In: Accounting
What are the benefits of the statement of cash flows and what are the three categories in it? What are the other financial statements and what do they show?
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Benefits of statement of cash flows
- It provides information regarding all cash inflows and outflows belonging to all sources.
- It is based on Cash accounting methods, so easier for non-accountants also to understand.
- It ensures timely investment and availability of cash for investment opportunities
-It helps management to make informed decisions about regular business operations, the capital budgeting as well as capital structure decisions.
- It assists in controlling unnecessary expenditures involved in form of interest, late payment penalties and debt costs.
Three categories of statement of cash flows
1. Operating Activities – this section of cash flow statement incudes revenue-generating activities of the business entity. All such transactions are included by which net profit or loss is determined.
2. Investing Activities – this section of cash flow statement includes activities involving the buying and selling of fixed assets as well as long term investments.
3. Financing Activities – this section of cash flow statement includes activities related to change in the size and the composition of owners’ capital or changes in debt.
Other financial statements :
Income statement : It shows the revenues and expenses of a firm during a particular period. It states the way revenues are transformed and results into the net income.
Balance sheet : It shows the assets, liabilities and owner's equity of a business at a particular date. It discloses the financial position of a business enterprise at a given date.