Statement Of Cashflow
Statement Of Cashflow
In financial accounting, a cash flow statement, also known
as statement of cash flows,[1] is a financial statement that shows how changes
in balance sheet accounts and income affect cash and cash equivalents, and
breaks the analysis down to operating, investing and financing activities.
Essentially, the cash flow statement is concerned with the flow of cash in andout of the business. The statement captures both the current operating results
and the accompanying changes in the balance sheet.[1] As an analytical tool,
the statement of cash flows is useful in determining the short-term viability
of a company, particularly its ability to pay bills. International AccountingStandard 7 (IAS 7), is the International Accounting Standard that deals with
cash flow statements.
People and groups interested in cash flow statements
include:
Accounting personnel, who need to know whether the
organization will be able to cover payroll and other immediate expenses
Potential lenders or creditors, who want a clear picture of
a company's ability to repay
Potential investors, who need to judge whether the company
is financially sound
Potential employees or contractors, who need to know whether
the company will be able to afford compensation
Shareholders of the business.
Purpose[edit]
Statement of Cash Flow - Simple Example
for the period 1 Jan 2006 to 31 Dec 2006
Cash flow from operations $4,000
Cash flow from investing ($1,000)
Cash flow from financing ($2,000)
Net cash flow $1,000
Parentheses indicate negative values
The cash flow statement was previously known as the flow of
funds statement.[2] The cash flow statement reflects a firm's liquidity.
The statement of financial position is a snapshot of a
firm's financial resources and obligations at a single point in time, and the
income statement summarizes a firm's financial transactions over an interval of
time. These two financial statements reflect the accrual basis accounting used
by firms to match revenues with the expenses associated with generating those
revenues. The cash flow statement includes only inflows and outflows of cash
and cash equivalents; it excludes transactions that do not directly affect cash
receipts and payments. These non-cash transactions include depreciation or
write-offs on bad debts or credit losses to name a few.[3] The cash flow
statement is a cash basis report on three types of financial activities:
operating activities, investing activities, and financing activities. Non-cash
activities are usually reported in footnotes.
The cash flow statement is intended to[4]
provide information on a firm's liquidity and solvency and
its ability to change cash flows in future circumstances
provide additional information for evaluating changes in
assets, liabilities and equity
improve the comparability of different firms' operating
performance by eliminating the effects of different accounting methods
indicate the amount, timing and probability of future cash
flows
The cash flow statement has been adopted as a standard
financial statement because it eliminates allocations, which might be derived
from different accounting methods, such as various timeframes for depreciating
fixed assets.
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