Profit is an accounting figure with judgement calls baked in. Free cash flow is closer to what really lands in the bank once the company has paid for the equipment, stores and servers it needs.
Cash gives choices: reinvest, pay dividends, buy back shares, or clear debt. Companies without it must borrow or sell new shares to keep going.
Watch for profit that never turns into cash. That gap is one of the most reliable warning signs in investing.