SL
SLB
Dec 31, 2023
Quarter ended Dec 31, 2023 · FY2023 Q4

SLB N.V. stock research

SLB N.V. (SLB) Free Cash Flow — Quarter Ended Dec 31, 2023

Revenue, operating cash flow, and free cash flow all improved compared to both the prior quarter and the same quarter a year ago. The free cash flow margin strengthened significantly versus both periods.

Free cash flow takeaway

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

Revenue, operating cash flow, and free cash flow all improved compared to both the prior quarter and the same quarter a year ago. The free cash flow margin strengthened significantly versus both periods.

  • Operating cash flow was higher than capital expenditure, resulting in positive free cash flow. The free cash flow margin improved as free cash flow grew faster than revenue.
  • Compared to the prior quarter, revenue, operating cash flow, capital expenditure, free cash flow, and free cash flow margin were all higher. Versus the same quarter a year ago, all metrics were also higher, with free cash flow and margin showing notable improvement.

FCF snapshot

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

TTM free cash flow

$4.7B

Trailing twelve-month free cash flow.

Quarter free cash flow

$2.4B

Free cash flow in the selected fiscal quarter.

Operating cash flow

$3.0B

Cash generated by operations before capital spending.

CapEx

$594.0M

Capital spending and related asset purchases.

FCF margin

27.0%

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.

PeriodRevenueOperating CFCapExFCFFCF margin
2023-03-31$7.7B$330.0M$410.0M-$80.0M-1.0%
2023-06-30$8.1B$1.6B$471.0M$1.1B14.0%
2023-09-30$8.3B$1.7B$464.0M$1.2B14.6%
2023-12-31$9.0B$3.0B$594.0M$2.4B27.0%

Cash conversion quality

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

FCF / net income218.3%Shows whether accounting earnings convert into cash.
CapEx / revenue6.6%Lower capital intensity usually supports FCF margin.
Net cashn/aCash and equivalents minus total debt.

Recent events shaping cash flow

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

Supportive

Operating Cash Flow Growth

Operating cash flow was substantially higher than both the prior quarter and the same quarter a year ago, providing the primary support for the increase in free cash flow.

The higher operating cash flow drove a stronger free cash flow margin and overall cash conversion.

What the cash flow says

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

Operating cash flow was higher than capital expenditure, resulting in positive free cash flow. The free cash flow margin improved as free cash flow grew faster than revenue.

Compared to the prior quarter, revenue, operating cash flow, capital expenditure, free cash flow, and free cash flow margin were all higher. Versus the same quarter a year ago, all metrics were also higher, with free cash flow and margin showing notable improvement.

Monitor the trend in capital expenditure relative to operating cash flow, as it increased from both the prior quarter and the year-ago quarter.