Title: FREE CASH FLOW IS AT LEAST AS IMPORTANT AS PROFIT IN ASSESSING A FARM FIRM
Author(s): van Blokland, P.J.
Organisation: Warrington School of Business, University of Florida.
Country: U.S.A.
This paper suggests that most small agribusinesses can use a short cut to see how their firms
are doing financially. The short cut requires that they calculate and follow (1) profit and (2) free
cash flow. Both are defined and clarified. The reason for this short cut is that most small firm
owners do not do enough financial analysis and that this simple and quick study may encourage
them. The paper does not encourage the substitution of these two numbers for a proper analysis.
They are useful but more of a bait to land the full course.
Keywords: Financial analysis, small agribusiness firms, profit, free cash flow, allocation, income statement.