ST
STLD
Latest · Mar 31, 2026
Quarter ended Mar 31, 2026 · FY2026 Q1

Steel Dynamics, Inc. stock research

Steel Dynamics (STLD) Free Cash Flow — Quarter Ended Mar 31, 2026

The company generated positive free cash flow this quarter, a significant improvement from the negative free cash flow one year earlier. Cash conversion weakened compared to the prior quarter, with lower operating cash flow relative to revenue.

Free cash flow takeaway

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

The company generated positive free cash flow this quarter, a significant improvement from the negative free cash flow one year earlier. Cash conversion weakened compared to the prior quarter, with lower operating cash flow relative to revenue.

  • Revenue increased from the prior quarter, but operating cash flow declined, resulting in a much lower free cash flow margin. Capital expenditure decreased from both comparison periods.
  • Compared to the immediately preceding quarter, free cash flow was lower despite higher revenue, due to a larger decrease in operating cash flow. Versus the same quarter one year earlier, free cash flow turned positive, driven by lower capital expenditure and slightly improved operating cash flow.

FCF snapshot

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

TTM free cash flow

$664.7M

Trailing twelve-month free cash flow.

Quarter free cash flow

$10.3M

Free cash flow in the selected fiscal quarter.

Operating cash flow

$148.3M

Cash generated by operations before capital spending.

CapEx

$138.0M

Capital spending and related asset purchases.

FCF margin

0.2%

The share of revenue converted into free cash flow.

TTM FCF yield

2.0%

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$4.6B$301.6M$288.3M$13.3M0.3%
2025-09-30$4.8B$722.6M$165.7M$556.9M11.5%
2025-12-31$4.4B$272.7M$188.5M$84.2M1.9%
2026-03-31$5.2B$148.3M$138.0M$10.3M0.2%

Cash conversion quality

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

FCF / net income2.6%Shows whether accounting earnings convert into cash.
CapEx / revenue2.7%Lower capital intensity usually supports FCF margin.
Net cash-$3.6BCash and equivalents minus total debt.

Recent events shaping cash flow

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

Watch

Capital Expenditure Reduction

Capital expenditure was lower than both the prior quarter and the year-ago period, reducing cash outflows.

This reduction was a key factor in achieving positive free cash flow this quarter.

What the cash flow says

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

Revenue increased from the prior quarter, but operating cash flow declined, resulting in a much lower free cash flow margin. Capital expenditure decreased from both comparison periods.

Compared to the immediately preceding quarter, free cash flow was lower despite higher revenue, due to a larger decrease in operating cash flow. Versus the same quarter one year earlier, free cash flow turned positive, driven by lower capital expenditure and slightly improved operating cash flow.

Monitor the trend in operating cash flow relative to revenue, as the conversion rate declined this 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$34.0BUsed as the denominator for FCF yield.
TTM FCF yield2.0%TTM free cash flow divided by market capitalization.
EV / TTM FCF56.6xA quick valuation bridge, not a full DCF.

Peer context

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

ST
STLD

Steel Dynamics, Inc.

FCF margin

0.2%

FCF yield

2.0%