What does liquidity refer to in accounting?

Liquidity in accounting refers to the ability of a business to meet its short-term obligations as they come due. This concept is fundamental because it indicates how easily a company can access cash or convertible assets to pay off its debts and obligations that are due within a short time frame, typically within one year.

A company with strong liquidity is positioned to handle unexpected expenses, maintain smooth operations, and build trust with creditors by ensuring it can repay debts and obligations in a timely manner. The assessment of liquidity is often conducted using financial ratios such as the current ratio or quick ratio, which provide insight into a company's financial health and operational efficiency.

The other options pertain to different accounting concepts: investing in long-term assets is related to capital expenditure decisions; converting non-liquid assets into cash focuses on asset management rather than liquidity itself; and the level of cash reserves provides some context for liquidity, but it does not capture the broader definition of a company's ability to meet all short-term financial commitments.