capital expenditure

American  

noun

Accounting, Finance.

1. an addition to the value of fixed assets, as by the purchase of a new building.

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capital expenditure British  

noun

1. expenditure on acquisitions of or improvements to fixed assets

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capital expenditure Cultural  

1. The purchase of an asset by a firm.

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Etymology

Origin of capital expenditure

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

The valuation of the operator of Frankfurt Airport is attractive, as free-cash-flow is boosted by higher pricing and lower capital expenditure, the analysts add.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

Once the AI capital expenditure boom slows, the tide will go out.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

"While reduced risks from the war have helped, the improvement in equity prices is mostly because of a robust earnings season. The driver is overwhelmingly AI-related capital expenditure," he said.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

The alternative argument about the AI build-out is buttressed by the fact that capital expenditure isn’t immediately reflected in profit and losses.

From MarketWatch • May 29, 2026

The interest earned on the capital expenditure in the six years ending averaged 11½ p.c.

From The Panjab, North-West Frontier Province, and Kashmir by Douie, James McCrone, Sir