Stock Analysis on Net

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO)

Cash Flow Statement 

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.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., consolidated cash flow statement

US$ in millions

Microsoft Excel
12 months ended: Dec 31, 2024 Dec 31, 2023 Dec 31, 2022 Dec 31, 2021 Dec 31, 2020
Net income 6,338 5,955 6,960 7,728 6,377
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 1,156 1,068 986 831 658
Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets 1,952 2,338 2,395 1,761 1,667
Change in deferred income taxes (1,209) (1,300) (995) (647) (552)
Stock-based compensation 301 278 307 230 196
Other net non-cash expenses 508 604 550 957 338
Accounts receivable (171) (43) (430) (204) (1,302)
Inventories (27) 598 (825) (1,065) (508)
Contract assets/liabilities (162) 252 (354) 221
Accounts payable 212 (500) 648 479 59
Contributions to retirement plans (45) (42) (41) (34) (96)
Other (186) (802) (47) (945) 1,452
Changes in assets and liabilities, excluding the effects of acquisitions (379) (537) (1,049) (1,548) (395)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities 2,329 2,451 2,194 1,584 1,912
Net cash provided by operating activities 8,667 8,406 9,154 9,312 8,289
Purchase of property, plant and equipment (1,400) (1,479) (2,243) (2,523) (1,474)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment 57 87 24 20 8
Proceeds from cross-currency interest rate swap interest settlements 252 70 15 8
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired (3,132) (3,660) (39) (19,395) (38)
Purchases of investments (3,396) (208) (52)
Proceeds from sales and maturities of investments 1,770 15 116
Other investing activities, net 8 33 20 (42) (6)
Net cash used in investing activities (5,841) (5,142) (2,159) (21,932) (1,510)
Net proceeds from issuance of debt 1,204 5,942 3,193 18,137 3,464
Repayment of debt (3,607) (5,782) (375) (11,738) (713)
Proceeds from issuance of commercial paper 1,620 1,526 2,512 383
Repayments of commercial paper (1,935) (3,690) (387)
Purchases of company common stock (4,000) (3,000) (3,000) (2,000) (1,500)
Dividends paid (583) (523) (455) (395) (337)
Other financing activities, net 194 56 (9) 65 49
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (6,792) (3,622) (2,810) 6,581 959
Exchange rate effect on cash (91) (82) (139) 194 176
Increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (4,057) (440) 4,046 (5,845) 7,914
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of year 8,097 8,537 4,491 10,336 2,422
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of year 4,040 8,097 8,537 4,491 10,336

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31).


The financial data demonstrates several notable trends and fluctuations over the five-year period under review.

Net Income
Net income increased from 6,377 million USD in 2020 to a peak of 7,728 million USD in 2021, before declining to 5,955 million USD in 2023 and rebounding slightly to 6,338 million USD in 2024. This pattern suggests volatility in earnings, with a notable drop after the 2021 high.
Depreciation and Amortization
Depreciation of property, plant, and equipment steadily rose each year from 658 million USD in 2020 to 1,156 million USD in 2024. Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets exhibited an overall increase until 2022, peaking at 2,395 million USD, followed by a decline to 1,952 million USD in 2024, indicating changing acquisition activity or amortization schedules.
Deferred Income Taxes and Non-Cash Expenses
There was a consistent increase in the negative impact from changes in deferred income taxes, deepening from -552 million USD in 2020 to -1,209 million USD in 2024. Stock-based compensation showed an upward trend, reflecting increased allocation to employees or executives. Other net non-cash expenses fluctuated sharply, peaking at 957 million USD in 2021 before generally decreasing.
Working Capital Components
Accounts receivable changes moderated over time but remained negative, indicating cash inflows from receivables. Inventory changes showed volatility with a negative contribution in early years, a positive swing to 598 million USD in 2023, then back near zero in 2024. Accounts payable experienced wide swings, peaking in accrual in 2022 at 648 million USD before a significant negative impact in 2023. Changes in assets and liabilities excluding acquisitions generally contributed negatively to cash flow, but the magnitude decreased over the later years.
Operating Activities
Adjustments reconciling net income to net cash from operations rose steadily from 1,912 million USD in 2020 to 2,329 million USD in 2024, supporting stable net cash flow from operating activities, which remained strong despite fluctuations, peaking at 9,312 million USD in 2021 and still maintaining 8,667 million USD in 2024.
Investing Activities
Capital expenditures were significant but declined from 2,523 million USD in 2021 to 1,400 million USD in 2024. Proceeds from sale of assets varied, with a notable spike in 2023 (87 million USD). Acquisition spending was erratic, with an enormous outflow in 2021 (-19,395 million USD) and resumed activity in 2023 and 2024 with considerable cash outflows, indicating large one-time or irregular acquisition transactions. Purchases of investments accelerated markedly in 2024 (-3,396 million USD), while proceeds from sales and maturities of investments showed considerable recovery in 2024 at 1,770 million USD. The net cash used in investing activities spiked dramatically in 2021, reflecting the major acquisition, then stabilized at elevated levels in later years but remained significantly negative.
Financing Activities
The company raised substantial debt in 2021 (18,137 million USD), partially repaid in subsequent years. Issuance and repayment of commercial paper were active but less consistent. Share repurchases increased steadily from 1,500 million USD in 2020 to 4,000 million USD in 2024, indicating a focus on returning value to shareholders. Dividend payments also grew steadily. Net cash from financing activities was strongly positive in 2021 but shifted to substantial outflows in 2023 and 2024, consistent with debt repayments and increased buybacks and dividends.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash levels at year-end fluctuated markedly: increasing strongly to 10,336 million USD in 2020, then dropping to 4,491 million USD in 2021, rising again in 2022 and slightly declining in 2023 before halving to 4,040 million USD in 2024. The net changes reflect the interplay of strong operating cash flow, heavy investing outflows, and shifts in financing cash flows.