Cash flow statement
Change in Working Capital
Shows capital absorbed or released by receivables , stock, payables and other short-term operating balances in the cash -flow statement. Unlike the income statement, the focus is the cash movement or the reconciliation explaining why accounting profit differs
Change in Working Capital
changeInWorkingCapital · Cash flow statement
- Definition
- Shows capital absorbed or released by receivables, stock, payables and other short-term operating balances in the cash-flow statement. Unlike the income statement, the focus is the cash movement or the reconciliation explaining why accounting profit differs from generated liquidity.
- Calculation
- Change in receivables + inventory + payables + deferred revenue + other operating balances.
- Uses
- Useful for separating accounting profit from real cash generation and tracking reinvestment, acquisitions, debt, dividends and buybacks. Especially important in mature businesses, cyclicals, roll-ups and high-capex companies. It can mislead through working-capital timing, irregular capex, refinancing or M&A. Cross-check net income, EBITDA, maintenance capex and net debt.
