Financials
Operating cash flow
Cash flow from a company core operating activities during a period.
What it means
Operating cash flow starts from net income or operating results and adjusts for non-cash items and working-capital changes. It is a source line for free cash flow calculations.
Example
A receivables increase can reduce operating cash flow even when revenue rose.
What not to infer
Operating cash flow does not subtract capital expenditures or show all financing needs.