Free cash flow takeaway
A quick read on the company's cash generation and what it means for investors.
Fortive generated high free cash flow this quarter, driven by strong operating cash flow and modest capital spending. The filing includes standard disclosures on business, risks, management discussion, and liquidity.
- Operating cash flow was substantial relative to revenue, and capital expenditures remained moderate, resulting in a high conversion to free cash flow with an elevated margin.
- Revenue turned positive this quarter, contrasting with negative revenue in both the preceding quarter and the same quarter last year. Operating cash flow and free cash flow were higher than both prior periods, while capital expenditures increased from the year-ago quarter.
FCF snapshot
Quarterly and TTM cash-flow metrics with the minimum valuation context.
TTM free cash flow
$1.4B
Trailing twelve-month free cash flow.
Quarter free cash flow
$479.6M
Free cash flow in the selected fiscal quarter.
Operating cash flow
$502.2M
Cash generated by operations before capital spending.
CapEx
$22.6M
Capital spending and related asset purchases.
FCF margin
44.7%
The share of revenue converted into free cash flow.
Cash flow trend
A short quarterly history shows whether FCF is scaling with revenue or only spiking for one period.
| Period | Revenue | Operating CF | CapEx | FCF | FCF margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-03-29 | $984.2M | $256.7M | $26.4M | $230.3M | 23.4% |
| 2024-06-28 | $2.1B | $308.9M | $29.2M | $279.7M | 13.4% |
| 2024-09-27 | -$68.8M | $459.0M | $21.6M | $437.4M | -635.8% |
| 2024-12-31 | $1.1B | $502.2M | $22.6M | $479.6M | 44.7% |
Cash conversion quality
Checks that separate high-quality free cash flow from accounting noise or working-capital timing.
| FCF / net income | 229.7% | Shows whether accounting earnings convert into cash. |
| CapEx / revenue | 2.1% | Lower capital intensity usually supports FCF margin. |
| Net cash | -$2.9B | Cash and equivalents minus total debt. |
Recent events shaping cash flow
Near-term business events that help explain the free cash flow result.
Operating Cash Flow Strength
Operating cash flow was the primary driver of free cash flow, remaining robust despite revenue fluctuations in prior quarters.
Sustained high operating cash flow supports continued free cash generation.
What the cash flow says
How to interpret the company's free cash flow beyond the headline number.
Operating cash flow was substantial relative to revenue, and capital expenditures remained moderate, resulting in a high conversion to free cash flow with an elevated margin.
Revenue turned positive this quarter, contrasting with negative revenue in both the preceding quarter and the same quarter last year. Operating cash flow and free cash flow were higher than both prior periods, while capital expenditures increased from the year-ago quarter.
Monitor capital expenditure levels, which rose compared to the same quarter last year.