What is 'FCF'?

Free cash flow represents cash a company can generate after accounting for capital expenditures needed to maintain or maximize its asset base. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Term of the Day | Words to Know Free Cash Flow (FCF) Free cash flow (FCF) represents the cash a company generates after accounting for cash outflows to support operations and maintain its capital assets. Unlike earnings or net income, free cash flow is a measure of profitability that excludes the non-cash expenses of the income statement and includes spending on equipment and assets as well as changes in working capital from the balance sheet. Interest payments are excluded from the generally accepted definition of free cash flow. Investment bankers and analysts who need to evaluate a company's expected performance with different capital structures will use variations of free cash flow like free cash flow for the firm and free cash flow to equity, which are adjusted for interest payments and borrowings. Similar to sales and earnings, free cash flow is often evaluated on a per share basis to evaluate the effect of dilution. Read More » Related to "Free Cash Flow (FCF)" Free Cash Flow: Free Is Always Best Free cash flow is a great gauge of corporate health, but it isn't immune to accounting trickery. Read More » How Are Cash Flow and Free Cash Flow Different? Both cash flow and free cash flow are financial metrics that measure a company's liquidity, but one shows how effectively the firm generates and uses cash. Read More » SPONSORED BY INVESCO The Complete Guide to ETFs ETFs are becoming increasingly popular and soaring to new heights among investors. Invesco's insights can help you determine if these investment vehicles are right for you. Learn More » Free Cash Flow Yield: The Best Fundamental Indicator Cash in the bank is what every company strives to achieve. Find out how to determine how much a company is generating and keeping. Read More » Sign Up for 'Chart Advisor' Want more Investopedia market news? Investopedia's expert analysts present market performance for the day and discuss with in-depth charting and technical analysis, a must read for traders. Subscribe» Related Definitions Cash Flow From Operating Activities Cash Flow From Operating Activities (CFO) indicates the amount of cash a company generates from its ongoing, regular business activities. Read More » Cash Flow Statement A cash flow statement is a financial statement that provides aggregate data regarding all cash inflows and outflows a company receives. Read More » Capital Asset A capital asset is a tangible asset with a useful life longer than a year that is not intended for sale in the regular course of the business's operation. Read More » Income Statement An income statement is one of the three major financial statements that reports a company's financial performance over a specific accounting period. Read More » CONNECT WITH INVESTOPEDIA Email sent to: mondemand.forex@blogger.com To update your newsletter preferences or unsubscribe, click here. 114 West 41st St, floor 8 New York NY 10036 © 2020, Investopedia, LLC, All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy