What Is a Working Capital Loan?

A working capital loan is a loan that is taken to finance a company's everyday operations. These loans are not used to buy long-term assets or investments and are, instead, used to provide the working capital that covers a company's short-term operational needs.

Those needs can include costs such as payroll, rent, and debt payments. In this way, working capital loans are simply corporate debt borrowings that are used by a company to finance its daily operations.

Understanding Working Capital Loans

Sometimes a company does not have adequate cash on hand or asset liquidity to cover day-to-day operational expenses and, thus, will secure a loan for this purpose. Companies with high seasonality or cyclical sales may rely on working capital loans to help with periods of reduced business activity.

Many companies do not have stable or predictable revenue throughout the year. Manufacturing companies, for example, may have cyclical sales that correspond with the needs of retailers. Most retailers sell more products during the fourth quarter—that is, during the holiday season—than at any other time of the year. To supply retailers with the proper amount of goods, manufacturers typically conduct most of their production activity during the summer months, readying inventories for the fourth quarter push. Then, when the end of the year hits, retailers reduce manufacturing purchases as they focus on selling through their inventory, which subsequently reduces manufacturing sales.

Manufacturers with this type of seasonality often require a working capital loan to pay wages and other operating expenses during the quiet period of the fourth quarter. The loan is usually repaid by the time the company hits its busy season and no longer needs the financing. Businesses can also pledge their inventory to secure funds with warehouse financing.

Types of financing include a term loan, a business line of credit, or invoice financing, a form of short-term borrowing extended by a lender to its business customers based on unpaid invoices. Business credit cards, which allow you to earn rewards, can also provide access to working capital.

Pros and Cons of Working Capital Loans

The immediate benefit of a working capital loan is that it's easy to obtain and lets business owners efficiently cover any gaps in working capital expenditures. The other noticeable benefit is that it is a form of debt financing and does not require an equity transaction, meaning that a business owner maintains full control of their company, even if the financing need is dire.

Some working capital loans are unsecured. If this is the case, a company is not required to put down any collateral to secure the loan. However, only companies or business owners with a high credit rating are eligible for an unsecured loan. Businesses with little to no credit have to securitize the loan.

A collateralized working capital loan that needs asset collateral can be a drawback to the loan process. However, there are other potential drawbacks to this type of working capital loan. Interest rates are high in order to compensate the lending institution for risk. Furthermore, working capital loans are often tied to a business owner's personal credit, and any missed payments or defaults may hurt their credit score.