ISA 520 · ISA 570 · Government

Financial Ratio Calculator
for Government

Pre-configured for government entities. Total expenditure benchmarks, IPSAS/national standard alignment, budget compliance metrics, and parliamentary accountability considerations.

Financial Data

Enter the essential financial figures below. Expand the additional sections for a comprehensive analysis.

Financial Ratio Analysis Guide for European Auditors — free PDF

ISA 520 & ISA 570 practical workbook: all formulas with visual explanations, industry benchmark reference tables from BACH for 15 industries, ratio interpretation guide, and template narrative paragraphs for audit working papers.

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ISA 520.5 — Design and perform analytical procedures near the end of the audit that assist in forming an overall conclusion.

ISA 520.A1 — Analytical procedures may include ratios such as gross margin percentages and ratio of sales to accounts receivable.

ISA 570.A3 — Negative working capital, adverse key financial ratios, operating losses, and other indicators may cast doubt on going concern.

Financial Ratio Analysis for Government

Government and public sector financial ratio analysis operates under a fundamentally different paradigm: accountability for public funds replaces shareholder return as the primary objective. Profit-based ratios are meaningless — government entities do not exist to generate profits, and budget surpluses may indicate underinvestment in public services rather than operational excellence. The relevant analytical framework centres on budget compliance, service delivery efficiency, and fiscal sustainability.

The primary analytical procedure under ISA 520 for government audits is budget-to-actual comparison rather than ratio analysis. However, traditional financial ratios still provide useful supplementary analysis: the current ratio indicates liquidity position, debt-to-assets indicates fiscal leverage, and working capital indicates short-term financial health. IPSAS (International Public Sector Accounting Standards) or national equivalents govern recognition and measurement, which may differ significantly from IFRS — for example, tax revenue recognition under IPSAS 23 follows different principles than commercial revenue recognition.

Public sector entities typically operate with lower materiality thresholds than commercial entities due to the public accountability dimension. A misstatement that would be immaterial in a private company may be material in a government entity because taxpayers, parliament, and the public scrutinise government spending more closely. This principle extends to ratio analysis: small adverse movements in efficiency ratios may warrant investigation and reporting that would not be triggered in the private sector. BACH benchmarks have limited applicability to government — use public sector-specific benchmarks from national audit offices instead.

Regulatory Context

IPSAS or national public sector standards. Budget compliance framework. Parliamentary oversight. Court of Auditors (EU) or national audit office requirements. Public procurement regulations. EU Stability and Growth Pact fiscal targets.

Industry-Specific Going Concern Indicators (ISA 570)

Persistent budget deficits exceeding 3% of revenue

Debt-to-revenue ratio exceeding national thresholds

Inability to raise taxes or fees to cover expenditure

Intervention by higher-level government authorities

Unfunded pension obligations exceeding manageable levels

Capital expenditure deferred beyond critical infrastructure thresholds

Worked Example: European Municipal Government

Gemeente Rivierdam — Dutch municipality with €120M total expenditure

Key results: Current Ratio: 1.25, Cash Ratio: 0.64, Working Capital: €7M, D/E: 2.14, Interest Coverage: 1.11x, DSO: 35 days, Altman Z-Score: NOT APPLICABLE

Frequently Asked Questions — Government

Why are profit-based ratios not useful for government entities?
Government entities exist to deliver public services, not to generate profit. A budget surplus may indicate failure to invest in infrastructure or services. A deficit may be planned and appropriate (debt-funded capital investment). The relevant metrics are: actual vs. budgeted expenditure by category, cost per unit of service delivery, and fiscal sustainability ratios (debt-to-revenue, interest as percentage of revenue).
What liquidity ratio is appropriate for government?
Government entities typically maintain lower liquidity ratios than private companies because they have more predictable revenue streams (taxes, transfers) and access to short-term borrowing facilities. A current ratio of 1.0–1.5 is generally adequate. Cash ratio is less important because governments can often adjust the timing of expenditure or access emergency funding. The key metric is whether the entity can meet its obligations as they fall due.
How does IPSAS affect ratio analysis compared to IFRS?
IPSAS differs from IFRS in several ways that affect ratios: revenue recognition (tax revenue under IPSAS 23 vs. IFRS 15), provisions (IPSAS 19 vs. IAS 37), employee benefits (IPSAS 39 vs. IAS 19), and financial instruments (IPSAS 41 vs. IFRS 9). Not all countries apply IPSAS — many use national standards. When comparing across jurisdictions, verify the accounting framework used, as different standards can produce materially different ratios for identical underlying activities.
What are government-specific going concern indicators?
ISA 570 indicators for government include: persistent budget deficits exceeding 3% of revenue, debt-to-revenue ratio exceeding national thresholds, inability to raise taxes or fees to cover expenditure, intervention by higher-level government (national government taking over municipal functions), unfunded pension obligations exceeding manageable levels, and capital expenditure deferred to the point where infrastructure deterioration threatens service delivery.
What materiality considerations apply to government audits?
ISA 320.A7 notes that public sector auditors may have additional responsibilities that affect materiality. Public accountability means lower thresholds: 0.5–1% of total expenditure is typical for government materiality, compared to 1–5% of PBT for commercial entities. Additionally, misstatements may be qualitatively material if they relate to compliance with laws and regulations, even if the amounts are small.

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