Western Union
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 | $1.05B | $-89.40M | $-1.25B | $67.80M |
| FY2015 | $1.07B | $-286.40M | $-1.25B | $94.40M |
| FY2016 | $1.04B | $-271.10M | $-1.21B | $68.80M |
| FY2017 | $742.00M | $-204.60M | $-570.50M | $69.10M |
| FY2018 | $821.30M | $-328.80M | $-357.20M | $136.70M |
| FY2019 | $914.60M | $167.00M | $-1.48B | $48.10M |
| FY2020 | $877.50M | $-373.50M | $-185.90M | $36.50M |
| FY2021 | $1.05B | $192.00M | $-1.27B | $37.70M |
| FY2022 | $581.60M | $525.50M | $-1.18B | $31.90M |
| FY2023 | $783.10M | $-140.80M | $-896.80M | $22.90M |
| FY2024 | $406.30M | $-16.30M | $-69.30M | $37.40M |
| FY2025 | $543.70M | $-230.30M | $-782.60M | $38.50M |
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.