S&P 500 Year-over-Year Cash & Equivalents Growth

Live value temporarily unavailable.

Source: Company filings (aggregated)

Data updated daily

What it measures

The S&P 500 cash and equivalents growth rate measures the year-over-year percentage change in aggregate cash and short-term investments held by index constituents. A reading of +8% means S&P 500 companies collectively held 8% more cash and equivalents versus the equivalent period one year earlier.

Why it matters

Cash accumulation at the index level reflects the free cash flow cycle and management's deployment decisions. Rising aggregate cash signals either strong FCF generation outpacing capital return and investment, or a deliberate hoarding strategy in uncertain environments. Falling aggregate cash typically signals accelerating capital deployment — buybacks, M&A, or elevated capex — or weakening FCF. The net cash position (cash minus debt) is more informative than gross cash alone; a rising cash pile alongside rising debt signals balance sheet leverage, not conservatism.

How it is calculated

Cash Growth (YoY) = (Σ Cash_t − Σ Cash_t−4Q) ÷ Σ Cash_t−4Q × 100

LENSE computes the S&P 500 cash growth rate as the year-over-year change in aggregate cash and short-term equivalents — the sum across current index constituents — not an average of individual company rates. Cash and equivalents per constituent are sourced from as-reported quarter-end balance sheets. The prior-year comparison uses the balance sheet from four quarters earlier. Index constituency is resolved point-in-time via the S&P 500 membership point-in-time index constituency.

Recent (monthly)

Recent data unavailable.

Data source: Company filings (aggregated). Computed and published by LENSE Analytics.