Free cash flow takeaway
A quick read on the company's cash generation and what it means for investors.
Free cash flow was negative this quarter, though less negative than the same quarter last year. Operating cash flow improved relative to a year ago, but remained well below the prior quarter.
- Revenue increased compared to both the prior quarter and the same quarter last year, while operating cash flow was lower than the prior quarter but higher than a year ago. Free cash flow turned negative from a positive position in the prior quarter, driven by higher capital expenditure relative to operating cash flow, resulting in a worsened free cash flow margin.
- Compared to the immediately preceding quarter, revenue was lower, operating cash flow was lower, capital expenditure was higher, free cash flow weakened from positive to negative, and free cash flow margin worsened. Compared to the same quarter one year earlier, revenue was higher, operating cash flow was higher, capital expenditure was higher, free cash flow improved from a more negative level, and free cash flow margin improved.
FCF snapshot
Quarterly and TTM cash-flow metrics with the minimum valuation context.
TTM free cash flow
$3.0B
Trailing twelve-month free cash flow.
Quarter free cash flow
-$319.0M
Free cash flow in the selected fiscal quarter.
Operating cash flow
$716.0M
Cash generated by operations before capital spending.
CapEx
$1.0B
Capital spending and related asset purchases.
FCF margin
-1.3%
The share of revenue converted into free cash flow.
TTM FCF yield
4.8%
TTM FCF divided by market capitalization.
FCF reconciliation
Free cash flow is not a GAAP line item; it should be bridged from the cash flow statement.
| Operating cash flow | $716.0M | Cash generated by operations before capital spending. |
| Capital expenditures | $1.0B | Capital spending used to bridge CFO to FCF. |
| Free cash flow | -$319.0M | Operating cash flow less capital spending. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-04-30 | $25.2B | -$1.4B | $952.0M | -$2.3B | -9.3% |
| 2022-07-30 | $26.0B | $1.3B | $1.6B | -$224.0M | -0.9% |
| 2022-10-29 | $26.5B | $599.0M | $1.8B | -$1.2B | -4.5% |
| 2023-01-28 | $31.4B | $3.5B | $1.2B | $2.3B | 7.2% |
| 2023-04-29 | $25.3B | $1.3B | $1.6B | -$340.0M | -1.3% |
| 2023-07-29 | $24.8B | $2.1B | $1.2B | $913.0M | 3.7% |
| 2023-10-28 | $25.4B | $1.9B | $1.1B | $807.0M | 3.2% |
| 2024-02-03 | $31.9B | $3.3B | $854.0M | $2.4B | 7.6% |
| 2024-05-04 | $24.5B | $1.1B | $674.0M | $427.0M | 1.7% |
| 2024-08-03 | $25.5B | $2.2B | $639.0M | $1.6B | 6.3% |
| 2024-11-02 | $25.7B | $739.0M | $655.0M | $84.0M | 0.3% |
| 2025-02-01 | $30.9B | $3.3B | $923.0M | $2.4B | 7.7% |
| 2025-05-03 | $23.8B | $275.0M | $790.0M | -$515.0M | -2.2% |
| 2025-08-02 | $25.2B | $2.1B | $1.1B | $1.0B | 4.0% |
| 2025-11-01 | $25.3B | $1.1B | $978.0M | $149.0M | 0.6% |
| 2026-01-31 | $30.5B | $3.1B | $885.0M | $2.2B | 7.2% |
| 2026-05-02 | $25.4B | $716.0M | $1.0B | -$319.0M | -1.3% |
Cash conversion quality
Checks that separate high-quality free cash flow from accounting noise or working-capital timing.
| FCF / net income | -40.8% | Shows whether accounting earnings convert into cash. |
| CapEx / revenue | 4.1% | 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.
Capital Expenditure Outpacing Operating Cash Flow
Capital expenditure was higher than operating cash flow this quarter, resulting in negative free cash flow. While operating cash flow improved from a year ago, it was not sufficient to cover the elevated capital spending.
This imbalance drove free cash flow margin into negative territory, reversing the positive margin seen in the prior quarter.
What the cash flow says
How to interpret the company's free cash flow beyond the headline number.
Revenue increased compared to both the prior quarter and the same quarter last year, while operating cash flow was lower than the prior quarter but higher than a year ago. Free cash flow turned negative from a positive position in the prior quarter, driven by higher capital expenditure relative to operating cash flow, resulting in a worsened free cash flow margin.
Compared to the immediately preceding quarter, revenue was lower, operating cash flow was lower, capital expenditure was higher, free cash flow weakened from positive to negative, and free cash flow margin worsened. Compared to the same quarter one year earlier, revenue was higher, operating cash flow was higher, capital expenditure was higher, free cash flow improved from a more negative level, and free cash flow margin improved.
Monitor capital expenditure relative to operating cash flow, as the gap widened this quarter and was a primary factor in free cash flow turning negative.
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 | $62.8B | Used as the denominator for FCF yield. |
| TTM FCF yield | 4.8% | TTM free cash flow divided by market capitalization. |
| EV / TTM FCF | n/a | A quick valuation bridge, not a full DCF. |
Peer context
Free cash flow quality is easier to read against related public companies.
Risks and tripwires
Observable signals that would weaken the free cash flow thesis.
| Risk | Tripwire | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| FCF margin compression | FCF margin falls for two consecutive quarters. | Cash conversion may be weakening before earnings show it. |
| Capital intensity rises | CapEx/revenue moves materially above the recent run rate. | More operating cash flow would be consumed before becoming FCF. |
| Working capital drag | Inventory or receivables grow faster than revenue. | Reported growth may not translate into cash. |