Carter's, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2012 | $278.62M | $-83.39M | $-46.32M | $83.40M |
| FY2013 | $209.70M | $-220.53M | $-84.66M | $182.53M |
| FY2015 | $282.40M | $-104.73M | $-122.44M | $103.45M |
| FY2016 | $369.23M | $-88.34M | $-363.51M | $88.56M |
| FY2017 | $329.62M | $-227.92M | $-223.08M | $69.47M |
| FY2018 | $356.20M | $-63.31M | $-298.95M | $63.78M |
| FY2019 | $387.22M | $-60.67M | $-283.38M | $61.42M |
| FY2021 | $588.49M | $-31.47M | $324.84M | $32.87M |
| FY2022 | $88.36M | $-40.36M | $-819.27M | $40.36M |
| FY2023 | $529.13M | $-59.86M | $-332.65M | $59.86M |
| FY2024 | $298.79M | $-56.17M | $-174.82M | $56.17M |
| FY2026 | $122.33M | $-53.70M | $2.04M | $53.70M |
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.