What might indicate a company’s trouble in collecting receivables?

The situation where a company shows high net income but experiences low cash inflow can indicate trouble in collecting receivables. This scenario suggests that while the company is recognized for earning profits on paper, it may not be effectively converting those earnings into actual cash. This discrepancy can arise when customers are delaying payments or if there are issues with the company's credit policies, creating a gap between reported income and cash availability.

In a healthy financial state, revenue recognized should correspond with cash being collected from customers. When there is a significant disparity, it raises concerns about the company's credit management and its ability to turn sales into cash. Therefore, high net income paired with low cash inflow serves as a red flag regarding the effectiveness of a company's receivable collection processes.