Current ratio
Whether short-term assets cover the bills due within a year.
The current ratio compares what the company can turn into cash within a year (cash, receivables, inventory) with what it owes within a year. Above 1, short-term assets cover short-term debts.
Strong businesses can run below 1 when customers pay before suppliers are paid (many retailers and subscription companies). A falling ratio in a company that used to sit comfortably above 1 is worth a look.
Current ratio across the S&P 500 today
420 companies with a meaningful value, as of Oct 11, 2026.
Highest in the S&P 500
| Reddit, Inc. RDDT | 10.49 |
|---|---|
| Copart Inc CPRT | 7.91 |
| Palantir Technologies Inc. PLTR | 7.23 |
| Veeva Systems Inc Class A VEEV | 5.46 |
| Bloom Energy Corp BE | 5.03 |
| Monolithic Power Systems Inc MPWR | 4.98 |
| Intuitive Surgical Inc ISRG | 4.96 |
| Texas Instruments Incorporated TXN | 4.86 |
| CF Industries Holdings Inc CF | 4.86 |
| NVIDIA Corporation NVDA | 4.59 |
Lowest in the S&P 500
| SBA Communications Corp SBAC | 0.17 |
|---|---|
| Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd NCLH | 0.20 |
| Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd RCL | 0.21 |
| Carnival Corporation CCL | 0.27 |
| Darden Restaurants Inc DRI | 0.30 |
| American Tower Corp AMT | 0.35 |
| Charter Communications Inc CHTR | 0.36 |
| Delta Air Lines Inc DAL | 0.40 |
| Evergy, Inc. EVRG | 0.45 |
| Kinder Morgan Inc KMI | 0.46 |
Median current ratio by sector
S&P 500 companies only. Sectors differ a lot, so compare a company with its own sector first.
| Sector | Median | Companies |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Materials | 1.84 | 15 |
| Healthcare | 1.53 | 57 |
| Technology | 1.47 | 85 |
| Industrials | 1.26 | 71 |
| Energy | 1.25 | 21 |
| Communication Services | 1.21 | 20 |
| Consumer Cyclical | 1.11 | 48 |
| Financial Services | 1.09 | 19 |
| Consumer Defensive | 1.02 | 30 |
| Real Estate | 0.93 | 8 |
| Utilities | 0.78 | 31 |
Questions
What is Current ratio?
Whether short-term assets cover the bills due within a year.
How is Current ratio calculated?
Current ratio = current assets ÷ current liabilities.
What is a normal current ratio?
Across 420 S&P 500 companies, the median is 1.22; the middle half sits between 0.91 and 1.80. It varies a lot by sector.
Live figures from the latest prices and SEC filings. Information only, not investment advice. Updated October 9, 2026.