Case 3 / 183 Entry

Walk Me Through the Cash Flow Statement

Accounting & Financial Statements

The prompt

“Walk me through the cash flow statement.”

📋 What you're given

"Walk me through the cash flow statement." This is the natural next step after the income statement and balance sheet — and the strongest answers reconcile Net Income to an actual cash balance with real numbers. Use the figures below for Atlas Manufacturing Inc. — continuing from Case 1 and Case 2 — to build out its cash flow statement for the same fiscal year.

1. Task Overview

Task: Using the figures for Atlas Manufacturing Inc. below, compute Cash Flow from Operations, Cash Flow from Investing, Cash Flow from Financing, and the resulting Ending Cash Balance.

Step 1: Given Data for Atlas Manufacturing Inc.

The following figures are reported for the same fiscal year as Cases 1 and 2:

Line ItemAmount
Net Income$52.5m
Depreciation & Amortization (D&A)$30.0m
Increase in Accounts Receivable$15.0m
Increase in Inventory$10.0m
Increase in Accounts Payable$8.0m
Capital Expenditures (CapEx)$45.0m
Debt Repayment$12.0m
Dividends Paid$5.0m
Beginning Cash Balance$76.5m

Step 2: Calculating Cash Flow from Operations (CFO)

CFO starts at Net Income and adjusts for non-cash items and working capital changes.

Show CFO Formula

CFO = Net Income + D&A − Increase in Accounts Receivable − Increase in Inventory + Increase in Accounts Payable

Using this formula, compute CFO.

Step 3: Calculating Cash Flow from Investing (CFI)

Investing activities capture spending on long-term assets — here, just CapEx.

Show CFI Formula

CFI = −Capital Expenditures (CapEx)

Using this formula, compute CFI.

Step 4: Calculating Cash Flow from Financing (CFF)

Financing activities capture flows to and from debt and equity holders.

Show CFF Formula

CFF = −Debt Repayment − Dividends Paid

Using this formula, compute CFF.

Step 5: Calculating the Ending Cash Balance

Summing the three sections gives the Net Change in Cash, which rolls forward from the Beginning Cash Balance.

Show Ending Cash Balance Formula

Ending Cash Balance = Beginning Cash Balance + CFO + CFI + CFF

Using this formula, compute the Net Change in Cash and the Ending Cash Balance — and check it against the Cash line on the balance sheet from Case 2.

💡 Model answer

Try answering out loud first — then reveal the model answer and compare.

⚠️ Common mistakes

  • Forgetting that the statement starts from Net Income, not Revenue — it's a reconciliation, not a standalone calculation
  • Getting the sign wrong on working capital changes — e.g., subtracting an increase in Accounts Payable instead of adding it
  • Treating D&A as if it were extra cash rather than a non-cash add-back that reverses an expense that never left the bank account
  • Putting CapEx in Operating instead of Investing, or forgetting to make it negative
  • Stopping at the Net Change in Cash and forgetting to add the Beginning Cash Balance to get the figure that actually ties to the balance sheet

🔁 Follow-up questions

Previous Case 2: Walk Me Through the Balance Sheet Next Case 4: Connect the Three Statements
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