Z-Score (Altman)

Overview

What if you could predict a company's likelihood of going bankrupt before it happens? The Altman Z-Score is a powerful tool that does just that. Developed by Edward Altman in 1968, it helps businesses assess financial health by combining five key ratios into a single score. Used primarily by analysts and investors, it’s especially valuable when evaluating companies in financial distress or considering investment opportunities. The model visualizes five financial indicators, each weighted differently, to calculate an overall score that predicts bankruptcy risk. To apply it, gather financial data, plug in the numbers, and interpret the result—above 2.99 suggests stability, below 1.81 signals danger. A simple formula with life-changing implications.