PY
PYPL
Latest · Mar 31, 2026
Quarter ended Mar 31, 2026 · FY2026 Q1

PayPal Holdings, Inc. stock research

PayPal Holdings (PYPL) Free Cash Flow — Quarter Ended Mar 31, 2026

Revenue was lower than the prior quarter but higher than the same quarter last year. Free cash flow and free cash flow margin weakened sequentially but improved compared to the year-ago period.

Free cash flow takeaway

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

Revenue was lower than the prior quarter but higher than the same quarter last year. Free cash flow and free cash flow margin weakened sequentially but improved compared to the year-ago period.

  • Operating cash flow was lower than the prior quarter and slightly below the year-ago quarter, while capital expenditure was higher than both comparison periods. The resulting free cash flow margin declined from the prior quarter but remained above the year-ago level.
  • Compared to the immediately preceding quarter, revenue, operating cash flow, free cash flow, and free cash flow margin all decreased. Versus the same quarter one year earlier, revenue and free cash flow margin were higher, while free cash flow was slightly lower.

FCF snapshot

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

TTM free cash flow

$5.5B

Trailing twelve-month free cash flow.

Quarter free cash flow

$903.0M

Free cash flow in the selected fiscal quarter.

Operating cash flow

$1.1B

Cash generated by operations before capital spending.

CapEx

$231.0M

Capital spending and related asset purchases.

FCF margin

10.8%

The share of revenue converted into free cash flow.

TTM FCF yield

11.2%

TTM FCF divided by market capitalization.

Cash flow trend

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

PeriodRevenueOperating CFCapExFCFFCF margin
2025-06-30$8.3B$898.0M$206.0M$692.0M8.3%
2025-09-30$8.4B$2.0B$256.0M$1.7B20.4%
2025-12-31$8.7B$2.4B$194.0M$2.2B25.2%
2026-03-31$8.4B$1.1B$231.0M$903.0M10.8%

Cash conversion quality

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

FCF / net income81.1%Shows whether accounting earnings convert into cash.
CapEx / revenue2.8%Lower capital intensity usually supports FCF margin.
Net cash-$3.9BCash and equivalents minus total debt.

Recent events shaping cash flow

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

Watch

Operating Cash Flow Decline

Operating cash flow decreased from the prior quarter and was slightly below the year-ago quarter, despite revenue being higher than the year-ago period. This was the primary factor behind the sequential weakening in free cash flow.

The lower operating cash flow constrained free cash flow generation relative to the prior quarter.

What the cash flow says

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

Operating cash flow was lower than the prior quarter and slightly below the year-ago quarter, while capital expenditure was higher than both comparison periods. The resulting free cash flow margin declined from the prior quarter but remained above the year-ago level.

Compared to the immediately preceding quarter, revenue, operating cash flow, free cash flow, and free cash flow margin all decreased. Versus the same quarter one year earlier, revenue and free cash flow margin were higher, while free cash flow was slightly lower.

Monitor the trend in capital expenditure, which increased relative to both the prior quarter and the year-ago quarter.

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$49.0BUsed as the denominator for FCF yield.
TTM FCF yield11.2%TTM free cash flow divided by market capitalization.
EV / TTM FCF9.6xA quick valuation bridge, not a full DCF.

Peer context

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

PY
PYPL

PayPal Holdings, Inc.

FCF margin

10.8%

FCF yield

11.2%

PYPL Free Cash Flow — Quarter Ended Mar 31, 2026