Mismanaging DIO, DSO, and DPO results in the greater allocation of cash, which increases the cost of capital but generates no marginal return. We can reconcile other empirical results with the present framework as follows:It presents a compelling argument for the U-shaped curve reported for privatized companies (Ben-Nasr, 2016). Financially constrained companies invest little in working capital and thus have lower growth and value, while firms that invest too much suffer from the value-destroying Cash conversion cycle effect.