Lumen Learning Is Profitable and Cash Is Still Tight

Finance
medium40 min0 submissions
Bain
Scenario

Lumen Learning is a edtech business in India. Last year it turned over ₹632 Cr at a 28% gross margin and reported a profit — yet it drew on its overdraft in seven months out of twelve.

The treasurer has pulled the working capital numbers: receivables run at 66 days, inventory at 105 days, and the company pays its own suppliers in 53 days.

Sales insist the long payment terms are what win contracts in this market. Procurement say the inventory is a deliberate buffer after a supply disruption two years ago. The bank has asked for a plan before renewing the facility.

Supporting data

financials

cogs cr
455
revenue cr
632
gross margin pct
28

derived hints

revenue per day cr
1.73
cash conversion cycle days
118
cash released per 15 dso days cr
25.9

working capital days

days sales outstanding
66
days payables outstanding
53
days inventory outstanding
105
Your task

Advise the CFO. Your answer should provide:

  1. Analysis — compute the cash conversion cycle and how much cash is tied up. Convert days into money.
  2. Risks — what breaks commercially if you pull each lever.
  3. Recommendation — which lever first, how much cash it frees, and what it costs you.

State any assumptions you make.

Ready to move forward? Up next: Basil & Co: What Should This Project Have to Beat?Next question
How you'll be graded

80 points, 60% to pass.

  • recommendation20
  • market analysis15
  • risk assessment20
  • financial analysis25
Hint
Reveal suggested structure

Cash conversion cycle = DSO + DIO - DPO. Translate days into currency at revenue or COGS per day, then rank levers by cash freed against commercial cost.