BlackLine Systems, Inc.
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 | $8.94M | $-2.87M | $4.78M | $1.43M |
| FY2015 | $1.01M | $-12.37M | $859.00K | $10.09M |
| FY2016 | $-4.81M | $-119.67M | $131.40M | $1.72M |
| FY2017 | $6.42M | $-7.03M | $9.59M | $4.00M |
| FY2018 | $16.14M | $-15.98M | $14.52M | $6.28M |
| FY2019 | $29.72M | $-408.45M | $452.51M | $4.63M |
| FY2020 | $54.74M | $173.59M | $18.86M | $6.51M |
| FY2021 | $80.09M | $-506.94M | $599.24M | $8.73M |
| FY2022 | $56.01M | $-395.62M | $1.44M | $10.97M |
| FY2023 | $126.61M | $-62.48M | $6.15M | $5.95M |
| FY2024 | $190.84M | $924.44M | $-500.15M | $2.13M |
| FY2025 | $169.57M | $-425.29M | $-240.11M | $8.07M |
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.