The price-to-cash flow (also denoted as price/cash flow or P/CF) ratio is a financial multiple that compares a company’s market value to its operating cash flow (or the company’s stock price per share to its operating cash flow per share).
Essentially, the price-to-cash flow ratio measures the current price of the company’s stock relative to the amount of cash generated by the company. The price-to-cash flow multiple is primarily used in the comparable analysis method of stock valuation.
Formula for the Price-to-Cash Flow Ratio
From the definition, the price-to-cash flow ratio involves two methods of calculation. First, the multiple can be calculated using the company’s market capitalization. In such a case, the price-to-cash flow formula is the following:
Also, the ratio can be calculated on a per share basis. The price-to-cash flow ratio formula on a per-share basis is:
Applications of the Price-to-Cash Flow Ratio
Similar to other multiples used in stock valuation, the application of the price-to-cash flow ratio is suitable only in certain cases. For example, the use of the operating cash flow in the P/CF ratio makes the ratio a perfect choice to value the stocks of companies with large non-cash expenses (e.g., depreciation).
In certain scenarios, companies with positive cash flows are not profitable due to their large non-cash expenses. The P/CF ratio allows analysts and investors to come up with a less distorted picture of a company’s financial standing.
Although there is no consensus regarding the optimal levels for the P/CF ratio, it is commonly accepted that a low multiple indicates that a stock is undervalued. High P/CF ratios are common for companies in their early stages of development when the share price is mostly valued based on their future growth prospects while a small amount of cash is generated.
Generally, this multiple is viewed as a better option that can be used in stock valuations relative to the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. One of the main advantages of the P/CF ratio over the P/E ratio is that the company’s cash flows cannot be as easily manipulated as its earnings.
More Resources
CFI is the official provider of the global Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA)™ certification program, designed to help anyone become a world-class financial analyst. To keep advancing your career, the additional CFI resources below will be useful:
CFI is a global provider of financial modeling courses and of the FMVA Certification. CFI’s mission is to help all professionals improve their technical skills. If you are a student or looking for a career change, the CFI website has many free resources to help you jumpstart your Career in Finance. If you are seeking to improve your technical skills, check out some of our most popular courses. Below are some additional resources for you to further explore:
CFI is a global provider of financial modeling courses and of the FMVA Certification. CFI’s mission is to help all professionals improve their technical skills. If you are a student or looking for a career change, the CFI website has many free resources to help you jumpstart your Career in Finance. If you are seeking to improve your technical skills, check out some of our most popular courses. Below are some additional resources for you to further explore:
Below is a break down of subject weightings in the FMVA® financial analyst program. As you can see there is a heavy focus on financial modeling, finance, Excel, business valuation, budgeting/forecasting, PowerPoint presentations, accounting and business strategy.
A well rounded financial analyst possesses all of the above skills!
Additional Questions & Answers
CFI is the global institution behind the financial modeling and valuation analyst FMVA® Designation. CFI is on a mission to enable anyone to be a great financial analyst and have a great career path. In order to help you advance your career, CFI has compiled many resources to assist you along the path.
In order to become a great financial analyst, here are some more questions and answers for you to discover:
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