Amateurs focus on Profits.

Professionals focus on Cash Flow.

Cash Flow Statement 101: 🧵

The cash flow statement shows cash moving in and out of a company over specific time periods.

Since it's Jan right now, the two most common will be:

■ 3 Quarters
■ 1 Year

Below, we can see CrowdStrike's cash flow over the past 9 months. The time frame is at the top $CRWD

There are three key parts to a cash flow statement:

1️⃣ Operating Activities (Running the business)
2️⃣ Investing Activities (Investing in the business)
3️⃣ Financing Activities (Paying for the business)

There's freedom in how it gets reported, but this is the basic structure

Let's specifically look at operating activities

The top line-item is NET INCOME.

You'd think this would represent the money a company puts in the bank at the end of the year.

But that's NOT THE CASE

Net Income backs out NON-CASH charges. The cash flow statement adds them back in.

Including:

■ Depreciation: Value of asset decreasing
■ Amortization: Expensing pre-paid cost
■ Stock-Based Compensation: Paying employees w/ equity