MarketXLS

Net Cash Flow From Investing (Historical)

Returns the historical net cash flow from investing activities (CFI). This includes cash spent on or received from capital expenditures, acquisitions, investments, and asset sales.

Parameters

Parameter Required Description
Symbol Yes Stock ticker symbol (e.g., AAPL, MSFT)
Year Yes Fiscal year (2023) or period code (lq, ly)
Quarter No Quarter number 1-4 (default: 1)
TTM No Set to "TTM" for trailing twelve months

Components

Typical Items Cash Flow Impact
Capital Expenditures Outflow (negative)
Acquisitions Outflow (negative)
Asset Sales Inflow (positive)
Investment Purchases Outflow (negative)
Investment Sales Inflow (positive)

Notes

  • Usually negative for growing companies (investing in future)
  • Positive CFI may indicate asset sales or divestments
  • Includes both CapEx and M&A activity
  • Large negative CFI with large positive CFO is healthy growth pattern

Syntax

=hf_Net_Cash_Flow_from_Investing(Symbol, Year, [Quarter], [TTM])
Excel Desktop (Windows)

Parameters

symbolstringRequired

Stock ticker symbol

yearstringRequired

Fiscal year or period code (e.g., 2023, lq, ly)

quarterstring

Calendar quarter (1-4)

TTMstring

Set to 'TTM' for trailing twelve months

Returns

number

Net cash flow from investing activities

Examples

=hf_Net_Cash_Flow_from_Investing("AAPL", 2023, 4)
Q4 2023 investing cash flow
=hf_Net_Cash_Flow_from_Investing("MSFT", "ly")
Last fiscal year
=hf_Net_Cash_Flow_from_Investing("BRK.B", 2023, , "TTM")
Trailing 12 months
=hf_Net_Cash_Flow_from_Investing(A1, B1, C1)
From cell references

When to Use

  • Analyzing capital allocation strategy
  • Understanding M&A activity
  • Complete cash flow analysis
  • Investment intensity assessment
  • Comparing CapEx vs total investing

When NOT to Use

Scenario Use Instead
Need operating cash flow hf_Net_Cash_Flow_from_Operations()
Need financing cash flow hf_Net_Cash_Flow_from_Financing()
Need CapEx only hf_Capital_Expenditure()
Need total cash change hf_Net_Cash_Flow_Change_in_Cash_and_Cash_Equivalents()

Common Issues & FAQ

Why is investing cash flow negative?

Negative CFI is normal and healthy - it means the company is investing in growth (CapEx, acquisitions, investments).

What if CFI is positive?

Positive CFI usually indicates the company is selling assets or liquidating investments. This may be concerning if persistent.

How do I separate CapEx from acquisitions?

Use hf_Capital_Expenditure() for CapEx alone. The difference (CFI - CapEx) indicates M&A and investment activity.

Related Formulas

More MarketXLS Historical Fundamentals formulas you can use in the same worksheet:

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