Free cash flow takeaway
A quick read on the company's cash generation and what it means for investors.
Operating cash flow turned positive from negative in the prior quarter, driving a substantial improvement in free cash flow and margin. Revenue increased compared to both the prior quarter and the same quarter last year.
- Revenue rose while operating cash flow shifted from negative to positive, resulting in a free cash flow margin that improved from negative to positive. Capital expenditure remained stable, so the conversion gain was driven entirely by operating cash flow.
- Compared to the prior quarter, operating cash flow and free cash flow both improved from negative to positive, and the margin turned positive. Versus the same quarter one year earlier, revenue, operating cash flow, free cash flow, and margin were all higher.
FCF snapshot
Quarterly and TTM cash-flow metrics with the minimum valuation context.
TTM free cash flow
$8.2B
Trailing twelve-month free cash flow.
Quarter free cash flow
$6.1B
Free cash flow in the selected fiscal quarter.
Operating cash flow
$6.7B
Cash generated by operations before capital spending.
CapEx
$651.0M
Capital spending and related asset purchases.
FCF margin
34.3%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-12-31 | $14.6B | $5.2B | $1.0B | $4.2B | 28.8% |
| 2024-03-31 | $14.9B | $1.1B | $704.0M | $386.0M | 2.6% |
| 2024-06-30 | $13.3B | -$1.8B | $637.0M | -$2.4B | -18.2% |
| 2024-09-29 | $17.7B | $6.7B | $651.0M | $6.1B | 34.3% |
Cash conversion quality
Checks that separate high-quality free cash flow from accounting noise or working-capital timing.
| FCF / net income | 135.8% | Shows whether accounting earnings convert into cash. |
| CapEx / revenue | 3.7% | Lower capital intensity usually supports FCF margin. |
| Net cash | -$66.6B | 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 Reversal
Operating cash flow moved from negative in the prior quarter to positive in the current quarter, which was the primary factor behind the improvement in free cash flow and margin. Revenue growth also contributed to the stronger cash generation.
The swing in operating cash flow was the strongest observable driver of the quarter's free cash flow improvement.
What the cash flow says
How to interpret the company's free cash flow beyond the headline number.
Revenue rose while operating cash flow shifted from negative to positive, resulting in a free cash flow margin that improved from negative to positive. Capital expenditure remained stable, so the conversion gain was driven entirely by operating cash flow.
Compared to the prior quarter, operating cash flow and free cash flow both improved from negative to positive, and the margin turned positive. Versus the same quarter one year earlier, revenue, operating cash flow, free cash flow, and margin were all higher.
Monitor whether operating cash flow can sustain its positive level given the filing context notes a heavy revenue weighting to the final quarter of the fiscal year.