Accounting the Cash Flow Statement Essay

Total Length: 811 words ( 3 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 2

Page 1 of 3

, 2009). Similar adjustments are made for items, such as expenses, taxes etc. (Stickney et al., 2009).

The second section shows the cash inflows and outflows from investing. The figures shown are the changes that have occurred on the previous year. For example, if the firm makes a capital investment, the cost of that investment will be an outflow. If there is revenue created by an investment, such as the sale of the asset, this will be a cash inflow (Stickney et al., 2009).

The third section is the financing. The main components are the changes in debt; increased debt creates a cash inflow, whereas paying off debt creates an outflow. Any capital that comes into the firm or leaves the firm is included in this section. If dividends are paid, they will be a cash outflow in the financing section. The cash flow statement will end with a net total of the cash flow from all areas and a calculation of the difference between the current and the previous period.


By understanding what the cash flow statement shows and why it is created the importance may be appreciated. The statement shows important information that is valuable to a range of stakeholders, including investors, creditors and management. The statement accounts for the actual cash flow and shows the sources of that cash flow, an important element of assessing the financial health of a firm. For example, a firm that appears to make a loss following heavy investments may be making positive cash flows. It may be argued that whatever view is taken of a firm, one of the most important issues will be the cash it generates and how money is spent to support the operations. However, just as with any other financial statement, the interpretation of the results should not be read in isolation, the results may reflect different strategies and only show the position of the firm at a single point in time, negative cash flow is not always bad, just as a positive cash flow may indicate a.....

Show More ⇣


     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Accounting The Cash Flow Statement" (2013, February 07) Retrieved May 17, 2024, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/accounting-cash-flow-statement-85749

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Accounting The Cash Flow Statement" 07 February 2013. Web.17 May. 2024. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/accounting-cash-flow-statement-85749>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Accounting The Cash Flow Statement", 07 February 2013, Accessed.17 May. 2024,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/accounting-cash-flow-statement-85749