Cash Flow Calculator
Estimate your business's operating cash flow to assess financial health and liquidity.
Why Cash Flow Matters
Operating Cash Flow (OCF) measures the actual cash a business generates from its core operations. Unlike net income, it accounts for non-cash expenses like depreciation and is a key indicator of liquidity, sustainability, and financial health.
How to Use This Calculator
- Revenue: Total sales or income from operations
- COGS: Direct costs of producing goods or services
- Operating Expenses: Rent, salaries, marketing, etc.
- Depreciation: Non-cash expense; added back to net income
- Interest: Cost of debt financing (affects taxable income)
- Tax Rate: Effective corporate tax rate (we extract numbers from any format)
- Enter values freely — we extract numbers from text, symbols, and units
- Click "Calculate Cash Flow" to see your operating cash flow
Formula Used
OCF = Net Income + DepreciationWhere:
- Net Income = (Revenue - COGS - OpEx - Depreciation - Interest) × (1 - Tax Rate)
- Depreciation is added back because it’s a non-cash expense
Example: $500K revenue, $200K COGS, $100K OpEx, $10K depreciation, $5K interest, 25% tax
Net Income = ($185K EBT × 0.75) = $138,750 → OCF = $138,750 + $10,000 = $148,750
Interpreting Your Cash Flow
| Cash Flow Level | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Positive | Healthy: Business generates more cash than it spends |
| Zero | Break-even: Cash neutral, may need external funding |
| Negative | Warning sign: May face liquidity issues or over-leveraging |
Industry Benchmarks
| Industry | Typical OCF Margin |
|---|---|
| Software (SaaS) | 20–40% |
| Retail | 5–10% |
| Manufacturing | 10–15% |
| Restaurants | 3–8% |
| Construction | 5–12% |
Tips to Improve Cash Flow
- ✅ Speed up receivables — invoice promptly, offer early payment discounts
- ✅ Delay payables — negotiate longer payment terms
- ✅ Reduce inventory — optimize stock levels
- ✅ Cut non-essential costs — review recurring expenses
- ✅ Lease instead of buy — preserve capital
Advanced Cash Flow Concepts
- Free Cash Flow (FCF): OCF - Capital Expenditures
- Cash Flow Forecasting: Project future inflows/outflows
- DCF Valuation: Use OCF to value a business
- Cash Conversion Cycle: Measures efficiency of cash flow management
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