This company has been moved to the archive! The financial data has not been updated since December 6, 2022.
Cash Flow Statement Quarterly Data
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.
The financial data reveals a strong seasonal pattern in earnings and cash generation, with consistent peaks occurring during the first calendar quarter of each year. Net earnings generally trended upward from 2016 through 2021, reaching a peak of 816 million dollars in January 2021, before stabilizing at lower levels in 2022. Cash provided by operating activities exhibits high volatility, primarily driven by the cyclical nature of inventory management and accounts payable.
Operating Cash Flow and Working Capital
A high degree of fluctuation is observed in merchandise inventories, which act as the primary driver of operating cash flow volatility. Significant cash outflows for inventory accumulation are typically followed by substantial inflows during liquidation phases. Accounts payable movements frequently mirror these inventory cycles, serving to partially offset the cash impact. Despite these swings, the company maintained positive operating cash flow in most quarters, with a notable exception in April 2022 when a cash outflow of 1,384 million dollars was recorded.
Capital Investment and Asset Management
Expenditures for property and equipment show a steady and gradual increase over the analyzed period, rising from 136 million dollars in April 2016 to 255 million dollars by October 2022. Investing activities were characterized by significant activity in the purchase and sale of investments between 2016 and 2018, but this activity diminished significantly after 2019, shifting the focus toward maintaining physical infrastructure.
Financing and Shareholder Returns
Financing activities are consistently dominated by shareholder returns. Dividends paid exhibit a stable upward trend, increasing from approximately 90 million dollars per quarter in 2016 to nearly 200 million dollars per quarter by 2022. Repurchases of common stock are substantial but irregular, with a significant surge in activity occurring in January 2022, where 1,774 million dollars were utilized for buybacks. Debt levels are managed with intermittent borrowings and repayments, such as the 1,250 million dollar borrowing in May 2020, which was largely offset by a corresponding repayment in August 2020.
Cash Position and Liquidity
The net change in cash and cash equivalents fluctuates significantly quarter-to-quarter, reflecting the confluence of seasonal operational needs and aggressive capital return strategies. The most significant increase in cash occurred in May 2020, while the most substantial decrease was recorded in April 2022, coinciding with large outflows in both operating and financing activities.