Listed Companies' Free Cash Flow Grows 163% from a Year Ago

Market research firm CEO Score announced on Nov. 25 that 259 major listed companies’ free cash flow (FCF) totaled 28,145.4 billion won in the third quarter of this year, up 163.1 percent from a year ago.

IT, electrical and electronics companies’ free cash flow increased by 13,186 billion won, followed by petrochemical (5,530.2 billion won) and securities (3,910.4 billion won). A total of 13 out of 22 sectors showed an increase whereas the cash flow decreased 5,945.6 billion won in insurance, 2,703.9 billion won in shipbuilding and machinery and 1,896.8 billion won in automobile and auto parts.

The free cash flow of SK Hynix increased 7,428.3 billion won and those of Samsung Electronics, LG Chem, Mirae Asset Daewoo and Hyundai Motor increased 3,988.9 billion won, 3,334.9 billion won, 2,049.5 billion won and 1,081 billion won, respectively. On the other hand, it decreased in 116 companies, including Samsung Life Insurance (4,899 billion won), Kia Motors (2,721.9 billion won), Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (2,453.5 billion won), Samsung Card (1,779 billion won) and NH Investment & Securities (1,561.3 billion won).

Those companies’ cashable assets increased a lot as well. At the end of the third quarter, their cashable assets added up to 88,763.3 billion won, up 32.3 percent from a year earlier.