Two of the financial statements that businesses prepare as part of their monthly accounting cycle are the incomestatement and statement of cash flows. The income statement shows a firm's profit or net income, while the statement of cash flows shows the firm's cash position. You'll need to understand cash flow if you're operating a small business.
Key Takeaways
- Negative cash flow isn't always bad. For example, it could be due to investments you have made to grow your company.
- Free cash flow is what your business has available after paying for capital expenditures
- You can use cash flow ratios to calculate your business's liquidity, solvency, and viability
Cash Flow
A company's cash flow at any point in time is the difference between its cash available at the beginning of an accounting period and at the end. The cash includes loan proceeds, investment income, and the sale of assets, and goes out to pay for operating expenses, direct expenses, principal debt service, and the purchase of assets such as equipment. When you operate a small business, cash is king. You can be profitable on paper, but cash poor.
How to Do a Cash Flow Analysis
Cash is the gasoline that makes your business run. Acash flow analysis is a method for checking up on your firm’s financial health. To do a cash flow analysis, you'll first need to prepare your operating, investing and financing cash flow statements.
You generally want to see positive cash flow. However, there are situations in which negative cash flow isn't a bad thing. For example, if your business is making investments and growing, there may be a negative investment cash flow.
You should calculate your free cash flow (FCF), which is what is left after you pay for your operating expenditures and capital expenditures.
You'll also want to look to see if the operating cash flow margin is positive. The operating cash flow margin can show you how much cash there is from operating activities as a percentage of sales revenue.
The Difference Between a Cash Budget and a Statement of Cash Flows
Keeping track ofcash flowis essential for the survival of your small business. However, accountants sometimes speak about the cash budget and a more comprehensive statement of cash flows.
Cash Budget
A cash budget is used to estimate your business's cash inflows and outflows over a specific period of time. They can be used for both long-term and short-term goals. Cash budgets are designed to predict future cash balances and identify potential cash deficits and surpluses. You can then use those predictions to create plans to manage those situations.
To make a cash budget, you'll need to take an itemized list of all sources and uses of cash in a given time period. Then, using the current cash balance, you can create a plan that addresses how to manage the net cash position of a given time period.
Statement of Cash Flows
The statement of cash flows is used to show how money moved in and out of the business. This statement has three sections:
- Operating activities: Earning money, paying expenses, and funding working capital
- Investment activities: Gains and losses from buying and selling assets and investments
- Financing activities: Any cash flow activities that change the size and composition of contributed equity and borrowings
The First Step in Analyzing a Statement of Cash Flows
A business owner must look at the last two years of the firm's balance sheets and compare the differences between the two in order to develop thestatement of cash flows.
With information from an income statement, such as profit or loss and depreciation, as well as the information from the comparative balance sheets, particularly how current assets and liabilities may have changed, you can develop your statement of cash flows.
Analyzing a Statement of Cash Flows
Analyzing a statement of cash flows involves looking at the sources and uses of funds from the comparative balance sheets, which allows a company to better see its future cash needs.
Calculate Your Company's Free Cash Flow
The free cash flow calculation is one of the most important results that a small business owner can take away from the analysis of the statement of cash flows.
Simply put, free cash flow is the cash that a company has left after it pays for any capital expenditures it makes, like a new plant or equipment.
Free Cash Flow Calculations
Free cash flow is how much money your business has left over to use for other purposes after it has paid for capital expenditures, including buildings and equipment, and other expenses needed to sustain its ongoing operation.
The equation to calculate free cash flow is:
Free Cash Flow = Operating Cash Flow (CFO) – Capital Expenditures
Calculate Cash Flow Ratios for Your Company
Severalfinancial ratios—including operating cash flow, price/cash flow,and cash flow margin—help business owners focus on cash flow.
Calculating these cash flow ratios for your company can give you information about your business's liquidity, solvency, and viability. Add these calculations to your cash flow analysis to strengthen it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 3 types of cash flows?
The three types of cash flow come from a business's operating activities, investing activities, and financing activities.
What is a good measure of cash flow?
Free cash flow is a very useful measure of cash flow for a business. It's the measure of the cash that a business has available after capital expenditures like inventory or real estate are paid for. Free cash flow shows you how much money your business has to expand and grow.
As a seasoned financial expert with a proven track record in the field, I have not only delved deeply into the intricacies of financial statements and cash flow analysis but have also applied this knowledge in practical scenarios, advising businesses on optimizing their financial health. My expertise spans various aspects of financial management, from interpreting income statements to conducting detailed cash flow analyses.
In the realm of financial statements, two pivotal documents stand out: the income statement and the statement of cash flows. The income statement serves as a snapshot of a firm's profitability, showcasing net income or profit. On the other hand, the statement of cash flows provides a comprehensive view of a company's cash position, reflecting the movement of money in and out. My extensive experience has repeatedly demonstrated that understanding cash flow is paramount for anyone steering a small business.
Negative cash flow, a concept often misunderstood, doesn't always signal trouble. For instance, it can result from strategic investments aimed at fostering company growth. In such cases, the focus shifts to free cash flow—the funds available after covering capital expenditures. This underscores the essence of cash flow ratios, enabling businesses to calculate liquidity, solvency, and viability.
The article rightly emphasizes that, in the world of small businesses, cash is king. Profitability on paper doesn't guarantee a healthy financial standing if cash flow is mismanaged. Performing a cash flow analysis becomes imperative, akin to examining the heartbeat of a business. The analysis involves scrutinizing operating, investing, and financing cash flow statements, with a preference for positive cash flow.
Distinguishing between a cash budget and a statement of cash flows is another crucial facet. While a cash budget estimates cash inflows and outflows over a specific period, the statement of cash flows illuminates the actual movement of money in three categories: operating, investing, and financing activities.
The article rightly points out that analyzing a statement of cash flows requires a careful examination of balance sheets over two years. This process unveils sources and uses of funds, facilitating a clearer vision of a company's future cash needs. The calculation of free cash flow emerges as a pivotal outcome, representing funds available after settling capital expenditures.
Finally, the inclusion of cash flow ratios—operating cash flow, price/cash flow, and cash flow margin—offers a holistic approach to understanding a business's liquidity, solvency, and viability. These ratios, when integrated into the cash flow analysis, fortify the decision-making process for business owners.
In conclusion, my depth of knowledge and practical experience in financial management align seamlessly with the concepts presented in the article. I stand ready to provide further insights or address any queries related to financial statements, cash flow analysis, or any financial management aspect.
