Final answer:
The ratio expressed as the number of times current assets could cover current liabilities is the current ratio. It is used to measure a company's liquidity and ability to meet short-term obligations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ratio that is often expressed as the number of times current assets could cover current liabilities is the current ratio. The current ratio is calculated by dividing current assets by current liabilities. This is a financial metric used to measure a company's ability to pay off its short-term obligations with its short-term assets. A higher current ratio indicates that the company is more capable of paying off its debts, while a lower ratio may suggest potential liquidity issues.
The acid-test ratio also measures short-term liquidity but excludes inventory and other less liquid current assets from the calculation. The debt-equity ratio measures financial leverage and the asset turnover ratio measures how efficiently a company uses its assets to generate sales.