[ttt333]

Could you clarify what you mean about the dollar in your pocket worth more than debt at 3% interest?

In corporate finance net cash or net debt is indeed standard practice (cash on balance sheet less debt on balance sheet). It sort of helps understand how much cash is ‘available’ to give back to investors, or pay down debt, spend on R&D, etc.

Now since most of MSFT’s long term debt matures in 2027 or after, you could argue that there is not much cash need for debt repayments in the near term. On the other hand, cash flow from operations was down year over year in their last reported quarter so belt tightening is probably needed to reverse that trend.

[gradstudent]

> In corporate finance net cash or net debt is indeed standard practice (cash on balance sheet less debt on balance sheet). It sort of helps understand how much cash is ‘available’ to give back to investors, or pay down debt, spend on R&D, etc.

I'm not a financier, but isn't "available cash" the amount left over after subtracting the amount needed to service (rather than clear) the debt?

[ttt333]

Fair question. My answer would be... kinda.

The cash available on an ongoing basis to be re-invested or returned to investors is what you might call levered free cash flow [0], which I think is what you are referring to.

My comment about "available" cash is more like available for big one-time investments like a big acquisition, a special dividend, or something like that.

[0]: https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/111714/whats-differ...