Free cash flow takeaway
A quick read on the company's cash generation and what it means for investors.
Operating cash flow turned strongly positive this quarter, driving a large free cash flow and a high margin. Revenue increased slightly from both the prior quarter and the same quarter last year.
- Revenue rose modestly while operating cash flow shifted from negative to positive, resulting in a free cash flow margin that improved from negative to positive. Capital expenditure was lower than the year-ago quarter but higher than the prior quarter.
- 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 last year, the same directional improvement occurred, with revenue slightly higher and capital expenditure lower.
FCF snapshot
Quarterly and TTM cash-flow metrics with the minimum valuation context.
TTM free cash flow
$33.0B
Trailing twelve-month free cash flow.
Quarter free cash flow
$19.0B
Free cash flow in the selected fiscal quarter.
Operating cash flow
$19.1B
Cash generated by operations before capital spending.
CapEx
$128.0M
Capital spending and related asset purchases.
FCF margin
391.4%
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 | $4.5B | $20.0B | $167.0M | $19.9B | 445.6% |
| 2024-03-31 | $4.7B | -$1.3B | $149.0M | -$1.5B | -31.6% |
| 2024-06-30 | $4.7B | -$4.3B | $89.0M | -$4.3B | -92.6% |
| 2024-09-30 | $4.8B | $19.1B | $128.0M | $19.0B | 391.4% |
Cash conversion quality
Checks that separate high-quality free cash flow from accounting noise or working-capital timing.
| FCF / net income | 1347.3% | Shows whether accounting earnings convert into cash. |
| CapEx / revenue | 2.6% | Lower capital intensity usually supports FCF margin. |
| Net cash | n/a | 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 a large negative in both comparison periods to a large positive this quarter. This shift is the primary factor behind the free cash flow improvement.
The reversal in operating cash flow directly converted a negative free cash flow margin into a positive one.
What the cash flow says
How to interpret the company's free cash flow beyond the headline number.
Revenue rose modestly while operating cash flow shifted from negative to positive, resulting in a free cash flow margin that improved from negative to positive. Capital expenditure was lower than the year-ago quarter but higher than the prior quarter.
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 last year, the same directional improvement occurred, with revenue slightly higher and capital expenditure lower.
Monitor whether operating cash flow can sustain its positive level in the next quarter.