Inventory Turnover Calculator

Calculate inventory turnover ratio and days in inventory from COGS and inventory levels.

By Konstantin Iakovlev · Updated April 2026 · Source: SBA — Business Guide

Period
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Inventory Turnover

7.14

Days in Inventory

51.1 days

Rating

Good

Inventory Analysis

Cost of Goods Sold$500,000.00
Average Inventory$70,000.00
Turnover Ratio7.14
Days in Inventory51.1 days

Industry Benchmarks

Grocery/perishables: 14-20x | Retail: 8-12x | Manufacturing: 4-8x | Luxury goods: 2-4x

Use the Inventory Turnover Calculator above to calculate your results. Enter your values and see instant results — all calculations run in your browser.

Disclaimer: This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, financial, or legal advice. Results are estimates based on the information you provide and current rates. Always consult a qualified tax professional or financial advisor for advice specific to your situation.

How It Works

How fast stock moves off your shelves and gets replaced says a great deal about how well a business runs. Inventory turnover captures that pace, and in the supply-conscious 2026 economy it carries extra weight, flagging both the stockouts and the overstocking that quietly erode profit. Read alongside cash flow, the metric helps sharpen purchasing decisions in a market that rewards resilience.

The ratio itself comes from dividing Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) by Average Inventory. Take that result, divide 365 by it, and you have Days in Inventory, the average number of days a unit waits before it sells. Together the two figures show how many times stock cycles through over a period and how long it tends to sit.

Accuracy hinges on matching the time periods you use for COGS and Average Inventory; mismatched windows skew the outcome. Substituting sales revenue for COGS is the error that trips people up most, since it inflates turnover and overstates efficiency. Benchmarks also swing hard by sector: in 2026 a grocery store might chase a turnover near 50 while a luxury car dealership is content with 5.

Example: 2026 Retailer Inventory Analysis

  1. 1 A small online retailer in Q1 2026 reported a Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) of $150,000. Their beginning inventory for the quarter was $28,000 and their ending inventory was $32,000.
  2. 2 First, calculate the Average Inventory: ($28,000 + $32,000) / 2 = $30,000. Next, calculate the Inventory Turnover Ratio: $150,000 (COGS) / $30,000 (Average Inventory) = 5.0. Finally, calculate Days in Inventory: 365 / 5.0 = 73 days.
  3. 3 The retailer's Inventory Turnover Ratio for Q1 2026 is 5.0, and their Days in Inventory is 73 days.
  4. 4 This means the retailer sold and replenished their entire inventory 5 times during Q1 2026, with inventory sitting for an average of 73 days before being sold. Compared to an industry average of 6.0 for similar online retailers in 2026, this suggests there might be opportunities to optimize inventory management and reduce holding costs.

Source: SBA — Business Guide · Last updated: April 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good inventory turnover ratio?
A good ratio varies by industry. Grocery stores average 14-20 turns per year, retail apparel 4-6, and electronics 8-12. Generally, higher turnover means better efficiency, but too high can mean stockouts and lost sales.
How do I calculate inventory turnover?
Inventory turnover equals Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) divided by average inventory. If COGS is $500,000 and average inventory is $100,000, turnover is 5. Days in inventory is 365 divided by turnover, which is 73 days in this example.
How can I improve inventory turnover?
Improve demand forecasting, reduce lead times, eliminate slow-moving or obsolete stock, implement just-in-time ordering, run promotions on stale inventory, and use ABC analysis to focus on high-value items.