American Eagle Outfitters
S&P 600
Cash Flow
Cash Flow Breakdown
Figures in US$OperatingInvestingFinancing
How to read this: the three bars show where cash moved each year. Operating is cash from the core business (you generally want this positive and growing). Investing is usually negative — money spent on assets or acquisitions. Financing shows money raised from, or returned to, lenders and shareholders. Bars above the line are cash in; bars below are cash out.
Operating Cash Flow vs Capex
Figures in US$Operating Cash FlowCapital Expenditure
How to read this: operating cash flow is the cash the business generated; capital expenditure is what it spent on long-term assets like plant and equipment. The gap between them is roughly free cash flow — the cash left over. A wide gap (operating well above capex) means the business funds its investment comfortably from its own earnings.
| Period | Operating Cash Flow | Investing Cash Flow | Financing Cash Flow | Capital Expenditure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2015 | $338.43M | $-236.26M | $-103.78M | $245.00M |
| FY2016 | $341.92M | $-153.50M | $-329.17M | $153.26M |
| FY2017 | $365.60M | $-163.02M | $-85.06M | $161.49M |
| FY2018 | $394.43M | $-172.15M | $-188.77M | $169.47M |
| FY2019 | $456.65M | $-282.83M | $-252.50M | $189.02M |
| FY2020 | $415.42M | $-174.89M | $-211.23M | $210.36M |
| FY2021 | $202.50M | $-73.95M | $359.91M | $127.98M |
| FY2022 | $303.67M | $-594.60M | $-125.20M | $233.85M |
| FY2023 | $406.30M | $-261.38M | $-407.89M | $260.38M |
| FY2024 | $580.71M | $-287.43M | $-109.47M | $174.44M |
| FY2025 | $476.80M | $-217.51M | $-301.91M | $222.54M |
| FY2026 | $456.18M | $-202.65M | $-326.85M | $260.80M |
Figures in USD. Educational data only.
Understanding these terms
Plain-English explanations of each figure in the table above, and what a beginner typically looks at. These are educational descriptions only, not advice.
- Operating Cash Flow
- Cash produced by the company's core operations during the period. The US equivalent of "Cash from Operating Activity".How a beginner reads it: A beginner uses this as a reality check on profit, since it reflects cash actually collected. Healthy, consistent operating cash flow underpins a company's ability to invest and repay debt.
- Investing Cash Flow
- Cash used for or generated by buying and selling long-term assets and investments. The US equivalent of "Cash from Investing Activity".How a beginner reads it: A beginner expects this to be negative for companies investing in growth. Reading it next to operating cash flow shows whether the business funds its investments from its own earnings.
- Financing Cash Flow
- Cash flows with lenders and shareholders — borrowing, repaying, issuing shares, buybacks, and dividends. The US equivalent of "Cash from Financing Activity".How a beginner reads it: A beginner reads this to understand whether the company is taking in money (borrowing/issuing) or paying it out (repaying/dividends), and how that fits the operating picture.
- Capital Expenditure
- Money spent on buying or upgrading long-lived assets like plant, equipment, and buildings. Often shortened to "capex".How a beginner reads it: A beginner reads capex against operating cash flow to see whether a company funds its investment from its own earnings. Operating cash flow minus capex is roughly free cash flow.