Analysis of liquidity balance as one of the tools of financial diagnostics.

The market economy presents a huge number of requirements to enterprises that want to function in it. The main criteria by which firms are evaluated are efficiency and financial sustainability. The latter, in turn, is closely connected with such a concept as liquidity, which can be studied in several ways. Probably the most popular one is the analysis of the liquidity of the balance sheet, and we will dwell on it in more detail.

Before proceeding to the description of the method, it is necessary to dwell on what is liquidity. As applied to our situation, it represents the extent to which the enterprise's liabilities are fully and precisely secured at the expense of its assets. A direct analysis of the liquidity of the balance consists in breaking up both sides of the balance into the same number of groups and then comparing them with each other. In the process of grouping, the so-called liquidity balance is constructed. Particular attention should be focused on how to form these groups.

Analysis of liquidity balance is usually carried out in a pairwise comparison of 4 groups of assets and, accordingly, liabilities. Assets are combined according to the degree of liquidity and are ranked in the order of its reduction, and liabilities - in urgency, also located in the order of its reduction.

Assets of the first group are liquid to the full, therefore only money and short-term investments are included here. The property of the second group does not have a monetary form, but it acquires it fairly quickly - it is a short-term "debtor" and other negotiable assets. The third group of assets to turn into money is more difficult, because here they include stocks and financial investments that are carried out for a long period. Obviously, all the rest of the property is included in the fourth group and is the least liquid, difficult to sell.

Let's move on to the grouping of liabilities, which is even simpler. The most urgent obligations are accounts payable and short-term debts, indicated as others. They form the first group of liabilities. The remaining short-term obligations can be attributed to the second group. Long-term obligations fill the third group with all of their volume, and the constant liabilities (that is, the available capital and reserves) - the fourth.

After the groups are formed, it is required to compare them. Rather, it is necessary to compare in pairs the aggregate of assets and liabilities, that is, the first group with the first, the second, respectively, with the second and so on to the end. If the value of assets is greater, this situation is called a payment surplus, and otherwise - a payment deficit. Absolute liquidity of the balance can be identified in the presence of surpluses for the first three pairs and a deficit in the fourth. This latest drawback has an extremely significant economic meaning, since it indicates that the enterprise has its own working capital.

It is clear that not all enterprises have an absolutely liquid balance. It may also happen that liquid assets will not be enough to pay off obligations. In this case, it is necessary to make decisions aimed at normalizing the state, since less liquid assets only compensate arithmetically for more liquid assets .

The described method, with the help of which we conducted an analysis of the liquidity of the balance sheet, is applied only for enterprises of the real economy. If the task is to analyze the liquidity and solvency of the bank, it is necessary to more accurately link assets and liabilities to each other by terms and volumes, since their compliance is vital for any credit institution.