Stock Analysis on Net

Workday Inc. (NASDAQ:WDAY)

Cash Flow Statement 

The cash flow statement provides information about a company cash receipts and cash payments during an accounting period, showing how these cash flows link the ending cash balance to the beginning balance shown on the company balance sheet.

The cash flow statement consists of three parts: cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities, cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities, and cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities.

Workday Inc., consolidated cash flow statement

US$ in millions

Microsoft Excel
12 months ended: Jan 31, 2026 Jan 31, 2025 Jan 31, 2024 Jan 31, 2023 Jan 31, 2022 Jan 31, 2021
Net income (loss) 693 526 1,381 (367) 29 (282)
Depreciation and amortization 347 326 282 364 344 294
Share-based compensation expenses 1,626 1,519 1,416 1,295 1,101 1,005
Amortization of deferred costs 292 251 213 175 139 113
Non-cash lease expense 116 103 96 92 86 84
Net (gains) losses on investments (87) 16 19 31 (146) (17)
Accretion of discounts on marketable debt securities, net (61) (113) (149) (42) 3
Deferred income taxes 218 33 (1,058) 4 (22)
Asset impairments 117 19
Other 7 (1) (17) 58 9 58
Trade and other receivables, net (360) (313) (87) (319) (208) (159)
Deferred costs (404) (337) (342) (292) (238) (184)
Prepaid expenses and other assets (14) 50 69 (14) (35) 52
Accounts payable 6 25 (72) 86 9 (3)
Accrued expenses and other liabilities (26) (41) (95) 136 51 (18)
Unearned revenue 469 398 493 452 530 327
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of business combinations (329) (218) (34) 48 108 14
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities 2,246 1,935 768 2,024 1,621 1,551
Net cash provided by operating activities 2,939 2,461 2,149 1,657 1,651 1,268
Purchases of marketable securities (2,721) (4,786) (6,150) (7,183) (2,859) (2,732)
Maturities of marketable securities 2,339 3,846 4,519 4,949 2,804 1,802
Sales of marketable securities 2,937 273 144 104 199 11
Capital expenditures (162) (269) (232) (364) (436) (259)
Business combinations, net of cash acquired (2,079) (825) (8) (1,190)
Purchase of other intangible assets (3) (10) (1) (8) (3)
Purchases of non-marketable equity and other investments (21) (22) (16) (23) (123) (67)
Sales of non-marketable equity and other investments 19 5 2 12 5 7
Other 21
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities 333 (1,781) (1,751) (2,506) (1,607) (1,242)
Proceeds from issuance of debt, net of debt discount 2,978 748
Repayments and extinguishment of debt (1,844) (38) (269)
Payments for debt issuance costs (7)
Repurchases of common stock (2,895) (700) (423) (75)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock from employee equity plans 192 186 177 152 148 149
Taxes paid related to net share settlement of equity awards (616) (636) (22)
Other (1) (3)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (3,319) (1,150) (268) 1,204 110 625
Effect of exchange rate changes 2 (1) (1) (1) 1
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash (45) (470) 129 354 153 653
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at the beginning of period 1,554 2,024 1,895 1,541 1,388 735
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at the end of period 1,509 1,554 2,024 1,895 1,541 1,388

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2026-01-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2025-01-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2024-01-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-01-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-01-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-01-31).


The cash flow statement reveals a volatile financial performance over the analyzed period. While operating activities generally provide positive cash flow, significant fluctuations occur in investing and financing activities, resulting in inconsistent overall cash positions. Net income demonstrates substantial variability, impacting overall cash flow patterns.

Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities exhibits a generally increasing trend, rising from US$1,268 million in 2021 to US$2,939 million in 2026. However, there is a noticeable dip to US$2,149 million in 2024. Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities are consistently positive and substantial, indicating significant non-cash items influencing cash flow from operations. These adjustments remain relatively stable between US$1,551 million and US$2,246 million throughout the period. Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of business combinations, are initially positive but become increasingly negative, particularly from 2024 onwards, offsetting some of the positive impact from net income and other adjustments.
Investing Activities
Investing activities consistently represent a cash outflow, although the magnitude varies considerably. Purchases of marketable securities are a major driver of these outflows, peaking at US$7,183 million in 2023 before decreasing to US$2,721 million in 2026. Maturities of marketable securities provide a partial offset, with values generally ranging between US$2,339 million and US$4,949 million. Capital expenditures remain relatively stable, ranging from US$232 million to US$436 million. Business combinations represent significant cash outflows in 2022 and 2025, totaling US$1,190 million and US$825 million respectively, and a substantial outflow in 2026 of US$2,079 million. Overall, net cash used in investing activities decreases from US$1,242 million in 2021 to US$333 million in 2026.
Financing Activities
Financing activities demonstrate the most significant fluctuations. Positive cash flow from financing is observed in 2021 and 2023, driven primarily by proceeds from the issuance of debt. However, 2024, 2025, and 2026 show substantial negative cash flow, largely due to significant repurchases of common stock, peaking at US$2,895 million in 2026. Repayments and extinguishment of debt also contribute to cash outflows in earlier years. Taxes paid related to net share settlement of equity awards become a substantial outflow in 2025 and 2026, reaching US$616 million and US$636 million respectively. Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities shifts from a positive US$625 million in 2021 to a negative US$3,319 million in 2026.
Cash Position
The net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash is highly variable. A significant increase of US$653 million is observed in 2021, followed by smaller increases in subsequent years, before turning negative in 2025 and 2026. Despite these fluctuations, the ending cash balance generally increases from US$1,388 million in 2021 to US$1,509 million in 2026, although the rate of increase slows and even reverses in the later years.

The company’s cash flow patterns are heavily influenced by its investment and financing decisions, particularly regarding marketable securities, debt issuance, and share repurchases. The volatility in net income also plays a role, but is largely offset by consistent adjustments related to non-cash items. The increasing negative trend in changes in operating assets and liabilities warrants further investigation.

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