should overhead expense ever be considered when evaluating investment cash flows? course hero

by Winona Nicolas 7 min read

What are overhead expenses?

Overhead expenses are other costs not related to labor, direct materials, or production. They represent more static costs and pertain to general business functions, such as paying accounting personnel and facility costs. These costs are generally ongoing regardless of whether a business makes any revenue.

Do analysts use total capital expenditures in free cash flow calculations?

(Note: Many companies do not disclose the capital expenditures required to maintain current growth; therefore, some analysts use total capital expenditures in their free cash flow calculation. An alternative approach is to estimate maintenance capital expenditures as a percentage of total capital expenditures.)

What is the relationship between free cash flow and capital expenditures?

An alternative approach is to estimate maintenance capital expenditures as a percentage of total capital expenditures.) Free cash flow represents a company's financial flexibility. The higher a company's free cash flow, the more flexible that company is when investment opportunities such as strategic acquisitions present themselves.

How do you evaluate a statement of cash flows?

Evaluating A Statement Of Cash Flows. The statement of cash flows is an informative financial statement whose metrics are best viewed over time. Many users of financial statements prefer to use metrics derived from the statement of cash flows because cash flows are much more difficult to manipulate versus operating or net income.

When to focus on cash flow statement?

When it comes to financial statement analysis, many people tend to focus their attention on a company's income statement when determining whether a firm is profitable or financially healthy. However, it is important to remember that a cash flow statement offers quite a bit of insight into a company's financial health.

What is free cash flow?

Free cash flow represents a company's financial flexibility. The higher a company's free cash flow, the more flexible that company is when investment opportunities such as strategic acquisitions present themselves.

Why do we use metrics in financial statements?

Many users of financial statements prefer to use metrics derived from the statement of cash flows because cash flows are much more difficult to manipulate versus operating or net income. Cash flow per share, free cash flow and cash flow to debt are among the measures that can be calculated using information found on the statement of cash flows.

Can a company alter free cash flow?

While some of the information presented on an income statement, such as operating and net income, can be managed by a company's management team, it is very difficult to alter free cash flow. For this reason, many analysts evaluate free cash flows when sizing up a company's profit and growth potential.

What is overhead expense?

Overhead Expenses. Overhead expenses are other costs not related to labor, direct materials, or production. They represent more static costs and pertain to general business functions, such as paying accounting personnel and facility costs. These costs are generally ongoing regardless of whether a business makes any revenue.

Why do companies have to account for overhead expenses?

Companies must account for overhead expenses in order to determine their net profit. Companies should review these costs regularly to determine how to increase profitability. If business becomes slow, cutting back on overhead usually becomes the easiest way to reduce expenses.

What are the overhead costs of soda?

If the soda company increases production, it will have to pay more for electricity. Overhead expenses also include marketing and other expenses incurred to sell the product. For the soda bottler, this includes commercial ads, signage in retail aisles, and promotional costs.

What are the two types of expenses that a business incurs?

There are two main categories of expenses that a business can incur: overhead and operating expenses. Operating expenses are those that a business incurs as a result of its normal operations. Overhead expenses, on the other hand, are what it costs to run the business. Expenses can be divided into several different types, including equipment costs, ...

What is the difference between overhead and operating costs?

The difference between the two is the types of costs that are classified under them. Overhead costs are related to the general business, fairly fixed, and can be reviewed often to make adjustments. Operating costs are the direct costs required to produce a product or service and are difficult to avoid.

What are some examples of operating expenses?

Examples of operating expenses include materials, labor, and machinery used to make a product or deliver a service. For example, operating expenses for a soda bottler may include the cost of aluminum for cans, machinery costs, and labor costs . Reducing operating expenses can give companies a competitive advantage.

What is the term for expenses that are incurred by a company through its normal business operations?

Operating expenses are incurred by a company through its normal business operations. That means these expenses are required and cannot be avoided because they help the business continue running. Operating expenses are also referred to as opex.