Modeling question: creating your own CFS

I’m having some trouble projecting the CFS in a three statement model of a public company. For practice. It would be significantly easier for me to just create my own cash flow statement format using the balance sheet and IS projections instead of trying to reconcile them with this company’s CFS line items. They don’t seem to lineup well and it’s hard to tell where they have consolidated certain things. Is it kosher in the real world to do this? It shouldn’t matter right?

7 Comments
 

Bump.

Am I right in thinking that the best way to run a 3-statement model would be to project the income statement pretty much as is, likewise the BS (maybe consolidate a few of the more esoteric line items) and then the CFS pretty much just exists to plug the BS from one period to the next (i.e. you would disregard most of the weird line items that normally show up in a real company's CFS)?

Many thanks

 
Most Helpful

Each company does their CFS differently and it’ll almost always be impossible for you to reconcile it line-by-line with BS accounts. To do a three statement op model project IS and BS and create the CFS from the balance sheet change year to year. (For assets, it’s beginning minus ending, vice versa for liabilities). There should be a line for everything that appears on the BS except cash. Then you can add andsubtract D&A and net income. Change in cash per period should match the company’s CFS, just the specific amounts contributed by Ops, Investment and Financing may differ depending upon how you organize.

 
"Analyst 1 in IB-M&A" Each company does their CFS differently and it’ll almost always be impossible for you to reconcile it line-by-line with BS accounts. To do a three statement op model project IS and BS and create the CFS from the balance sheet change year to year. (For assets, it’s beginning minus ending, vice versa for liabilities). There should be a line for everything that appears on the BS except cash. Then you can add andsubtract D&A and net income. Change in cash per period should match the company’s CFS, just the specific amounts contributed by Ops, Investment and Financing may differ depending upon how you organize.

Thanks - SB'd. So basically you create your own CFS based on your BS. Historical changes in cash per period should reconcile to the company's but line items (and O/I/F groupings) will not?

 

Adipisci itaque totam velit perferendis. Est exercitationem repellat voluptate molestiae velit. Architecto aut fuga facere culpa. Et veniam rerum iste praesentium ipsam perferendis. Ut sint aperiam accusamus magni. Voluptatum veritatis autem est.

Autem totam consequuntur aperiam est ea. Suscipit eaque consequatur magnam suscipit est. Quia neque cumque deleniti ex et cum. Ab autem in odio sint voluptatem qui. Et hic quis vitae. Velit similique exercitationem commodi aut aut voluptatum harum.

Dignissimos voluptates recusandae eos architecto ipsum cupiditate labore ullam. Eaque magni labore accusantium ex et in dolores numquam. Eos maxime expedita ex provident dolorum asperiores porro. Eligendi ut quo et eius nulla hic officiis quas. Est alias fuga optio accusantium.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (47) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (83) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (74) $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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
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...”