How do you analyze a company's cash flow statement?

@jamir 

Analyzing a company's cash flow statement involves assessing the company's sources and uses of cash during a specific period. The cash flow statement provides information about the company's cash generated and expended through its operations, investments, and financing activities. Here are the steps to analyze a company's cash flow statement:

1. Read the statement format: Understand the structure and layout of the cash flow statement. It typically consists of three sections: Operating activities, Investing activities, and Financing activities.
2. Identify the operating cash flow: Focus on the operating activities section first, as it represents the core operations of the company. Analyze the cash flows from operations, including cash generated from sales, payments to suppliers, salaries, taxes, interest, and dividends.
3. Assess positive and negative cash flows: Look for positive cash flows from operating activities, indicating the company's ability to generate cash from its core operations. Negative cash flows may indicate ongoing operational challenges.
4. Evaluate investing activities: Review the investing activities section, which reflects the company's investments in assets such as property, plant, and equipment, acquisitions, and divestitures. Positive cash flows from investing activities may indicate a company's growth, while negative cash flows may indicate a higher level of investments or divestitures.
5. Analyze financing activities: Examine the financing activities section, focusing on cash flows related to debt and equity financing, such as issuing or repaying debt, issuing or repurchasing shares, and paying dividends. Positive cash flows from financing may indicate a company's ability to raise funds, while negative cash flows may indicate debt repayment or shareholder returns.
6. Calculate the net change in cash: Summarize the net cash flow from operating, investing, and financing activities to determine the overall change in cash during the period. Compare it to the previous periods to identify trends.
7. Assess cash flow sustainability: Evaluate the company's ability to sustain its cash flow by comparing the figures to previous periods or similar companies in the industry. Analyze the quality of the cash flow, especially checking if the cash generated is more often from day-to-day operations rather than non-recurring activities.
8. Consider non-cash items: Look for non-cash items, such as depreciation, amortization, and non-cash expenses, which might affect the reported cash flow. Adjust the figures accordingly to get a clearer understanding of the company's true cash position.
9. Compare with other financial statements: Analyze the cash flow statement alongside the income statement and balance sheet to gain a holistic view of the company's financial health. Look for any inconsistencies or trends concerning profitability, liquidity, and solvency.
10. Evaluate cash flow ratios: Calculate important cash flow ratios like the operating cash flow ratio, free cash flow, and cash flow coverage ratios. These ratios can provide insights into the company's ability to meet its short-term obligations, pursue investments, and generate future cash flows.

Overall, a thorough analysis of a company's cash flow statement helps in understanding its financial position, operational efficiency, investment abilities, and financing strategies, enabling better decision-making for investors or creditors.