Free Cash Flow Yield: Definition, Formula, and How to Calculate (2024)

What Is Free Cash Flow Yield?

Free cash flow yield is a financial solvency ratio that compares the free cash flow per share a company is expected to earn against its market value per share. The ratio is calculated by taking the free cash flow per share divided by the current share price. Free cash flow yield is similar in nature to the earnings yield metric, which is usually meant to measure GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) earnings per share divided by share price.

The Formula for Free Cash Flow Yield is:

FreeCashFlowYield=FreeCashFlowperShareMarketPriceperShareFree\ Cash\ Flow\ Yield=\frac{Free\ Cash\ Flow\ per\ Share}{Market\ Price\ per\ Share}FreeCashFlowYield=MarketPriceperShareFreeCashFlowperShare

What Does theFree Cash Flow YieldReveal?

Generally, the lower the ratio, the less attractive a company is as an investment, because it means investors are putting money into the company but not receiving a very good return in exchange. A high free cash flow yield result means a company is generating enough cash to easily satisfy its debt and other obligations, including dividend payouts.

Some investors regard free cash flow, which excludes capital expenditures but considers other ongoing costs a business incurs to keep itself running, as a more accurate representation of the returns shareholders receive from owning a business. They prefer to use free cash flow yield as a valuation metric over an earnings yield.

In addition to sustaining ongoing operations, cash flow from operations is also a funding source for a company's long-term capital investments. Before tapping into any outside financing, a company first uses its operating cash flow to meet capital expenditure requirements. Anything left is referred to as free cash flow and becomes available to equity holders.

For investors preferring cash flow yield as a valuation metric over valuation multiples, the free cash flow yield would be a more accurate representation of investment returns, compared to yields based on cash flow not fully returnable or accounting earnings.

Key Takeaways

  • A higher free cash flow yield is ideal because it means a company has enough cash flow to satisfy all of its obligations.
  • If the free cash flow yield is low, it means investors aren't receiving a very good return on the money they're investing in the company.
  • The free cash flow yield gives investors an idea of how financially capable a company is at having quick access to cash in case of unexpected debts or other obligations, or how much cash would be available if the company had to be liquidated.

The Difference Between Cash Flow and Earnings

Free cash flow derives from operating cash flow, which is the net result of actual cash received and paid during a company's operations. Using cash flow to measure operating results is different from accounting-based earnings reporting. Earnings track every element of revenue and expense, regardless of cash involvements.

While earnings in principle summarize a company's total net income on account, cash flow concerns a company's ability to sustain its ongoing operations. The more cash a company amasses from operations, the easier it is to continue carrying out its business and to ultimately generate more earnings. The ability to yield cash flow can be a better indication of a company's longer-term valuation.

Cash Flow Yield Versus a Valuation Multiple

Investors may evaluate a company's worth by comparing its cash flows (business return) with its equity value. Cash flow can be a proper return representation, and market price a close proxy of equity value. Investors may judge a company's worth based on the percentage of its cash flow over the equity's market price, which is referred to as cash flow yield.

Alternatively, investors may look at a company's worth using a valuation multiple calculated as its equity's market price over the amount of cash flow. Evaluating an investment using cash flow yield can be more intuitive than a valuation multiple, as cash flow yield directly shows the cash returned as a percentage of the investment.

Free Cash Flow Yield: Definition, Formula, and How to Calculate (2024)

FAQs

Free Cash Flow Yield: Definition, Formula, and How to Calculate? ›

Free cash flow yield is really just the company's free cash flow, divided by its market value. Nearly all publicly-traded companies get their market capitalization listed on sites like Yahoo Finance and others used by financial analysts keeping tabs on company health and operations.

What is the formula for calculating free cash flow? ›

The generic Free Cash Flow (FCF) Formula is equal to Cash from Operations minus Capital Expenditures. FCF represents the amount of cash generated by a business, after accounting for reinvestment in non-current capital assets by the company.

How is cash yield calculated? ›

Cash-on-cash returns are calculated using an investment property's pre-tax cash inflows received by the investor and the pre-tax outflows paid by the investor. Essentially, it divides the net cash flow by the total cash invested.

How do you calculate free cash flow examples? ›

To calculate FCF, locate sales or revenue on the income statement, subtract the sum of taxes and all operating costs (listed as “operating expenses”), which include items such as cost of goods sold (COGS) and selling, general, and administrative costs (SG&A).

What is the formula for yield amount? ›

You can calculate a bond's yield by dividing its coupon payment by the bond's face value. Yields on mutual funds: Mutual fund yields include income from dividends and interest received over a period. You can calculate yields on the mutual fund by dividing the annual dividend by its share price.

How is FCF percentage calculated? ›

Subtract your required investments in operating capital from your sales revenue, less your operating costs, including taxes, to find your free cash flow. The formula would be: Sales Revenue – (Operating Costs + Taxes) – Required Investments in Operating Capital = Free Cash Flow.

What is the formula for calculating cash flow? ›

Free Cash Flow = Net income + Depreciation/Amortization – Change in Working Capital – Capital Expenditure. Operating Cash Flow = Operating Income + Depreciation – Taxes + Change in Working Capital. Cash Flow Forecast = Beginning Cash + Projected Inflows – Projected Outflows = Ending Cash.

How to calculate free cash flow in Excel? ›

Enter "Total Cash Flow From Operating Activities" into cell A3, "Capital Expenditures" into cell A4, and "Free Cash Flow" into cell A5. Then, enter "=80670000000" into cell B3 and "=7310000000" into cell B4. To calculate FCF, enter the formula "=B3-B4" into cell B5. There you go.

How do you calculate free cash flow price? ›

Key Takeaways. Price to free cash flow is an equity valuation metric that indicates a company's ability to continue operating. It is calculated by dividing its market capitalization by free cash flow values.

How do you calculate yield method? ›

The earnings yield is the inverse ratio to the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. The quick formula for Earnings Yield is E/P, earnings divided by price. The yield is a good ROI metric and can be used to measure a stocks rate of return.

What is the money yield formula? ›

Money market yield is calculated by taking the holding period yield and multiplying it by a 360-day bank year divided by days to maturity. It can also be calculated using a bank discount yield.

How is yield value determined? ›

Yield is defined as an income-only return on investment (it excludes capital gains) calculated by taking dividends, coupons, or net income and dividing them by the value of the investment, expressed as an annual percentage.

What is the free cash flow yield? ›

What Is Free Cash Flow Yield? Free cash flow yield is a financial solvency ratio that compares the free cash flow per share a company is expected to earn against its market value per share. The ratio is calculated by taking the free cash flow per share divided by the current share price.

What is free cash flow for dummies? ›

You figure free cash flow by subtracting money spent for capital expenditures, which is money to purchase or improve assets, and money paid out in dividends from net cash provided by operating activities.

What is the formula for free cash flow return? ›

Free cash flow is calculated by subtracting capital expenditures (such as investments in new equipment or buildings) from operating cash flow. Before making the calculation, it is important to calculate the net investment figure - which is the total capital expenditure on current assets minus the cost of depreciation.

What is the formula for DCF yield? ›

The discounted cash flow (DCF) formula is equal to the sum of the cash flow in each period divided by one plus the discount rate (WACC) raised to the power of the period number.

What is the FCF valuation formula? ›

The FCFF valuation approach estimates the value of the firm as the present value of future FCFF discounted at the weighted average cost of capital: Firmvalue=∞∑t=1FCFFt(1+WACC)t. Firm value = ∑ t = 1 ∞ FCFF t ( 1 + WACC ) t .

How do you calculate FCF sales? ›

The Free Cash Flow to Sales, or FCF / S, is a measure of how effectively a company generates surplus Cash Flow from Revenues. It is calculated by dividing the Free Cash Flow by Revenue.

What is the dividend FCF yield? ›

Free Cash Flow Yield measures the amount of cash flow that an investor will be entitled to. It is mechanically similar to thinking about the dividend or earnings yield of a stock.

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