What is a Cash Flow Statement?

The cash flow statement (CFS) is a financial statement that outlines the flow of cash and cash equivalents (CCE) into and out of a business. The CFS judges a corporation’s capability to administer its cash position, or how efficaciously it produces cash to meet money owing obligations and maintain operating expenses. The CFS is a financial statement that supplements the balance sheet and income statement as one of the 3 prime financial statements. In this piece, we’ll go through how the CFS is structured and how you may use it to analyse a company.

What is a Cash Flow Statement?

A cash flow statement is a financial statement that summarizes all cash inflows a company receives from its ongoing operations as well as from external investment sources. It also comprises all cash outflows for commercial and investing procedures throughout a certain period.

Investors and analysts can see a picture of all the transactions that take place in a company’s financial statements, and each transaction contributes to its performance. Because it calculates the cash created by the corporate in three main ways—operations, investment, and financing—the cash flow statement is said to be the most intuitive of all the financial statements These three elements are added together to form net cash flow. Net cash flow is the aggregate of these three elements. The cash flow statement’s three sections can assist investors in determining the worth of a firm’s stock or the company as a whole.

Click here to learn about frequently asked questions from banking awareness

How Cash Flow Statements Work?

Every company that sells or offers its shares to the public is required by the Securities and Exchange Commission to produce financial reports and statements. The income statement, cash flow statement, and balance sheet make up the three primary financial statements. The cash flow statement is an important report that informs relevant parties about all of a company’s transactions.

Accounting is divided into two types. They are called accrual and cash type accounting. Most public establishments employ accrual accounting, which means that the income statement varies from the cash position of the establishment. The cash flow statement, on the other hand, focuses on cash accounting. Successful companies can fail to adequately manage their cash flow, which is why the cash flow statement is such a crucial tool for any business, analysts, and investors. The cash flow statement is divided into the following sections: operations, investing, and financing. Consider a company that sells goods and extends credit to its customers. Even though the sale is recorded as income, the company may not receive payment until later. On the income statement, the company makes a profit and pays income taxes on it, although the company may bring in more or less cash than the sales or income figures indicate.

Click here to learn more about banking awareness topics

Uses of Cash Flow Statement

The cash flow statement illustrates how a corporation’s operations are functioning, where its income comes from, and how that money is spent. The CFS, also known as a cash flow statement, aids creditors in ascertaining how much cash is existing (referred to as liquidity) for the firm to fund operating expenses and pay off debts. The CFS is equally significant to investors because it informs them about a company’s financial stability. As a result, individuals can utilize the statement to make better, more educated investment decisions.

Join classes to watch banking awareness video lectures

Cash Flows from Operations

Cash flows from operating activities (CFO) are included in the first section of the cash flow statement, which comprises transactions from all operational company activities. Starting with net income, the cash flows from the operations section reconcile all non-cash items to cash items comprising operational activities. In other words, it’s the company’s net profits expressed in cash. This section describes cash inflows and outflows that are directly related to a company’s primary business operations. Procuring and selling goods and materials, as well as compensating its workers’ wages, are instances of these activities. Investments, debts, and dividends are not encompassed in the overall inflows and outflows.

Firms can generate adequate positive cash flow to increase their operations. If it isn’t sufficiently created, they may be required to search for outside financial support to expand. Accounts receivable, for example, is a non-cash account. When accounts receivable increase over time, it signifies that sales have increased but no cash has been received at the time of sale. Since receivables are not cash, they are subtracted from net income on the cash flow statement. Accounts payable, depreciation, amortization, and various prepaid items reported as revenue or expenses but with no related cash flow are all examples of cash flows from the operations area.

Register to get PDF notes on the Cash Flow Statement

Cash Flows from Investing

The cash flow statement’s second section examines cash flows from investing (CFI), which are the outcome of investment gains and losses. Cash expended on assets, plants, and tools is also included in this part. Analysts keep an eye on changes in capital expenditures in this segment (CAPEX). When capital expenditures escalate, cash flow often comes down. Nevertheless, this is not always a dire thing because it could insinuate that a company is capitalizing on its forthcoming operations. Establishments with high CAPEX are more likely to be expanding. Although positive cash flows in this segment are sought after, investors favor businesses that generate cash flow through operations rather than investing and financing endeavors. In this section, companies can generate cash flow by selling equipment or real estate.

Sign up to attend a mock test on the topic Cash Flow Statement Direct Method

Cash Flows from Financing

The cash flow statement’s last section is cash flows from finance (CFF). This segment gives an outline of how money is expended in the commercial circle. It is a measurement that keeps an eye on cash flow between a firm’s owners and creditors, and it is time and again obtained from debt or equity. These figures are in general encompassed in an establishment’s yearly 10-K statement to shareholders.

The cash flows from the finance section are utilized by experts to figure out how much cash the firm has compensated out in dividends or share buybacks. It can also be utilized to figure out how an establishment gets wealth for operational development. This segment consists of cash received or paid back from investment fundraising endeavors, like equity or debt, as well as loans taken out and loans paid back. When the cash flow from finance is positive, it indicates the establishment is bringing in more cash than it is taking out. When the number is negative, it could show that the establishment is paying down debt, paying dividends, or buying back stock.

Register to get the best classes on the Calculation of Cash Flow

Calculation of Cash Flow

The direct method and the indirect method are the two general approaches for determining cash flow.

Cash Flow Statement Direct Method

All monetary payments and receipts, together with cash paid to suppliers, cash collected from clients, and cash paid out in salary, are added up in the direct method. For incredibly small establishments that make use of the cash basis accounting system, this CFS procedure is more convenient. These statistics can also be gained by evaluating the net loss or growth in the accounts using the opening and concluding balances of an assortment of asset and liability accounts. It is presented in an easily comprehensible fashion.

Cash Flow Statement Indirect Method

Cash flow is assessed using the indirect methodology by altering net income by adding up or subtracting variances from non-cash transactions. Non-cash entries surface on the balance sheet as variations in assets and liabilities from one time to the next. To determine an accurate cash inflow or outflow, the accountant will identify any increases and decreases in asset and liability accounts that need to be brought back to or removed from the net income figure. The indirect cash flow method facilitates the reconciliation of two other financial statements: the income statement and the balance sheet.

Cash flow must reflect changes in accounts receivable (AR) on the balance sheet from one accounting period to the next. If AR falls, more money may have entered the company as a result of clients paying off their credit cards; the amount by which AR falls is then added to net earnings. AR increases must be deducted from net earnings since the amounts indicated in AR are revenue but not cash.

What about inventory changes in a business? On the CFS, they are accounted for as follows. Inventory growth indicates that a corporation spent more money on raw materials. When you use cash, the increase in the value of your inventory is subtracted from your net earnings. Net earnings would be boosted by a decrease in inventories. Credit purchases are recorded on the balance sheet as an increase in accounts payable, and the amount of the increase from year to year is added to net earnings.

Taxes due, salary, and prepaid insurance all follow the same reasoning. If something has been paid off, net income must be reduced by the difference in the amount owing from one year to the next. Any disparities will have to be added to net earnings if there is still an amount payable.

Limitations of the Cash Flow Statement

Negative cash flow should not be seen as a red flag without more investigation. A company’s decision to develop its business at a given point in time, which may be beneficial in the future, can sometimes result in poor cash flow. Analysing variations in cash flow from one period to the next provides investors with a clearer understanding of how a firm is operating and whether it is on the verge of bankruptcy or success. In addition, the CFS should be viewed in conjunction with the other two financial statements.

Grab the latest notes for the topic Limitations of the Cash Flow Statement

Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Statement

The cash flow statement is a financial statement that shows a company’s success over time. The timing of non-cash transactions, on the other hand, is more difficult to control. As previously stated, the CFS can be calculated using the income statement and balance sheet. The information on the CFS is derived from the net earnings amount on the income statement. However, they merely have a role in deciding the CFS’s operating activities portion. As a result, net earnings have no bearing on the CFS’s investing or financial operations sections.

Depreciation expense is included in the income statement, although there is no related cash outflow. It is in essence the dissemination of an asset’s price throughout its useful lifespan. An establishment can pick its depreciation procedure, which shapes the quantity of depreciation expense conveyed on the income statement. The CFS, on the other hand, is an extra hard-to-manipulate marker of authentic inflows and outflows. In terms of the balance sheet, the net cash flow shown on the CFS should be equal to the net change in the balance sheet’s various line items. Cash and cash equivalents, as well as non-cash accounts like accumulated depreciation and amortization, are excluded.

Register for courses to improve banking awareness

A Comparison of Direct and Indirect Cash Flow Statements

The distinction is in how cash inflows and outflows are calculated. Actual cash inflows and outflows are known amounts when using the direct technique. Using cash payments and receipts, the cash flow statement is presented in a basic manner. Actual monetary inflows and outflows are not required to be known when using the indirect technique. To compute implicit cash inflows and outflows, the indirect approach starts with net income or loss from the income statement, then adjusts the figure using balance sheet account increases and decreases.

Which Method of the Cash Flow Statement Calculation is Better: Indirect or Direct?

Neither is inherently superior to the other. The indirect method, on the other hand, allows you to reconcile items on the balance sheet to net income on the income statement. When an accountant uses the indirect method to create the CFS, they might spot changes in the balance sheet that are the result of non-cash transactions. It’s helpful to examine the impact and relationship between the accounts on the balance sheet and the net income on the income statement since it can help you grasp the financial statements more thoroughly.

Grab the latest PDF notes for Cash Flow Statement Direct Method

Cash and Cash Equivalents

On a company’s balance statement, cash and cash equivalents are combined into a single line item. It shows the value of a company’s assets that are cash or can be converted to cash in a short period, usually 90 days. Currency, petty cash, bank accounts, and other highly liquid, short-term assets are examples of cash and cash equivalents. Commercial paper, Treasury bills, and short-term government bonds with a maturity of three months or less are examples of cash equivalents.

A company’s stability, profitability, and long-term prospects can be determined by looking at the cash flow statement. The CFS can help in figuring out whether a corporation has enough liquidity or cash to pay its debts. A CFS can be employed by an establishment to estimate future cash flow, which assists in budgeting. The CFS is an estimate of an establishment’s fiscal health for investors, as the more cash accessible for business undertakings, the better. This is not a set rule, though. A company’s expansion plan in the form of extending its operations can sometimes result in a negative cash flow. An investor can acquire a clear picture of how much cash a firm generates and a strong grasp of the company’s financial well-being by examining the CFS. Download the Entri app to learn more banking awareness terms.