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Confusion about FCF deriving from Cash Flow from Operation and Accouting profit

Forums › Ask ACCA Tutor Forums › Ask the Tutor ACCA AFM Exams › Confusion about FCF deriving from Cash Flow from Operation and Accouting profit

  • This topic has 3 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 8 years ago by John Moffat.
Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • November 7, 2016 at 4:54 am #347779
    marsinvader86
    Member
    • Topics: 9
    • Replies: 9
    • ☆

    Dear All,

    In deriving Free Cash To Firm or Free Cash Flow to Equities. There are essentially two approaches

    1. Approach one: Using EBIT or PAT as the starting point.

    FCFF: EBIT(1-T) + Non-cash expense – Investment in working capital – Investment in capital expenditure.

    FCFE: PAT + Non-cash expense – Investment in working capital – Investment in capital expenditure + Net borrowing

    2. Approach two: Use Cash Flow from Operation (CFO) as the starting point.

    Assuming interest paid and tax paid are deducted from CFO.

    FCFF: CFO + Interest paid – Tax saving on interest paid – Investment in capital expenditure

    FCFE: CFO + Net borrowing

    My questions is if Free Cash Flow is in real sense a sort of cash flow.How come USING accounting profit adjusted by interest expense and tax saving on interest expense correctly reflects the impact of INTEREST and Tax paid on cash flow.

    Are we better to use the ACTUAL interest paid and tax paid as WE do in approach 2?

    For me, Obviously, USING CFO as the starting point will be different from using EBIT or PAT in their treatment to tax and interest.

    However, in most texts, the fore mentioned two approaches are considered being equal

    Is the government tax rule generally assumed to be the same as accounting tax rule when we deal with free cash flow and hence there is no difference between interest expense (tax expense) and interest paid (tax paid)?

    November 7, 2016 at 7:30 am #347787
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54676
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    Which approach to use depends on the information available.

    The second approach is strictly the more accurate (for the reasons you state) but do appreciate that just as in real life, whatever figures we use are only ever the best estimates we can make depending on this information available – it is impossible to ever forecast future flows precisely.
    That is why in the exam (certainly in question 1) you are virtually always asked to state your assumptions – if the assumptions you make are sensible then you get the marks. You are expected to make the best use of the information available in the question.

    November 7, 2016 at 8:21 am #347800
    marsinvader86
    Member
    • Topics: 9
    • Replies: 9
    • ☆

    Thanks for your prompt rely John. You are always very helpful.

    Is the second one actually more technically correct like I say?

    I find CIMA/ACCA/CFA exam use two different methods interchangably in a lot of questions and get so confused.

    November 7, 2016 at 2:53 pm #347858
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54676
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    Yes it is (as I have written in my previous answer 🙂 ).

    Are you taking exams for all three bodies or just for ACCA? (If it is just for ACCA then I would stick to an ACCA Revision Kit, because in many areas they approach things slightly differently from each other)

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