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

He also says that lower capital expenditure outlook is positive for cash generation, which came as a surprise, and the new lower level is one that should be sustainable even if macro trends improve.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

Investors anticipate Big Tech earnings, hoping for increased capital expenditure and news of AI models using Blackwell hardware.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

The logistics provider’s larger planned capital expenditure is likely to enhance its operating efficiency and strengthen global service capabilities, they add.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

Amazon has projected capital expenditure of around $200 billion this year, largely on AI data centers.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 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