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The North West CoTSX:NWC -0.08%79 Cash Ratio is 0.45 as of Apr. 2026, which is 67% above its 10-year median of 0.27. GuruFocus rates TSX:NWC with a GF Score™ of 79/100 and a GF Value™ of C$47.95 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 3 warning signs investors should review. Among 300 Retail - Defensive companies, The North West Co ranks better than 65.67% on this metric.
The North West Co has a Cash Ratio of 0.45. It indicates that there are more current liabilities than Cash, Cash Equivalents, Marketable Securities, and the company does not have sufficient cash on hand to pay off its short-term debt.
The historical rank and industry rank for The North West Co's Cash Ratio or its related term are showing as below:
TSX:NWC'
s Cash Ratio Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.13 Med: 0.27 Max: 0.45
Current: 0.45
During the past 13 years, The North West Co's highest Cash Ratio was 0.45. The lowest was 0.13. And the median was 0.27.
TSX:NWC's Cash Ratio is ranked better than 65.67% of 300
companies
in the Retail - Defensive industry
Industry Median: 0.29
vs TSX:NWC: 0.45
The North West Co (TSX:NWC) Cash Ratio Explanation
The cash ratio is more conservative than other liquidity ratios, such as Quick Ratio and Current Ratio, because it only considers a company's most liquid resources. The numerator of cash ratio only considers Cash, Cash Equivalents and marketable securities. Other current assets, such as accounts receivable and inventories, are not included. The rationale is that these assets may require time to be transformed into cash, and the amount of money received is also uncertain.
The cash ratio shows a company’s ability to pay all current liabilities immediately without selling or liquidating other assets. Generally speaking, a higher cash ratio suggests the company has a stronger ability to cover its short-term debt. However, a high cash ratio could also indicate inefficient management: the company is inefficient in making full utilization of cash to invest protential profitable project. It may also suggest that the company is not confident about future profitability.
In general, the higher the cash ratio, the better the company's liquidity position.
The North West Co Cash Ratio Related Terms
The North West Co Cash Ratio Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for The North West Co's Cash Ratio can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
For the Grocery Stores subindustry, The North West Co's Cash Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Cash Ratio data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
The North West Co Cash Ratio vs Retail - Defensive Industry
For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, The North West Co's Cash Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where The North West Co's Cash Ratio falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
The North West Co (TSX:NWC) has a Cash Ratio of 0.45 as of Apr. 2026. Cashflow ratio is the ratio of Cash, Cash Equivalents, Marketable Securities to current liabilities. View historical data on The North West Co and its competitors. This is 67% above median its historical median of 0.27. Over the past decade, The North West Co's Cash Ratio has ranged from 0.13 to 0.45. According to the industry distribution chart, The North West Co ranks #103 out of 300 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, placing it in the top 34.3%.
Is The North West Co's Cash Ratio too high?
The North West Co's current Cash Ratio of 0.45 is 67% above median its 10-year median of 0.27. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.13 to a high of 0.45. The Retail - Defensive industry median Cash Ratio is 0.29. The North West Co's value of 0.45 is 55.2% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, The North West Co ranks #103 out of 300 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, The North West Co has a GF Score™ of 79/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does The North West Co's Cash Ratio compare to KR and SFM?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, The North West Co ranks #103 out of 300 companies for Cash Ratio. This puts The North West Co in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Cash Ratio is 0.29. The North West Co's value of 0.45 is 55.2% above this benchmark. Historically, The North West Co's own Cash Ratio has ranged from 0.13 to 0.45 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 0.27 vs. the industry median of 0.29, The North West Co has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Cash Ratio for a Retail - Defensive company?
The median Cash Ratio among Retail - Defensive companies is 0.29, based on 300 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Cash Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Cash Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. The North West Co's current Cash Ratio of 0.45 is 55.2% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Cash Ratio mean?
A high Cash Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Cashflow ratio is the ratio of Cash, Cash Equivalents, Marketable Securities to current liabilities. View historical data on The North West Co and its competitors. For the Retail - Defensive industry, the median Cash Ratio is 0.29 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. The North West Co's current Cash Ratio is 0.45, which is 67% above median its own 10-year median of 0.27. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is The North West Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, The North West Co (TSX:NWC) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is C$47.95, compared to a current price of C$49.02 — trading 2.2% above its estimated fair value. The current Cash Ratio is 0.45, which is 67% above median its 10-year median of 0.27 and 55.2% above the Retail - Defensive industry median of 0.29. The North West Co's overall GF Score™ is 79/100 with 3 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Cash Ratio calculated?
Cash Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For The North West Co (TSX:NWC), the current Cash Ratio is 0.45 as of Apr. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is The North West Co (TSX:NWC) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, The North West Co stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of C$49.02 is trading 2.2% above its estimated GF Value™ of C$47.95.
GuruFocus considers The North West Co to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for TSX:NWC:
Cash Ratio: 0.45 (67% above median its 10-year median of 0.27)
GF Value™: C$47.95 vs. price of C$49.02 (2.2% above fair value)
Industry Position: 55.2% above the Retail - Defensive median (#103 of 300)
No single metric tells the full story. See the TSX:NWC stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
The North West Co Inc is a retailer to rural and remote communities and underserved urban neighbourhood markets in Northern Canada, Western Canada, rural Alaska, the South Pacific islands, and the Caribbean. The Company offers a broad Multiple products and services with an emphasis on food, focusing on everyday household and local lifestyle needs. It operates as a retailer of food and everyday products and services through two geographical segments: Canadian and International. The Canadian segment generates maximum revenue and consists of subsidiaries operating retail stores and complementary businesses serving northern Canada, while the International segment consists of subsidiaries operating in the continental United States, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific.
79GF Score
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