in new projects or acquire new assets. This can be risky if it indicates a lack of investment opportunities.