AL
ALB
Latest · Mar 31, 2026
Quarter ended Mar 31, 2026 · FY2026 Q1

Albemarle Corporation stock research

Albemarle (ALB) Free Cash Flow & Quarterly History

Explore Albemarle Corporation (ALB) free cash flow from 2023 through the latest reported quarter, with SEC-sourced operating cash flow, capital expenditures, and period-by-period analysis.

Free cash flow takeaway

A quick read on the company's cash generation and what it means for investors.

Free cash flow improved sequentially but weakened compared to the same quarter last year. The cash conversion rate was supported by lower capital expenditure relative to operating cash flow.

  • Revenue was stable sequentially and higher year over year. Operating cash flow decreased from both the prior quarter and the year-ago period, while capital expenditure was lower in both comparisons, resulting in a free cash flow margin that improved sequentially but declined sharply from the prior year.
  • Compared to the immediately preceding quarter, free cash flow was higher and the margin improved, driven by lower capital spending. Versus the same quarter one year earlier, free cash flow and margin were lower despite higher revenue, as operating cash flow declined.

FCF snapshot

Quarterly and TTM cash-flow metrics with the minimum valuation context.

TTM free cash flow

$575.5M

Trailing twelve-month free cash flow.

Quarter free cash flow

$247.6M

Free cash flow in the selected fiscal quarter.

Operating cash flow

$346.2M

Cash generated by operations before capital spending.

CapEx

$98.7M

Capital spending and related asset purchases.

FCF margin

17.3%

The share of revenue converted into free cash flow.

TTM FCF yield

3.8%

TTM FCF divided by market capitalization.

FCF reconciliation

Free cash flow is not a GAAP line item; it should be bridged from the cash flow statement.

Operating cash flow$346.2MCash generated by operations before capital spending.
Capital expenditures$98.7MCapital spending used to bridge CFO to FCF.
Free cash flow$247.6MOperating cash flow less capital spending.

Cash flow trend

A short quarterly history shows whether FCF is scaling with revenue or only spiking for one period.

PeriodRevenueOperating CFCapExFCFFCF margin
2022-06-30$1.5B-$145.9M$270.9M-$416.8M-28.2%
2022-09-30$2.1B$895.3M$313.3M$582.0M27.8%
2022-12-31$2.6B$956.8M$445.7M$511.1M19.5%
2023-03-31$2.6B$721.0M$415.6M$305.4M11.8%
2023-06-30$2.4B$73.7M$503.7M-$430.0M-18.1%
2023-09-30$2.3B$628.9M$545.9M$83.0M3.6%
2023-12-31$2.4B-$97.0M$689.3M-$786.3M-33.4%
2024-03-31$1.4B$97.5M$583.0M-$485.6M-35.7%
2024-06-30$1.4B$367.7M$451.6M-$83.9M-5.9%
2024-09-30$1.4B$227.1M$303.1M-$76.0M-5.6%
2024-12-31$1.2B-$4.4M$342.8M-$347.2M-28.2%
2025-03-31$1.1B$547.2M$182.6M$364.6M33.9%
2025-06-30$1.3B-$9.0M$119.6M-$128.7M-9.7%
2025-09-30$1.3B$355.6M$132.2M$223.4M17.1%
2025-12-31$1.4B$388.5M$155.4M$233.1M16.3%
2026-03-31$1.4B$346.2M$98.7M$247.6M17.3%

Cash conversion quality

Checks that separate high-quality free cash flow from accounting noise or working-capital timing.

FCF / net income77.6%Shows whether accounting earnings convert into cash.
CapEx / revenue6.9%Lower capital intensity usually supports FCF margin.
Net cash-$792.0MCash and equivalents minus total debt.

Recent events shaping cash flow

Near-term business events that help explain the free cash flow result.

Supportive

Lower Capital Expenditure

Capital expenditure decreased from both the prior quarter and the year-ago period, which directly supported free cash flow generation in the current quarter.

This reduction in capital spending was the strongest observable driver of the sequential improvement in free cash flow.

What the cash flow says

How to interpret the company's free cash flow beyond the headline number.

Revenue was stable sequentially and higher year over year. Operating cash flow decreased from both the prior quarter and the year-ago period, while capital expenditure was lower in both comparisons, resulting in a free cash flow margin that improved sequentially but declined sharply from the prior year.

Compared to the immediately preceding quarter, free cash flow was higher and the margin improved, driven by lower capital spending. Versus the same quarter one year earlier, free cash flow and margin were lower despite higher revenue, as operating cash flow declined.

Monitor the trend in operating cash flow, which declined both sequentially and year over year.

Valuation context

A cash-flow page should show how much investors are paying for the cash stream, without turning into a full DCF.

Market capitalization$15.2BUsed as the denominator for FCF yield.
TTM FCF yield3.8%TTM free cash flow divided by market capitalization.
EV / TTM FCF27.8xA quick valuation bridge, not a full DCF.

Peer context

Free cash flow quality is easier to read against related public companies.

AL
ALB

Albemarle Corporation

FCF margin

17.3%

FCF yield

3.8%

Risks and tripwires

Observable signals that would weaken the free cash flow thesis.

RiskTripwireWhy it matters
FCF margin compressionFCF margin falls for two consecutive quarters.Cash conversion may be weakening before earnings show it.
Capital intensity risesCapEx/revenue moves materially above the recent run rate.More operating cash flow would be consumed before becoming FCF.
Working capital dragInventory or receivables grow faster than revenue.Reported growth may not translate into cash.