Real Cash Earnings · Intermediate · Pro filter
DSO (receivables days): what it means and how to read it
Days sales outstanding: on average, how many days customers take to pay.
What is DSO (receivables days)?
Days sales outstanding: on average, how many days customers take to pay.
A worked example
Sales of ₹3,650 Cr a year is ₹10 Cr a day. If customers owe ₹600 Cr, they take 60 days to pay on average.
Why does DSO (receivables days) matter?
If DSO keeps rising, sales are being booked but the cash isn't arriving.
How do you read DSO (receivables days)?
Lower is better. A sudden jump is a warning sign.
Lower is usually better.
What is a typical DSO (receivables days) in India today?
The median across the 4871 listed companies that report it, as of 12 Oct 2026. Half sit above each figure and half below.
By company size
Median
Large Cap · 86 companies22.6
Mid Cap · 139 companies33.4
Small Cap · 4646 companies68.5
By industry
Median, largest industries first
Pharmaceuticals · 20896
Computers - Software & Consulting · 6284
Refineries & Marketing · 813.2
Non Banking Financial Company (NBFC) · 424.5
Power Generation · 2861.3
Heavy Electrical Equipment · 4395.6
Auto Components & Equipments · 11559.9
Cement & Cement Products · 3123.9
Civil Construction · 12399.8
Aerospace & Defense · 33116.2
Compare a company with its own industry before the whole market. Every industry, and each company's rank within it, is in the screener.