What is free cash flow? Why is it important? What are the five uses of FCF?
Answer: FCF is the amount of cash available from operations for distribution to all investors (including stockholders and debtholders) after making the necessary investments to support operations. A company’s value depends upon the amount of FCF it can generate.
1. Pay interest on debt.
2. Pay back principal on debt.
3. Pay dividends.
4. Buy back stock.
5. Buy nonoperating assets (e.g., marketable securities, investments in other companies, etc.)