Cash Flow from Financing Activities (2024)

How a business is funded

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Cash Flow from Financing Activities is the net amount of funding a company generates in a given time period. Finance activities include the issuance and repayment of equity, payment of dividends, issuance and repayment of debt, and capital lease obligations. Companies that require capital will raise money by issuing debt or equity, and this will be reflected in the cash flow statement.

Cash Flow from Financing Activities (1)

What’s Included in Cash Flow from Financing Activities?

It’s important for accountants, financial analysts, and investors to understand what makes up this section of the cash flow statement and what financing activities include. Since this is the section of the statement of cash flows that indicates how a company funds its operations, it generally includes changes in all accounts related to debt and equity.

Financing activities include:

  • Issuance of equity
  • Repayment of equity
  • Payment of dividends
  • Issuance of debt
  • Repayment of debt
  • Capital/finance lease payments

Example ofCash Flow from Financing Activities

Below is an example from Amazon’s 2017 annual report and Form 10-k. In the bottom area of the statement, you will see the cash inflow and outflow related to financing.

Activities in financing are:

  • Inflow: proceeds from issuing long-term debt
  • Outflow: repayment of long-term debt
  • Outflow: principal repayments of capital lease obligations
  • Outflow: principal repayments of finance lease obligations

Cash Flow from Financing Activities (2)

As you can see above, Amazon had a net outflow of cash in two of the three years, and most of it was related to capital lease obligations. In 2017, there was a large inflow of cash related to issuing long-term debt. This debt was most likely required to keep the total cash balance steady on a year-over-year (YoY) basis since a lot of money was spent on investing activities in 2017.

Capital Structure of a Business

Companies typically use a combination of debt and equity to fund their business and try to optimize their Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)to be as low as possible. Whatever capital structure a company thinks is appropriate, the impact of the financing decisions will flow through the cash flow statement.

Examples of financing decisions include:

Applications in Financial Modeling

When building a financial model in Excel, it’s important to know how the cash flow from financing activities links to the balance sheet and makes the model work properly. As you can see in the screenshot below, the financing section is impacted by several line items in the model. Since this example is from a Leveraged Buyout (LBO) model, it has significant long-term debt, and that debt is repaid as quickly as possible each year.

Cash Flow from Financing Activities (3)

Image: CFI’s LBO Financial Modeling Course.

Items impacting this company’s funding are the line of credit (also called a revolver), debt, equity, and dividends. The only line items that are impacted in the forecast (2018 to 2024) are the repayment of debt and the drawing down on the line of credit.

Additional Resources

Hopefully, this has been a helpful guide to understanding how to account for a company’s funding activities. CFI is the official provider of the Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA)® designation, which can transform anyone into a world-class financial analyst.

To continue learning and progressing your career, these additional CFI resources will be helpful:

I have a deep understanding of financial concepts, particularly in accounting, financial analysis, and modeling. My expertise is demonstrated by my knowledge of topics such as cash flow from financing activities, capital structure, and financial modeling.

Now, let's break down the key concepts discussed in the article:

  1. Cash Flow from Financing Activities:

    • Definition: It is the net amount of funding a company generates in a given time period.
    • Components: Includes issuance and repayment of equity, payment of dividends, issuance and repayment of debt, and capital lease obligations.
    • Importance: This section of the cash flow statement indicates how a company funds its operations.
  2. Components of Cash Flow from Financing Activities:

    • Issuance of equity
    • Repayment of equity
    • Payment of dividends
    • Issuance of debt
    • Repayment of debt
    • Capital/finance lease payments
  3. Example from Amazon's 2017 Annual Report:

    • Inflow: Proceeds from issuing long-term debt
    • Outflow: Repayment of long-term debt, principal repayments of capital lease obligations, principal repayments of finance lease obligations
    • Analysis: Amazon had a net outflow in two of three years, with significant outflows related to capital lease obligations.
  4. Capital Structure of a Business:

    • Definition: Companies use a combination of debt and equity to fund their business.
    • Objective: Optimize Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) to be as low as possible.
    • Impact: Financing decisions, such as funding entirely with equity or a combination of debt and equity, affect the cash flow statement.
  5. Examples of Financing Decisions:

    • Fund the business entirely with equity
    • Fund the business with a combination of debt and equity
    • Recapitalize the business and change its capital structure
    • Pay dividends or buy back shares
  6. Applications in Financial Modeling:

    • Importance: Understanding how cash flow from financing activities links to the balance sheet in financial modeling.
    • Example: In an LBO model, line items like debt repayment and drawing down on the line of credit impact the company's funding.
  7. Additional Resources from CFI:

    • CFI offers courses, including the Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA)® designation.
    • Resources cover balance sheet items, income statement items, operating cash flow, cash flow from investing activities, accounting resources, and capital markets resources.

This breakdown should provide a comprehensive overview of the article's key concepts in financial activities and modeling.

Cash Flow from Financing Activities (2024)

FAQs

How do you calculate cash flow from financing activities? ›

Formula and Calculation for CFF

Add all cash outflows from stock repurchases, dividend payments, and repayment of debt. Subtract the cash outflows from the inflows to arrive at the cash flow from financing activities for the period.

How do you interpret cash flow from financing activities? ›

Cash Flow from Financing Activities is the net amount of funding a company generates in a given time period. Finance activities include the issuance and repayment of equity, payment of dividends, issuance and repayment of debt, and capital lease obligations.

Is cash flow from financing activities good or bad? ›

The net cash flow from financing activities section can be either positive or negative, just like cash flow as a whole can be positive or negative. Neither is necessarily desirable or undesirable in a vacuum. It all depends on the company's particular circ*mstances.

What is cash flow statement answers? ›

Answer: A Cash Flow Statement is a statement showing inflows and outflows of cash and cash equivalents from operating, investing and financing activities of a company during a particular period. It explains the reasons of receipts and payments in cash and change in cash balances during an accounting year in a company.

What cash flows from financing activities do not include? ›

However, it does not include interest payments or any interest or dividends received by the corporation (interest income and expense and dividends received are included in cash flow from operations).

What is CFO vs CFI vs CFF? ›

Of these, the cash flow statement presents a substantial understanding of a company's financial health. It comprises three sections – CFO or cash flow from operations, CFI or cash flow from investing activities, and CFF or cash flow from financing activities.

How do you comment on a cash flow statement? ›

A good analysis will examine the statement of cash flows in detail and look for the reasons behind the movement, commenting on how the entity has performed. The statement of cash flows contains three sections: cash flows from operating activities, investing activities and financing activities.

Why is cash flow from financing important? ›

Lenders expect regular repayments on the financ- ing they provide. As such, lenders rely on a company's current and projected cash flows to determine whether it will be able to afford the additional debt. Overall, understanding a company's cash situation is crucial to making sound business decisions.

How do you know if a cash flow statement is correct? ›

How can you ensure cash flow statement accuracy?
  1. Review your income statement and balance sheet.
  2. Categorize your cash flows correctly. ...
  3. Use the indirect method for operating cash flows. ...
  4. Reconcile your cash flows with your bank statements. ...
  5. Use accounting software and tools. ...
  6. Here's what else to consider.
Sep 14, 2023

What is positive and negative cash flow from financing activities? ›

Positive cash flow from financing activities means that you have more capital entering your business than leaving. A negative balance means the opposite, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing.

What are the 3 types of cash flow statement? ›

There are three cash flow types that companies should track and analyze to determine the liquidity and solvency of the business: cash flow from operating activities, cash flow from investing activities and cash flow from financing activities.

Is cash flow statement easy? ›

Direct Cash Flow Method

This method of CFS is easier for very small businesses that use the cash basis accounting method. These figures can also be calculated by using the beginning and ending balances of a variety of asset and liability accounts and examining the net decrease or increase in the accounts.

What is the difference between operating investing and financing activities? ›

Operating activities include cash activities related to net income. Investing activities include cash activities related to noncurrent assets. Financing activities include cash activities related to noncurrent liabilities and owners' equity.

Should cash from financing activities be negative? ›

Cash Flow From Financing Activities

A positive number indicates that cash has come into the company, which boosts its asset levels. A negative figure indicates when the company has paid out capital, such as retiring or paying off long-term debt or making a dividend payment to shareholders.

Is positive cash flow from investing activities good? ›

A positive investing cash flow means that a company generates more cash from its investments than it is spending. This can be good or bad, based on how the company uses the extra cash. It can be good if a company reinvests its positive investing cash flow into growth opportunities.

What are the risks of cash flow lending? ›

Missed payments are not uncommon among cash flow borrowers, particularly because they're taking out a loan at a time when the business's incomings tend to be less than normal or unpredictable. If your cash flow projections are off, there's a very real chance you may not be able to meet a repayment.

What do financing activities affect? ›

A company's financing activities affect the amount of short-term or long-term liabilities they report on the balance sheet. A short-term liability refers to financial obligations that need to be paid within one year, and they're listed in the current liabilities section of the balance sheet.

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