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.
Based on: 10-Q (reporting date: 2016-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2016-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2015-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2015-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2015-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2015-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2014-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2014-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2014-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2014-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2013-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2013-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2013-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2013-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2012-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2012-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2012-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2012-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2011-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2011-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2011-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2011-03-31).
Operating cash flows exhibit a strong seasonal pattern, with net cash provided by operating activities consistently peaking in the fourth calendar quarter of each year. This seasonality is closely aligned with peaks in net income, suggesting that the company's primary revenue recognition and cash collection cycles are heavily weighted toward the end of the fiscal year. While net income shows volatility, the underlying cash generation remains robust, supported by steadily increasing depreciation and amortization expenses and stock-based compensation, which provide significant non-cash add-backs to net income.
- Operating Cash Flow Dynamics
- Net cash provided by operating activities generally ranges between 1 billion and 2.2 billion USD per quarter. A notable dip occurred in the first quarter of 2016, falling to 932 million USD, the lowest point in the observed period, before recovering to 1.6 billion USD by the second quarter of 2016. Working capital adjustments, particularly changes in accounts and notes receivable and deferred revenue, contribute significantly to quarterly fluctuations in cash flow.
- Investment Strategy and Capital Expenditure
- Investing activities are characterized by consistent outflows for property, plant, and equipment and capitalized software development, typically totaling between 250 million and 450 million USD per quarter. Strategic growth is pursued through intermittent, large-scale business acquisitions, with significant cash outflows observed in September 2012 (1.25 billion USD), March 2014 (1.07 billion USD), and September 2015 (1.24 billion USD). The company maintains a highly active portfolio of available-for-sale securities, with frequent multi-billion dollar purchases offset by sales and maturities.
- Financing and Capital Structure
- Financing activities reveal a transition in shareholder return strategies. Starting in September 2013, the company initiated regular quarterly dividend payments, which have remained stable between 200 million and 240 million USD. This is coupled with an aggressive share repurchase program, particularly for EMC common stock, which peaked in December 2014 at 1.59 billion USD. To fund these returns and investments, the company utilized large-scale debt issuances, most notably a 5.46 billion USD issuance in June 2013 and a 1.95 billion USD issuance in June 2015.
- Cash Position Volatility
- The net change in cash and cash equivalents is highly volatile, driven more by financing and investing decisions than by operating performance. Large inflows from debt issuance and outflows from acquisitions or stock repurchases create significant quarterly swings, as evidenced by the 2.22 billion USD increase in June 2013 and the 1.96 billion USD decrease in March 2015.
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