Real Cash Earnings · Intermediate · Pro filter
DIO (inventory days): what it means and how to read it
Days inventory outstanding: how many days of stock sit in the warehouse before being sold.
What is DIO (inventory days)?
Days inventory outstanding: how many days of stock sit in the warehouse before being sold.
A worked example
A jeweller may hold 200 days of stock; a dairy holds 5. A rise from 60 to 95 days in one company means goods are not selling as planned.
Why does DIO (inventory days) matter?
Stock that sits too long ties up cash and may go out of date.
How do you read DIO (inventory days)?
Lower is better. Compare within a sector.
Lower is usually better.
What is a typical DIO (inventory days) in India today?
The median across the 4181 listed companies that report it, as of 12 Oct 2026. Half sit above each figure and half below.
By company size
Median
Large Cap · 70 companies47.3
Mid Cap · 112 companies69.7
Small Cap · 3999 companies73.3
By industry
Median, largest industries first
Pharmaceuticals · 20391.5
Refineries & Marketing · 862.3
Computers - Software & Consulting · 196.1
Power Generation · 2538.4
Heavy Electrical Equipment · 4280.5
Auto Components & Equipments · 11455.9
Cement & Cement Products · 3248.6
Aerospace & Defense · 33180.5
Civil Construction · 11244.4
2/3 Wheelers · 1146
Compare a company with its own industry before the whole market. Every industry, and each company's rank within it, is in the screener.