By Sameer Bhardwaj

Copyright indiatimes

When assessing a company’s performance, analysts and investors focus on net profit—the amount remaining after subtracting expenses from revenue. It serves as a key indicator of profitability and forms the foundation for metrics like earnings per share (EPS) and the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. While net profit is valuable, it does not provide insights into the company’s liquidity or cash position.Income Tax GuideIncome Tax Slabs FY 2025-26Income Tax Calculator 2025New Income Tax Bill 2025Liquidity helps in determining whether a company can meet its short-term obligations, pay employees’ salaries, settle supplier invoices, and ensure the smooth running of business operations. A company can be profitable but can still struggle financially due to poor cash flow management. On the other hand, a company can be loss-making but may have a substantial cash balance.Data compiled from Reuters-Refinitiv for 2,738 non-BFSI (banking, financial services and insurance) companies for 2024-25 shows that among profit making companies, 729 companies have negative cash flow from operations. Comparatively, 140 companies have reported net loss but have positive cash flow from operations.Net profit vs liquidity: Understanding disconnectNet profit is worked using accrual accounting, which distorts the timings of the actual cash movements, and therefore, does not accurately reflect a company’s liquidity. Under this method, revenues and expenses are recorded when they are earned or incurred, rather than when cash is received or paid.For example, a company may report revenue from credit sales, which increases its net profit, even though the actual cash has not yet been received, leaving its liquidity unchanged. Similarly, expenses like electricity or fuel costs recorded in March but paid in subsequent months will reduce the reported profit for the financial year ending in March, while the cash position remains unaffected during that period.The other reason for the mismatch is because of the treatment of non-cash expenditures like depreciation and amortisation. Such expenditures reduce net profit but don’t involve cash outflow.The mismatch can be gauged through a deeper breakdown of the dataset of 2,738 companies. While 1,247 companies had cash flow from operations higher than net profit in 2024-25, 1,491 companies had cash flow from operations lower than net income during the period. Cash flow from operations is derived from the core business activities of a company.Assessing liquidityInvestors can look at the company’s cash flow statement to track the inflow and outflow of cash over a period. As one of the three core financial statements—alongside the income statement and the balance sheet—it provides crucial insights into how effectively a business manages its cash resources.The statement provides information about the company’s ability to generate cash and cash equivalents (highly liquid investments that are readily convertible into cash), and its strategies for deploying the funds effectively.The Companies Act, 2013, mandates that companies include a cash flow statement as part of their annual financial statements. However, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), under its Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements (LODR), goes a step further. It requires all listed entities to also include a cash flow statement in their half-yearly financial results. This ensures greater transparency.Cash inflows and outflowsA company’s cash position can be gauged by its cash inflows (sales or investment income) and outflows (operating expenses, inventory or equipment purchases, and loan repayments). Monitoring cash flows is crucial for detecting financial imbalances and implementing corrective plans. It helps the management uncover potential risks and capitalise on opportunities. When a company consistently generates more cash than it spends, the cash flow is positive. Conversely, negative cash flow suggests that expenditures exceed income, which can lead to operational strain and long-term financial challenges.Cash flow statement of XYZ company

Companies that consistently generate positive cash flow are viewed as strong candidates for investment. Such companies demonstrate financial stability and the ability to sustain operations without relying heavily on external funding. Proper management of accounts receivable, timely payment collection, and control of operating expenses can help maintain a healthy cash balance.What’s in the cash flow statementThe statement classifies cash flows into three categories: operating activities, investing activities, and financing activities.Operating activitiesDerived from key revenue generating activities of a company.Indicates the actual cash earned or spent in the core business operations.Reflects actual liquidity, unlike net profit, which gets influenced by accounting adjustments.Examples of operating cash inflows are cash receipts from the sale of goods or services and from royalties, fees and commissions.Examples of operating cash outflows are cash payments to suppliers and employees and operating expenses like rent, utilities, and taxes.It is calculated by adjusting the net profit (or loss) for non-cash expenses and changes in the working capital (also called the indirect method).Investing activitiesThis section includes cash earned or spent on investment-related transactions. These transactions typically involve the purchase or sale of long-term assets, such as property, plant, equipment, or securities, and are generally undertaken to generate income or returns for the company.Cash inflows include purchase of plant, property, shares or bonds, dividends received, and acquisition of businesses.Cash outflows include the sale of longterm assets, shares, bonds and selling a part of the business.Positive cash flow from investing may indicate asset sales or reduced investment activity.Negative cash flow often signals expansion¡X like buying equipment or acquiring companies¡Xwhich can be a good sign if managed well.Financing activitiesTracks the movement of cash between the company and its shareholders and lenders.Helps in predicting claims on future cash flows by the capital providers.Examples of cash inflows include proceeds from borrowings or the issue of shares.Examples of cash outflows include repayment of borrowings, payment of dividends and buyback of shares.A positive cash flow here might mean the company is raising funds for growth.A negative cash flow could suggest the company is paying debt or returning capital to the shareholders.