Which companies generate the most cash flow? I recently ran a screen to determine the world's largest publicly traded FCF generators. The following table summarizes the results: Unsurprisingly, many of the biggest generators of FCF are companies whose products we use on a daily basis. Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) generated $64 billion of FCF, with Microsoft (NYSE: MSFT) in second place. Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS.B) was the highest-ranking oil company on the list. Shell was #11 according to this ranking with $19.2 billion of FCF. Chevron's $13.1 billion landed them in the 25th spot. Of course a company's FCF relative to its size is also worth considering. Apple's $64 billion of FCF translates to FCF per share of $14.36 and a FCF yield of 5.0%. In comparison, Amazon's (NSDQ: AMZN) FCF yield was 2.3%, but Shell's was 6.7%. Companies that consistently generate solid FCF are unlikely to go broke. Income investors should look at whether a company is growing its FCF, because that's a good indicator that they can grow dividends over time. The bottom line is that FCF is a crucial financial metric and a good check against a company's earnings reports. If a company is reporting great earnings but negative cash flow, or vice versa, you definitely want to take a closer look at what's really going on. Editor's Note: Our colleague Robert Rapier just provided you with valuable investing insights. But other members of the Investing Daily team can help you make money, too. Consider Jim Pearce, chief investment strategist of our flagship publication, Personal Finance. Jim has a stellar track record at picking profitable investments. These days, he's setting his sights on the so-called Streaming Wars. As consolidation and rapid technological change revolutionize the media industry, many investors are asking: What replaces cable TV? What comes after "cord-cutting"? And more to the point, how can they get rich from it? Those are all good questions and Jim has made it his job to answer them. "The Streaming Wars" are more than just a quadrillion-dollar battle between giant media corporations. They're also an historic opportunity to make money. Want to leverage these trends for market-beating profits? Jim has pinpointed a hidden trade that's poised to reap a windfall. Click here now for details. |
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