Tight cash situation in which a business, household, or individual cannot pay the owed amounts on the due date. If prolonged, this situation can force the owing entity into bankruptcy or forced liquidation. It is compounded by the fact that banks and other financial institutions refuse to lend to those in serious distress. When a firm is under financial distress, the situation frequently sharply reduces its market value, suppliers of goods and services usually insist on COD terms, and large customer may cancel their orders in anticipation of not getting deliveries on time.

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