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.

Illinois Tool Works Inc., consolidated cash flow statement (quarterly data)

US$ in millions

3 months ended:	Dec 31, 2021	Sep 30, 2021	Jun 30, 2021	Mar 31, 2021	Dec 31, 2020	Sep 30, 2020	Jun 30, 2020	Mar 31, 2020	Dec 31, 2019	Sep 30, 2019	Jun 30, 2019	Mar 31, 2019	Dec 31, 2018	Sep 30, 2018	Jun 30, 2018	Mar 31, 2018	Dec 31, 2017	Sep 30, 2017	Jun 30, 2017	Mar 31, 2017
Net income	609)	639)	775)	671)	642)	582)	319)	566)	641)	660)	623)	597)	607)	638)	666)	652)	(76)	640)	587)	536)
Depreciation	71)	70)	70)	66)	70)	70)	65)	68)	68)	66)	66)	67)	69)	68)	68)	67)	68)	65)	62)	61)
Amortization and impairment of intangible assets	33)	34)	32)	34)	35)	48)	35)	36)	37)	38)	41)	43)	46)	47)	48)	48)	50)	51)	52)	53)
Change in deferred income taxes	(69)	8)	(108)	21)	(49)	(3)	5)	17)	(15)	8)	17)	22)	54)	(30)	15)	(5)	9)	32)	3)	20)
Provision for uncollectible accounts	3)	(1)	1)	—)	2)	1)	2)	2)	3)	—)	1)	2)	1)	1)	2)	1)	—)	1)	1)	1)
Income from investments	(1)	(4)	(23)	(1)	(2)	(1)	(2)	(3)	(3)	(1)	(4)	(7)	(1)	(3)	(2)	(3)	(3)	(2)	(9)	(2)
(Gain) loss on sale of plant and equipment	—)	—)	—)	—)	1)	1)	—)	—)	(1)	(9)	1)	—)	(5)	—)	(1)	(1)	(1)	(1)	1)	—)
(Gain) loss on sale of operations and affiliates	—)	—)	—)	—)	1)	—)	—)	(1)	(50)	—)	4)	2)	1)	—)	1)	—)	(1)	—)	—)	—)
Stock-based compensation expense	12)	14)	16)	11)	11)	14)	8)	9)	9)	10)	12)	10)	9)	11)	11)	9)	9)	8)	10)	9)
Other non-cash items, net	5)	1)	4)	3)	2)	2)	2)	2)	2)	1)	2)	4)	4)	1)	1)	4)	4)	2)	3)	1)
(Increase) decrease in trade receivables	30)	30)	(108)	(192)	53)	(260)	292)	10)	78)	78)	(10)	(106)	142)	86)	(96)	(192)	59)	(11)	(38)	(148)
(Increase) decrease in inventories	(85)	(143)	(100)	(122)	(7)	64)	34)	(48)	67)	20)	43)	(32)	14)	(27)	(27)	(68)	12)	(11)	(15)	(67)
(Increase) decrease in prepaid expenses and other assets	27)	(43)	1)	(21)	(9)	27)	33)	(10)	(10)	7)	36)	(22)	(5)	11)	26)	(29)	(24)	15)	(89)	(23)
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable	(7)	(36)	15)	65)	(4)	99)	(93)	17)	(31)	(5)	(28)	48)	(49)	(44)	(8)	55)	(2)	(6)	(9)	56)
Increase (decrease) in accrued expenses and other liabilities	69)	92)	54)	(13)	(12)	125)	(3)	(93)	(27)	46)	(15)	(99)	(11)	52)	13)	(90)	14)	59)	2)	(117)
Increase (decrease) in income taxes	79)	(43)	(75)	88)	40)	(86)	34)	46)	14)	(4)	(104)	87)	(65)	31)	(97)	90)	577)	(62)	(95)	81)
Other, net	(2)	1)	1)	(1)	(1)	—)	6)	(4)	(8)	5)	—)	—)	(2)	2)	—)	—)	—)	—)	(2)	2)
Change in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions and divestitures	111)	(142)	(212)	(196)	60)	(31)	303)	(82)	83)	147)	(78)	(124)	24)	111)	(189)	(234)	636)	(16)	(246)	(216)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities	165)	(20)	(220)	(62)	131)	101)	418)	48)	133)	260)	62)	19)	202)	206)	(46)	(114)	771)	140)	(123)	(73)
Net cash provided by operating activities	774)	619)	555)	609)	773)	683)	737)	614)	774)	920)	685)	616)	809)	844)	620)	538)	695)	780)	464)	463)
Acquisition of businesses, excluding cash and equivalents	(731)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	(4)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	(3)
Additions to plant and equipment	(79)	(71)	(78)	(68)	(68)	(52)	(56)	(60)	(82)	(90)	(77)	(77)	(82)	(101)	(87)	(94)	(78)	(78)	(77)	(64)
Proceeds from investments	1)	7)	29)	1)	4)	—)	3)	7)	4)	1)	8)	7)	3)	3)	5)	5)	18)	7)	11)	7)
Proceeds from sale of plant and equipment	2)	3)	1)	2)	2)	3)	2)	3)	3)	16)	4)	2)	12)	6)	6)	2)	6)	5)	—)	3)
Proceeds from sales of operations and affiliates	—)	—)	—)	—)	1)	—)	—)	—)	115)	3)	2)	—)	—)	1)	—)	—)	—)	—)	2)	—)
Other, net	(1)	(1)	(1)	—)	(2)	1)	1)	(3)	(3)	1)	(16)	—)	—)	(2)	—)	(2)	(3)	(6)	(1)	—)
Net cash used for investing activities	(808)	(62)	(49)	(65)	(63)	(48)	(50)	(53)	37)	(69)	(79)	(72)	(67)	(93)	(76)	(89)	(57)	(72)	(65)	(57)
Cash dividends paid	(383)	(359)	(360)	(361)	(360)	(339)	(338)	(342)	(344)	(323)	(326)	(328)	(332)	(262)	(264)	(266)	(267)	(224)	(224)	(226)
Issuance of common stock	8)	—)	16)	26)	6)	32)	11)	17)	35)	26)	13)	11)	11)	1)	—)	10)	26)	13)	27)	18)
Repurchases of common stock	(250)	(250)	(250)	(250)	—)	—)	—)	(706)	(375)	(375)	(375)	(375)	(500)	(500)	(500)	(500)	(250)	(250)	(250)	(250)
Net proceeds from (repayments of) debt with original maturities of three months or less	119)	1)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	1)	(1,060)	1,058)	—)	—)	(10)	(840)	152)	6)	20)	671)
Proceeds from debt with original maturities of more than three months	90)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	1,774)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)
Repayments of debt with original maturities of more than three months	(1)	—)	(350)	—)	(4)	—)	—)	—)	(1)	—)	(700)	(650)	—)	(1)	—)	—)	—)	—)	—)	(652)
Other, net	—)	—)	(1)	(9)	(10)	1)	(1)	(16)	—)	—)	(1)	(11)	—)	1)	—)	(12)	(1)	—)	(2)	(11)
Net cash used for financing activities	(417)	(608)	(945)	(594)	(368)	(306)	(328)	(1,047)	(685)	(671)	(675)	(295)	(821)	(761)	(774)	(1,608)	(340)	(455)	(429)	(450)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and equivalents	(9)	(20)	13)	(30)	53)	28)	23)	(65)	30)	(32)	(9)	2)	(6)	(29)	(82)	5)	11)	36)	33)	65)
Cash and equivalents, increase (decrease) during the period	(460)	(71)	(426)	(80)	395)	357)	382)	(551)	156)	148)	(78)	251)	(85)	(39)	(312)	(1,154)	309)	289)	3)	21)

The financial performance over the analyzed period is characterized by strong and consistent cash generation from operating activities, which provides a stable foundation for capital expenditures and shareholder returns. While net income exhibited quarterly volatility—most notably a significant deficit in the fourth quarter of 2017 and a dip during the second quarter of 2020—the net cash provided by operating activities remained positive and relatively resilient, generally ranging between 500 million and 900 million US dollars per quarter.

Operating Cash Flow Dynamics: Cash flow from operations consistently exceeded net income in several quarters, driven by non-cash adjustments and working capital management. A notable peak in operating cash flow occurred in the third quarter of 2019, reaching 920 million US dollars. The stability of these flows indicates a high quality of earnings and an ability to maintain liquidity despite fluctuations in accounting profit.
Investing Activities and Capital Allocation: Investment in plant and equipment remained disciplined and predictable, with quarterly expenditures typically hovering between 60 million and 100 million US dollars. This steady cadence suggests a strategy of consistent maintenance and incremental growth. A significant shift occurred in the fourth quarter of 2021, where net cash used for investing activities surged to 808 million US dollars, primarily due to a 731 million US dollar acquisition of businesses.
Financing and Shareholder Distributions: The company maintains a rigorous commitment to shareholder returns through dividends and share repurchases. Cash dividends paid showed a steady upward trajectory, increasing from approximately 225 million US dollars per quarter in early 2017 to 383 million US dollars by the end of 2021. Share repurchases were executed aggressively, with periodic outflows of 500 million US dollars per quarter between 2018 and 2019, and a more stabilized 250 million US dollars per quarter in the latter part of the period.
Debt and Liquidity Management: Financing activities reveal a tactical approach to debt management. Large-scale movements are observed in both short-term and long-term debt, such as the 1.058 billion US dollar inflow from short-term debt in the first quarter of 2019, followed by a corresponding outflow of 1.060 billion US dollars in the second quarter. This pattern suggests the use of short-term facilities to manage seasonal liquidity needs or to bridge timing gaps in capital allocation.
Working Capital Volatility: Significant fluctuations are evident in trade receivables and inventories. For instance, a substantial increase in trade receivables occurred in the second quarter of 2020 (292 million US dollars), which was largely offset by a decrease in the subsequent quarter. Similarly, inventory levels showed increased volatility toward the end of 2021, reflecting changes in supply chain management or anticipated demand shifts.

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Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW)

Cash Flow StatementQuarterly Data

Cash Flow Statement
Quarterly Data