The Role of Net Working Capital in the Financing of the Operating Activities of Mining Companies

Abstract

The paper examines how companies’ net working capital is used to finance their operating activities. Net working capital is a source of long-term financing (equity and long-term external capital) and is more expensive than financing through short-term sources, hence its rational use has a significant impact on the efficiency of companies’ operations. The computed level of net working capital is used to calculate ratios enabling companies to control this capital. The ratios indicate the relationship of net working capital to current assets, to the sum of accounts receivable and short-term investments, to cash and cash equivalents, and sales revenues. Based on these calculations of the relationships, an assessment was made of net working capital engagement in the financing of operating activities in mining companies. These companies maintain a high degree of current asset financing through long-term capital. In mining companies with diverse mining activities, the level of current assets financing through long-term capital is higher than in coal mining companies. This is due to the maintenance of a higher level of inventories of extracted raw materials, the distance of outlets from the place of extraction and the method of transport used. Based on the ratio of net working capital to cash and cash equivalents, it was found that some companies were overly liquid. Cash balances significantly exceed the value of this capital over a period of three to four years. A surplus of cash over net working capital in the short term cannot be treated as excess liquidity, as it is the due to flexible management of this capital.