Shake Shack, 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 | $13.58M | $-28.52M | $4.53M | $28.52M |
| FY2015 | $41.26M | $-34.51M | $61.43M | $32.12M |
| FY2016 | $54.29M | $-114.76M | $1.23M | $54.43M |
| FY2017 | $70.88M | $-61.94M | $965.00K | $61.53M |
| FY2018 | $85.40M | $-86.60M | $4.45M | $87.53M |
| FY2019 | $89.86M | $-80.69M | $3.18M | $106.51M |
| FY2020 | $37.35M | $-69.40M | $141.82M | $69.04M |
| FY2021 | $58.40M | $-144.89M | $242.02M | $101.50M |
| FY2022 | $76.74M | $-143.42M | $-5.20M | $142.56M |
| FY2023 | $132.14M | $-132.32M | $-5.68M | $146.17M |
| FY2024 | $171.16M | $-66.08M | $-9.02M | $135.50M |
| FY2025 | $222.36M | $-165.85M | $-17.10M | $165.85M |
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.