Question
The comparative statements of financial position for Zenith Industries Ltd include the following information. December 31 2025 2024 Cash 84,100 22,000 Accounts Receivable 30,500 25,000 Inventory 26,000 30,000 Equity Investments 0 12,000 Buildings 35,
Scoring
- 40% Account naming / line matching
- 40% Amount correctness
- 20% Structure / section placement
IAS 7 — Statement of Cash Flows
Start from profit, then undo everything in it that was not cash. Add back non-cash charges such as depreciation and amortisation, remove gains and losses that belong to investing activities, and then adjust for the movement in each working-capital account. The reconciliation is finished only when the closing cash figure agrees with the balance sheet.
Common mistakes
- Getting the sign of a working-capital movement backwards — a rise in a current asset consumes cash, a rise in a current liability provides it.
- Leaving a gain on disposal inside operating cash flow as well as showing the full proceeds under investing, which counts it twice.
- Classifying the purchase of non-current assets as operating rather than investing.
IFRS vs US GAAP: IFRS permits interest and dividends paid to be shown as operating or financing; US GAAP fixes interest paid in operating.
Further readingDirect vs indirect method cash flow