Free Cash Flow vs. Net Income

Hey everyone, I was actually watching a podcast where the person (hedge fund manager) uses the Net Income instead of FCF in DCF modeling. He says they are equivalent in the long run. Is this true?

What are your thoughts?

5 Comments
 
Best Response

well free cash flow = net income + depreciation +/- change in working capital - capex

what he is saying is essentially in the long run

  1. CAPEX = Depreciation, which is true, when your company declines and ends, you will fully depreciate your pp&e,, which you built up through capex

  2. Working capital fluctuation will end up equaling 0, which is true because you will liquidate all your accounts receivables and inventory and pay back all your accrued expenses and settle all your accrued expenses when your company ends

so you have free cash flow = net income +/- change In working capital, which equals 0 in the long run (+ depreciation - capex, which equals 0 in the long run)

so FCF = net income

-
 

Nulla vitae sint maxime omnis nobis quos fugit voluptas. Dolorem magnam et earum et vel. Nemo veniam sint nobis totam est maiores est. Magnam id illum aut quod ut consequatur aspernatur. Aut voluptas cumque incidunt non.

-

Career Advancement Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 03 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (51) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (26) $182
  • Intern/Summer Associate (15) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”