Inventory velocity definition
/What is Inventory Velocity?
Inventory velocity is the time period from the receipt of raw materials to the sale of the resulting finished goods. Thus, it is the period over which a business has ownership of inventory. It is very much in the interest of a company to keep inventory velocity as high as possible, for the reasons noted below.
Cost of Money
When a business owns inventory, this represents a significant investment of cash. If interest rates are high, this means the company is foregoing the use of that cash on something that would have generated a significant return. Thus, reducing the cash investment in inventory increases the returns to a business.
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Holding Costs
It is expensive to hold inventory. It requires a warehouse, warehouse staff, shelving, forklifts, insurance, fire suppression systems, security arrangements, tracking systems, and more. A reduced amount of inventory therefore equates to fewer holding costs, though only if the costs just described can actually be stripped away as a result of the reduction.
Obsolescence
In industries where products age quickly, inventory must be sold off rapidly in order to reduce the risk of a sudden decline in the value of that inventory. This issue may be less of a concern for the parts used to create finished goods, since the parts may be repurposed into the construction of a more modern product.
How to Calculate Inventory Velocity
To measure inventory velocity, divide the cost of goods sold by the average inventory for the measurement period. However, this metric only applies to the inventory in general, and not to more specific inventory items. To gain more insight into the measurement, track inventory velocity for specific items, especially those most subject to obsolescence.
Problems with Inventory Velocity
It is possible to focus too much on a high inventory velocity level. If a company keeps little stock on hand, it may find that it cannot fill unexpected customer demand, and so must forego these sales. This is a particular concern when serving a market niche in which customers expect fast fulfillment times. Thus, it may be necessary to maintain a certain minimum investment in inventory that places an upper cap on inventory velocity.
Terms Similar to Inventory Velocity
Inventory velocity is also known as inventory turnover.