Liquidity and Capital Resources
Cash provided by operating activities was $13.5 million for the nine months ended July 31, 2024, compared to cash used by operating activities of $19.2 million for the corresponding period in fiscal 2023. Cash provided by operating activities for the nine months ended July 31, 2024 reflects primarily our net loss of $0.9 million, non-cash activities (depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation expense, provision for losses on accounts receivable, losses from unconsolidated entities, loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment, and gain on the sale of the Temecula packinghouse) of $18.5 million and a net effect of changes in operating assets and liabilities of $4.0 million.
Changes in operating assets and liabilities included an increase in accounts receivable of $17.2 million, an increase in income taxes receivable of $2.5 million, a net decrease in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities of $1.3 million, and an increase in other assets of $0.7 million offset by an increase in payable to growers of $11.6 million, a decrease in prepaid expenses and other current assets of $3.5 million, a decrease in advances to suppliers of $2.5 million, and a decrease in inventory of $0.3 million.
The increase in our accounts receivable is due to an increase in sales for the month of July 2024 compared to October 2023. The decrease in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities is primarily related to the timing of payments in July 2024. The increase in other assets as of July 31, 2024, when compared to October 31, 2023, is primarily due to an increase in Mexican IVA taxes receivable. The increase in payable to growers is mostly due to higher volume of California avocados and tomatoes in July 2024 compared to October 2023. The decrease in our prepaid and other current assets is primarily due to a deposit as of October 31, 2023 for collateral in connection with our workers compensation insurance policies while we were in the process of obtaining a letter of credit, which has since been repaid. The decrease in advances to suppliers is mainly due to preseason advances being repaid through settlement to our tomato consignment growers. The decrease in our inventory as of July 31, 2024, when compared to October 31, 2023, is primarily due to higher inventory of California avocados.
Cash used in investing activities was $2.5 million for the nine months ended July 31, 2024, which related to purchases of property, plant, and equipment.
Cash used in financing activities was $12.8 million for the nine months ended July 31, 2024, which related principally to net payments on our credit facility totaling $5.1 million, payments of $5.3 million in dividends, payments on long-term obligations of $1.3 million, the payment of minimum withholding of taxes on the net settling of shares of $0.6 million and payments on the term loan $0.4 million.
Our principal sources of liquidity are our existing cash reserves, cash generated from operations and amounts available for borrowing under our credit facility. Cash and cash equivalents as of July 31, 2024 and October 31, 2023 totaled $1.1 million and $2.9 million, respectively. Our working capital at July 31, 2024 was $55.3 million, compared to $51.6 million at October 31, 2023.
We completed the sale of our Fresh Cut business (formerly “RFG”) and related real estate to F&S Fresh Foods of Vineland, New Jersey, on August 15, 2024 for $83 million, subject to various closing adjustments. The Fresh Cut business represents substantially all of the business of the Prepared segment other than the guacamole business, which was retained. We used the net proceeds from the to retire the outstanding balance of our credit facility, and we expect other uses of proceeds to include returning cash to shareholders and investing in growing our core business.
We believe that our cash balance, cash flows from operations, availability under our credit facility, and other sources will be sufficient to satisfy our future capital expenditures, grower recruitment efforts, working capital and other financing requirements for the foreseeable future.
On June 26, 2023, we entered into a credit agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as agent and lender (“Agent” or “Wells Fargo”). The Credit Agreement provided for a revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Loans”) of up to $90.0 million, along with a capex credit facility of up to $10.0 million (the “Term Loan”).