Alphabet Inc. (Class A)
S&P 500
Nasdaq 100
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 | $23.02B | $-21.06B | $-2.09B | $11.01B |
| FY2015 | $26.57B | $-23.71B | $-4.23B | $9.95B |
| FY2016 | $36.04B | $-31.17B | $-8.33B | $10.21B |
| FY2017 | $37.09B | $-31.40B | $-8.30B | $13.18B |
| FY2018 | $47.97B | $-28.50B | $-13.18B | $25.14B |
| FY2019 | $54.52B | $-29.49B | $-23.21B | $23.55B |
| FY2020 | $65.12B | $-32.77B | $-24.41B | $22.28B |
| FY2021 | $91.65B | $-35.52B | $-61.36B | $24.64B |
| FY2022 | $91.50B | $-20.30B | $-69.76B | $31.49B |
| FY2023 | $101.75B | $-27.06B | $-72.09B | $32.25B |
| FY2024 | $125.30B | $-45.54B | $-79.73B | $52.54B |
| FY2025 | $164.71B | $-120.29B | $-37.39B | $91.45B |
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.