cash flow from operations

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
10th Edition
ISBN:9781259964947
Author:Libby
Publisher:Libby
Chapter1: Financial Statements And Business Decisions
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1Q
icon
Related questions
Question

This is an accounting question about reconciling direct-method cash flow from operations to net income.

I have read that generally for a simple noninventory situation the approach would be something like:

 Net Income
 Plus depreciation
 Minus Change in Current Assets
 Plus Change in Current Liabilities
 --> Should equal cash flows from operations in the cash flow statement.

My question is about purchasing a long-term asset on account. A journal entry is made: credit accounts payable/debit long-term asset. If I generate a cash flow statement, the increase in current liabilities caused by that entry will be a part of the equation above. But that amount is not an operating cash flow, it is an investing cash flow. So my reconciliation to operating activities will be off by that amount.

It seems like there's a missing adjustment in the equation, like "Minus assets purchased on account" or something like that.

Example: Say my company just started and so far only has $5K contibuted cash in the bank. I buy a machine for $5K.

If I buy the machine with cash, the result so far should be:

Dr Bank 5000 / Cr Owner 5000
Dr Machine 5000 / Cr Bank 5000

I/S
  Net Income: 0

B/S
  Cash: 0
  Machine: 5000
  Accounts Payable: 0
  Owner: 5000

C/F
  Cash flow from operations: 0
  Cash flow from investing: (5000)
  Cash flow from financing: 5000

Reconcile

  Net Income = 0
  Plus depreciation + 0
  Minus Change in Current Assets - 0
  Plus Change in Current Liabilities + 0
  = 0, match


If I buy the machine on account, the result so far should be:

Dr Bank 5000 / Cr Owner 5000
Dr Machine 5000 / Cr Accounts Payable 5000

I/S
  Net Income: 0

B/S
  Cash: 5000
  Machine: 5000
  Accounts Payable: 5000
  Owner: 5000

C/F
  Cash flow from operations: 0
  Cash flow from investing: 0
  Cash flow from financing: 5000

Reconcile:

 Net Income = 0
 Plus depreciation + 0
 Minus Change in Current Assets - 0
 Plus Change in Current Liabilities + (5000)
 = (5000), wrong

The bill is for an asset purchase, not an expense. The cash saved from not paying the bill yet isn't in operating activities, it's in financing activities. So my reconcilation to cash from operations is off.

So my question is:

Is there supposed to be an adjustment like "Minus assets purchased on account" in the reconciliation? If so what is the proper wording?

Or do I fundamentally misunderstand something?

Expert Solution
steps

Step by step

Solved in 2 steps

Blurred answer
Follow-up Questions
Read through expert solutions to related follow-up questions below.
Follow-up Question

I don't understand two things in the answer.

(1) Cash from operations in the purchase-on-account is 0. The reconciliation shows cash from operations (5000). That doesn't seem to be reconciled.

(2) Why would cash from investing be (5000)? No cash was used yet, it's on account.

Solution
Bartleby Expert
SEE SOLUTION
Knowledge Booster
Cash Flow Statement Analysis
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, accounting and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Similar questions
Recommended textbooks for you
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
Accounting
ISBN:
9781259964947
Author:
Libby
Publisher:
MCG
Accounting
Accounting
Accounting
ISBN:
9781337272094
Author:
WARREN, Carl S., Reeve, James M., Duchac, Jonathan E.
Publisher:
Cengage Learning,
Accounting Information Systems
Accounting Information Systems
Accounting
ISBN:
9781337619202
Author:
Hall, James A.
Publisher:
Cengage Learning,
Horngren's Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis…
Horngren's Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis…
Accounting
ISBN:
9780134475585
Author:
Srikant M. Datar, Madhav V. Rajan
Publisher:
PEARSON
Intermediate Accounting
Intermediate Accounting
Accounting
ISBN:
9781259722660
Author:
J. David Spiceland, Mark W. Nelson, Wayne M Thomas
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education
Financial and Managerial Accounting
Financial and Managerial Accounting
Accounting
ISBN:
9781259726705
Author:
John J Wild, Ken W. Shaw, Barbara Chiappetta Fundamental Accounting Principles
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education