Business, finance and operations

Safety stock

  • Business, finance and operations

Definition

Extra stock held to protect against unexpected demand or delivery delays.

Example

(50 units × 10 days) − (40 units × 7 days) gives safety stock of 220 units.

For your role

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Why it matters

It protects against running out when demand or delivery changes.

Where it is used

Inventory planning and supply chain settings.

How to calculate it

(Maximum daily usage × maximum lead time) − (average daily usage × average lead time)

Worked example

(50 units × 10 days) − (40 units × 7 days) gives safety stock of 220 units.