Lam Research
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2015 | $785.50M | $-1.11B | $378.47M | $198.27M |
| FY2016 | $1.35B | $592.48M | $1.60B | $175.33M |
| FY2017 | $2.03B | $-2.05B | $-2.63B | $157.42M |
| FY2018 | $2.66B | $2.75B | $-3.27B | $273.47M |
| FY2019 | $3.18B | $-1.64B | $-2.39B | $303.49M |
| FY2020 | $2.13B | $-244.08M | $-623.93M | $203.24M |
| FY2021 | $3.59B | $73.27M | $-4.17B | $349.10M |
| FY2022 | $3.10B | $612.28M | $-4.58B | $546.03M |
| FY2023 | $5.18B | $-534.56M | $-2.83B | $501.57M |
| FY2024 | $4.65B | $-370.61M | $-4.00B | $396.67M |
| FY2025 | $6.17B | $-708.09M | $-4.94B | $759.19M |
| FY2026 | $5.86B | $-922.15M | $-5.72B | $966.41M |
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.