ArcBest Corp.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2014 | $143.77M | $-51.60M | $-40.48M | $35.48M |
| FY2015 | $149.13M | $-125.64M | $-15.56M | $78.43M |
| FY2016 | $111.94M | $-87.17M | $-75.88M | $68.27M |
| FY2017 | $151.92M | $-68.47M | $-77.92M | $65.78M |
| FY2018 | $255.35M | $-94.95M | $-90.98M | $43.99M |
| FY2019 | $170.36M | $-98.24M | $-60.40M | $90.96M |
| FY2020 | $205.99M | $7.46M | $-111.41M | $43.25M |
| FY2021 | $323.52M | $-303.20M | $-247.65M | $58.41M |
| FY2022 | $470.82M | $-261.08M | $-127.98M | $148.22M |
| FY2023 | $322.17M | $-21.70M | $-196.61M | $219.02M |
| FY2024 | $285.85M | $-187.28M | $-233.35M | $223.10M |
| FY2025 | $228.95M | $-76.70M | $-177.66M | $114.78M |
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.