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Cash Flow & Investment Analysis

Earnings power, cash generation, and the time value of money.

This group covers the earnings and cash-flow figures that underpin fundamental analysis, plus the time-value-of-money concepts used to evaluate investments. Measures like EBIT, EBITDA, and free cash flow strip financials down to operating performance, while present value, real return, and risk premium frame how future cash flows are worth today. They connect a company's operations to what an investment is actually worth.

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10 terms in this topic

Free cash flow

The cash a company generates after accounting for capital expenditures, representing cash available for expansion, dividends, or debt reduction.

EBIT

Earnings Before Interest and Taxes, a measure of operating profitability that excludes the effects of capital structure and tax rates.

EBITDA

Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization, an indicator of operational profitability excluding non-cash expenses and financing costs.

Revenue

The total income generated from normal business operations, calculated as the sale price multiplied by quantity sold, also called sales or turnover.

Inventory turnover ratio

An efficiency ratio showing how many times inventory is sold and replaced over a period, calculated as cost of goods sold divided by average inventory.

Payback period

The time required to recover the initial investment in a project, calculated by dividing the initial investment by annual cash inflows.

Present value

The current worth of a future sum of money or stream of cash flows given a specified rate of return, accounting for the time value of money.

Real rate of return

The annual percentage return on an investment adjusted for inflation, representing the actual increase in purchasing power.

Risk premium

The return in excess of the risk-free rate that an investment is expected to yield, compensating investors for taking on additional risk.

Inflation rate

The rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services rises, eroding purchasing power, typically measured annually.