How to Calculate Free Cash Flow - dummies (2024)

FAQs

How do you calculate cash flow for dummies? ›

The free cash flow formula is calculated as operating income minus capital expenses. It can be used to determine whether a company has sufficient funds to cover its short-term financial obligations or if it needs to look for external financing sources.

To calculate Free Cash Flow, you begin with the Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) from your financial projections, often proxied by operating profit for simplicity. You then adjust for taxes by subtracting Tax Expenses, which are the annual taxes the company is expected to pay.

First, he studies what he refers to as "owner's earnings." This is essentially the cash flow available to shareholders, technically known as free cash flow-to-equity (FCFE). Buffett defines this metric as net income plus depreciation, minus any capital expenditures (CAPX) and working capital (W/C) costs.

The formula for P/CF is simply the market capitalization divided by the operating cash flows of the company. Alternatively, P/CF can be calculated on a per-share basis, in which the latest closing share price is divided by the operating cash flow per share.

Free cash flow = sales revenue – (operating costs + taxes) – investments needed in operating capital. Free cash flow = total operating profit with taxes – total investment in operating capital.

To calculate free cash flow, add your net income and non-cash expenses, then subtract your change in working capital and capital expenditure.

A “good” free cash flow conversion rate would typically be consistently around or above 100%, as it indicates efficient working capital management. If the FCF conversion rate of a company is in excess of 100%, that implies operational efficiency.

Free cash flow (FCF) is the money a company has left over after paying its operating expenses (OpEx) and capital expenditures (CapEx). The more free cash flow a company has, the more it can allocate to dividends, paying down debt, and growth opportunities.

Add your net income and depreciation, then subtract your capital expenditure and change in working capital. Free Cash Flow = Net income + Depreciation/Amortization – Change in Working Capital – Capital Expenditure. Net Income is the company's profit or loss after all its expenses have been deducted.

What are the two methods for calculating cash flow? ›

Direct method – Operating cash flows are presented as a list of ingoing and outgoing cash flows. Essentially, the direct method subtracts the money you spend from the money you receive. Indirect method – The indirect method presents operating cash flows as a reconciliation from profit to cash flow.

Calculating Free Cash Flow in Excel

Enter "Total Cash Flow From Operating Activities" into cell A3, "Capital Expenditures" into cell A4, and "Free Cash Flow" into cell A5. Then, enter "=80670000000" into cell B3 and "=7310000000" into cell B4. To calculate Apple's FCF, enter the formula "=B3-B4" into cell B5.

FCFE = CFO – FCInv + Net borrowing. FCFF can also be calculated from EBIT or EBITDA: FCFF = EBIT(1 – Tax rate) + Dep – FCInv – WCInv. FCFF = EBITDA(1 – Tax rate) + Dep(Tax rate) – FCInv – WCInv.

Free Cash Flow Conversion Formula (FCF)

Free Cash Flow (FCF) = Cash from Operations (CFO) – Capital Expenditures (Capex) EBITDA = Operating Income (EBIT) + D&A.

Operating Cash Flow = Operating Income + Depreciation – Taxes + Change in Working Capital.