Contents
Introduction
Cash flow is the lifeblood of any business. It’s crucial to keep track of where your money is coming from and where it’s going. One of the most essential financial statements for businesses is the cash flow statement. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of the cash flow statement in financial analysis, along with examples and scenarios to help you understand its significance.
What is a Cash Flow Statement?
The cash flow statement is a financial statement that provides information about a company’s cash inflows and outflows over a specific period. It is divided into three sections:
- operating activities,
- investing activities, and
- financing activities.
Here are some examples of the elements of a cash flow statement:
Operating Activities
This section of the cash flow statement reports cash flows related to the company’s primary operations, such as sales revenue, expenses, and taxes. For instance, a retailer’s operating activities may include cash received from customers for merchandise sold and cash paid to suppliers for inventory. It may also include cash paid for salaries, rent, and utilities.
Investing Activities
This section of the cash flow statement reports cash flows related to investments in long-term assets, such as property, plant, and equipment. For example, if a manufacturing company purchases a new piece of machinery or a real estate property, these transactions would be reported in the investing activities section of the cash flow statement.
Financing Activities
This section of the cash flow statement reports cash flows related to financing activities, such as borrowing and repaying loans or issuing and repurchasing stock. For example, if a company borrows money to finance its operations, it would be reported in the financing activities section. Likewise, if a company issues stock to raise capital, it would be reported in this section as well.
Net Cash Flow
This section of the cash flow statement reports the net change in cash and cash equivalents over a specified period. For instance, if a company generated more cash inflows than outflows, the net cash flow would be positive, indicating an increase in cash and cash equivalents. Conversely, if a company generated more cash outflows than inflows, the net cash flow would be negative, indicating a decrease in cash and cash equivalents.
Beginning and Ending Cash Balance
This section of the cash flow statement reports the beginning and ending cash balances for the period. For example, if a company started the period with $100,000 in cash and generated $50,000 in net cash inflows during the period, the ending cash balance would be $150,000.
Legal Exemption from preparing Cash Flow Statement
In most countries, there are no laws that provide an exemption for companies to prepare cash flow statements. Cash flow statements are typically required under accounting standards or regulations. For example, in the United States, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) requires all companies to prepare cash flow statements under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Similarly, in the United Kingdom, companies are required to prepare cash flow statements under the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
Some small companies may be exempt from preparing cash flow statements under certain circumstances. For example, in the United States, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) provides an exemption for small companies that meet certain criteria from filing cash flow statements in their annual reports. However, even if a small company is exempt from filing a cash flow statement with the SEC, it may still be required to prepare one for internal reporting purposes or for reporting to other stakeholders, such as lenders or investors.
Thus, while there may be exemptions from filing cash flow statements in certain circumstances, there are typically no laws that provide a blanket exemption for companies to prepare cash flow statements. Companies are generally required to prepare cash flow statements under accounting standards or regulations, which are designed to ensure that financial statements provide relevant, reliable, and comparable information to stakeholders.
Template for Cash Flow Statement
If you are looking for a basic template to begin with, you can try the following templates available for free –
- Cash Flow Statement Format by FormatWorks
- Cashflow Statement by Spreadsheet.com
- Cash Flow Statement Template by CFI
- Cash flow Statement Template by Vertex42
- Cash flow Planner template by ExcelDownloads
- Cash Flow Forecast Template by ExcelDownloads
Importance of Cash Flow Statement in Financial Analysis
Importance of cash flow statement in Financial Analysis can be understood better in the following sub-headings with examples –
Liquidity Analysis
The cash flow statement is crucial in assessing a company’s liquidity. It shows the inflow and outflow of cash from operating, investing, and financing activities.
For example, let’s say a business has a high level of inventory, which is not selling, and the cash flow statement shows that the company’s operating activities are generating negative cash flow. This information indicates that the business may face liquidity problems in the short term, making it difficult for the company to pay its bills.
Investment Analysis
Investors use cash flow statements to determine a company’s ability to generate cash from its operations. For instance, if a company generates positive cash flow from its operating activities and uses that cash to invest in its business, such as purchasing new equipment or expanding its operations, it can indicate a strong investment opportunity.
Financial Health
The cash flow statement provides a clear picture of a company’s financial health. For example, if a business generates negative cash flow from operating activities, it may indicate that the company’s sales revenue is decreasing, or its expenses are increasing. This information can help investors and management identify potential issues in the business’s operations and make the necessary changes to improve its financial health.
Future Planning
Cash flow statements are essential in planning future business activities. For example, suppose a company generates positive cash flow from operating activities and has excess cash. In that case, the business can use that cash to invest in new projects, pay off debt, or increase shareholder dividends. On the other hand, if a company has negative cash flow, it may need to reduce expenses or consider borrowing additional funds to continue operations.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the cash flow statement is a crucial tool for financial analysis. It provides insights into a company’s liquidity, investment activities, financial health, and future planning. By analyzing this information, businesses can make informed decisions about their financial activities, which can lead to long-term success. Therefore, it’s vital for any business to create and analyze a cash flow statement regularly.
