eHealth (eHealth) Free Cash Flow

: $-17.5 Mil (TTM As of Dec. 2023)

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eHealth's total free cash flow for the months ended in Dec. 2023 was $-35.4 Mil. Its total free cash flow for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Dec. 2023 was $-17.5 Mil.

eHealth's Free Cash Flow per Share for the months ended in Dec. 2023 was $-1.24. Its free cash flow per share for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Dec. 2023 was $-0.58.

During the past 3 years, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was 49.60% per year. During the past 5 years, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was 7.40% per year. Please click Growth Rate Calculation Example (GuruFocus) to see how GuruFocus calculates Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT)'s revenue growth rate. You can apply the same method to get the Free Cash Flow Growth Rate using Free Cash Flow per Share data.

During the past 13 years, eHealth's highest 3-Year average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was 57.20% per year. The lowest was -115.00% per year. And the median was -4.60% per year.

eHealth Free Cash Flow Historical Data

The historical data trend for eHealth's Free Cash Flow can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

* Premium members only.

eHealth Annual Data

Trend

Dec14

Dec15

Dec16

Dec17

Dec18

Dec19

Dec20

Dec21

Dec22

Dec23

Free Cash Flow

-88.36

-131.62

-183.48

-42.38

-17.47

eHealth Quarterly Data
	Mar19	Jun19	Sep19	Dec19	Mar20	Jun20	Sep20	Dec20	Mar21	Jun21	Sep21	Dec21	Mar22	Jun22	Sep22	Dec22	Mar23	Jun23	Sep23	Dec23
Free Cash Flow																-21.35	58.57	-11.77	-28.89	-35.38

eHealth Free Cash Flow Calculation

Free Cash Flow is considered one of the most important parameters to measure a company's earnings power by value investors because it is not subject to estimates of Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization (DDA). However, when we look at the Free Cash Flow, we should look from a long term perspective, because any year's Free Cash Flow can be drastically affected by the spending on Property, Plant, & Equipment (PPE) of the business in that year. Over the long term, Free Cash Flow should give pretty good picture on the real earnings power of the company.

eHealth's Free Cash Flow for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2023 is calculated as

Free Cash Flow (A: Dec. 2023 )	=	Cash Flow from Operations	+	Capital Expenditure
	=	-6.692	+	-10.779
	=	-17.5

eHealth's Free Cash Flow for the quarter that ended in Dec. 2023 is calculated as

Free Cash Flow (Q: Dec. 2023 )	=	Cash Flow from Operations	+	Capital Expenditure
	=	-33.386	+	-1.992
	=	-35.4

Free Cash Flow for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Dec. 2023 adds up the quarterly data reported by the company within the most recent 12 months, which was $-17.5 Mil.

eHealth (NAS:EHTH) Free Cash Flow Explanation

Free Cash Flow is very close to Warren Buffett's definition of Owner's Earnings, except that in Warren Buffett's Owner's Earnings, the spending for Property, Plant, and Equipment is only for maintenance (replacement), while in the Free Cash Flow calculation, the cost of new Property, Plant, and Equipment due to business expansion is also deducted. There, Free Cash Flow is more conservative than Owner's Earnings.

In Don Yacktman's calculation of forward rate of return, he uses Free Cash Flow for the calculation. Yacktman explained the forward rate of return concept in detail in his interview with GuruFocus. Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation.

This is what Yacktman said in his March 2012 interview - when the S&P 500 was at 1400:

If the business is stable, this calculation is fairly straightforward. For instance, on the S&P 500 we would normalize earnings. We would then calculate what percentage of those earnings are not reinvested in the underlying businesses and are therefore free. Historically, for the S&P 500, this has been just under 50% of earnings. Currently, we expect the S&P to earn about 70 on a normalized basis, a number which is far below reported earnings due to our adjusting for record high profit margins. $70 X ½ / 1400 gives you a normalized free cash flow yield of approximately 2.5%.

The historical real growth rate of the S&P 500 (companies) is about 1.5%. Assuming an inflation rate of 2.5%, the forward rate of return on an investment in the S&P 500 is about 6.5% today (2.5% free cash flow yield plus 1.5% real growth plus 2.5% inflation).

For the growth part of the Forward Rate of Return calculation, GuruFocus uses the 5-year average growth rate of EBITDA per share as the growth rate, and the growth rate is always capped at 20%. For the Free Cash Flow we use per share data averaged over seven years. The reason we use seven years is because research shows that seven years is the length of the typical business cycle.

Therefore, as of Dec23, eHealth's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is

Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % (Dec23)	=	Normalized Free Cash Flow	/	Price	+	5-Year EBITDA Growth Rate
	=	0.75314286	/	8.72	+	-0.2528
	=	-16.64 %

Be Aware

Free Cash Flow within a report period can be affected by management's decisions of capital spending. Therefore, it is important to look at long term when it comes to Free Cash Flow.

eHealth Free Cash Flow Related Terms

Thank you for viewing the detailed overview of eHealth's Free Cash Flow provided by GuruFocus.com. Please click on the following links to see related term pages.

eHealth (eHealth) Business Description

Industry

GURUFOCUS.COM » STOCK LIST » Financial Services » Insurance » eHealth Inc (NAS:EHTH) » Definitions » Free Cash Flow

Comparable Companies

Traded in Other Exchanges

M5V:Germany M5V:Germany

Address

2625 Augustine Drive, Suite 150, Santa Clara, CA, USA, 95054

Website

https://www.ehealthinsurance.com

eHealth Inc offers a private health insurance exchange where individuals and small businesses can compare health insurance products from leading insurers. Users can purchase the insurance online. The exchange includes Medicare options, and seniors can enroll in those plans online or via phone. The company primarily generates revenue through commissions it receives from health insurance carriers. EHealth has relationships with the health insurance carriers in the United States and offers thousands of plans online. All of the company's revenue is from the United States.

Executives

Dale B Wolf	director
Gavin G. Galimi	officer: SVP, General Counsel & Secr.	2625 AUGUSTINE DRIVE, SECOND FLOOR, SANTA CLARA CA 95054
Soistman Francis S Jr	director, officer: Chief Executive Officer	3721 RECPORT DRIVE, HARRISBURG PA 17106
John J Stelben	officer: SVP, Chief Financial Officer	6705 ROCKLEDGE DR, SUITE 900, BETHESDA MD 21710
John Joseph Dolan	officer: Chief Accounting Officer	C/O EHEALTH, INC., 2625 AUGUSTINE DRIVE, SANTA CLARA CA 95054
Phillip A Morelock	officer: Chief Digital Officer	C/O EHEALTH, INC., 2625 AUGUSTINE DRIVE, SECOND FLOOR, SANTA CLARA CA 95054
Roman V Rariy	officer: COO & Chief Transformation Off	C/O EHEALTH, INC., 2625 AUGUSTINE DRIVE, SECOND FLOOR, SANTA CLARA CA 95054
Erin L Russell	director	245 PARK AVENUE, 41ST FLOOR, NEW YORK NY 10167
Timothy C. Hannan	officer: Chief Marketing Officer	C/O EHEALTH INC., 440 EAST MIDDLEFIELD ROAD, MOUNTAIN VIEW CA 94043
A John Hass	director	ROSETTA STONE, 1621 NORTH KENT STREET, SUITE 1200, ARLINGTON VA 22209
Christine A Janofsky	officer: SVP, Chief Financial Officer	150 N RADNOR CHESTER ROAD, RADNOR PA 19087
H.i.g. Middle Market Lbo Fund Iii, L.p.	10 percent owner	1450 BRICKELL AVENUE, 31ST FLOOR, MIAMI FL 33131
H.i.g. Middle Market Advisors Iii, Llc	10 percent owner	C/O H.I.G. CAPITAL, LLC, 1450 BRICKELL AVENUE, 31ST FLOOR, MIAMI FL 33131
Echelon Health Spv, Lp	10 percent owner	C/O H.I.G. CAPITAL, LLC, 1450 BRICKELL AVENUE, 31ST FLOOR, MIAMI FL 33131
Echelon Health Spv Gp, Llc	10 percent owner	C/O H.I.G. CAPITAL, LLC, 1450 BRICKELL AVENUE, 31ST FLOOR, MIAMI FL 33131