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-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2019-09-29), 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: 2018-07-01), 10-Q (reporting date: 2018-04-01), 10-K (reporting date: 2017-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2017-10-01), 10-Q (reporting date: 2017-07-02), 10-Q (reporting date: 2017-04-02), 10-K (reporting date: 2016-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2016-10-02), 10-Q (reporting date: 2016-07-03), 10-Q (reporting date: 2016-04-03), 10-K (reporting date: 2015-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2015-09-27), 10-Q (reporting date: 2015-06-28), 10-Q (reporting date: 2015-03-29).
A sustained increase in profitability is evident over the analyzed period, with net income growing from a range of $400 million to $600 million in 2015-2016 to a higher range of $700 million to $900 million by late 2019. The peak net income occurred in December 2019 at $881 million, reflecting a positive trajectory in earning capacity.
- Operating Cash Flow Dynamics
- Net cash provided by operating activities exhibits extreme quarterly volatility, characterized by significant swings between negative values and multi-billion dollar inflows. For example, a low of negative $411 million in March 2019 was followed by a peak of $2.792 billion in December 2019. This volatility is primarily driven by fluctuations in contract assets and contract liabilities, suggesting a business model heavily reliant on the timing of large-scale contract milestones and government payment cycles.
- Working Capital and Asset Management
- The "Changes in assets and liabilities" line item serves as the primary driver of operating cash flow variance. Significant swings in contract assets and liabilities are observable, such as a $671 million inflow in December 2019 compared to a $731 million outflow in March 2019. Additionally, there is a notable trend of increasing investment in property, plant, and equipment, with quarterly additions rising from $55 million in March 2015 to $289 million by December 2019.
- Investing Activity Patterns
- Investing activities are predominantly characterized by cash outflows, reflecting continuous capital expenditure and strategic acquisitions. A substantial outflow of $1.886 billion occurred in June 2015 for the purchase of acquired companies. While the company occasionally realized gains from the sale of investments or short-term investment maturities, the overarching trend is one of sustained capital reinvestment into the business infrastructure.
- Financing and Shareholder Returns
- Financing activities consistently result in net cash outflows, driven by a disciplined approach to shareholder returns. Dividend payments have trended upward, moving from approximately $186 million per quarter in early 2015 to $263 million by late 2019. Furthermore, the company engaged in frequent share repurchases, with quarterly expenditures often ranging between $100 million and $500 million, indicating a strategy of returning excess capital to shareholders.
- Liquidity and Cash Position
- The net increase or decrease in cash is highly unstable, mirroring the volatility of the operating cash flows. Significant spikes in cash reserves, such as the $1.636 billion increase in December 2019, are typically offset by heavy outflows in subsequent quarters. This pattern suggests that the company manages its liquidity through the strategic timing of debt repayments and investment activities to balance the uneven nature of its operational inflows.
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