cashflow

Definition

The lifeblood of any business—the actual money moving in and out, as opposed to imaginary 'revenue' on paper. You can be profitable on an income statement and still go bankrupt if this isn't positive, which is why CFOs wake up in cold sweats thinking about it. It's the difference between looking rich and actually being able to pay your bills.

Example Usage

The company reported record profits but had negative cashflow, proving once again that accounting is creative writing for business majors.

Source: Financial management terminology

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