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: 2019-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2019-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2018-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2018-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2018-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2017-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2017-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2017-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2017-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2016-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2016-09-30), 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).
The operational cash flow demonstrates consistent strength throughout the period, with net cash provided by operating activities generally remaining above 1 billion USD per quarter, with the exception of a notable dip in the first quarter of 2019. This stability is underpinned by steady net income and consistent non-cash adjustments, most notably depreciation and amortization, which exhibited a gradual upward trend from approximately 250 million USD in 2014 to over 320 million USD by 2019.
- Operating Cash Flow Drivers
- Net income remained a primary driver of cash flow, although it experienced volatility, peaking at 1.89 billion USD in December 2017. Adjustments to reconcile net income to operating cash were significant, often influenced by inventory valuation adjustments and fluctuations in accounts receivable and payable. For instance, a substantial positive adjustment occurred in December 2014, contributing to a quarterly operating cash peak of 2.02 billion USD.
- Capital Expenditure and Investing Strategy
- Investment in property, plant, and equipment showed a persistent increase over the analyzed timeframe, rising from an average of 300-400 million USD per quarter in 2014 to consistently exceeding 600 million USD by 2019. A major strategic event occurred in September 2018, marked by a 1.78 billion USD cash outflow for the acquisition of A. Schulman, which significantly impacted net cash used in investing activities for that period.
- Shareholder Returns and Financing Activities
- Financing activities were characterized by a consistent and aggressive return of capital to shareholders. Dividend payments remained remarkably stable, fluctuating narrowly between 327 million USD and 395 million USD per quarter. Share repurchases were more volatile but substantial, often exceeding 1 billion USD per quarter in the earlier years (2014-2015) and seeing another spike of 1.05 billion USD in December 2018.
- Debt Management and Liquidity
- The company utilized a combination of long-term debt issuance and commercial paper to manage liquidity. Periodic issuances of long-term debt, such as the 990 million USD issuance in March 2017, were used to offset operational investments and shareholder returns. The net cash position experienced significant quarterly swings, largely driven by the timing of these financing activities and the aforementioned large-scale acquisition in 2018.
Overall, the cash flow profile indicates a business capable of generating strong operating cash that exceeds its capital expenditure requirements. This surplus has been systematically deployed toward strategic acquisitions and a robust shareholder return program, financed through a mix of operating cash and periodic debt issuance.
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