Free cash flow takeaway
A quick read on the company's cash generation and what it means for investors.
Tyson Foods reported negative free cash flow this quarter, driven by a negative operating cash flow. Compared to the same quarter last year, the free cash flow deficit narrowed slightly due to lower capital spending, but worsened from the prior quarter's positive free cash flow.
- Revenue remained stable, but operating cash flow turned negative, resulting in a negative free cash flow margin. The conversion of revenue into cash was weak, with operating cash flow insufficient to cover capital expenditures.
- Compared to the prior quarter, operating cash flow and free cash flow both declined significantly, shifting from positive to negative. Versus the same quarter last year, free cash flow was slightly less negative, as capital expenditure decreased.
FCF snapshot
Quarterly and TTM cash-flow metrics with the minimum valuation context.
TTM free cash flow
$1.3B
Trailing twelve-month free cash flow.
Quarter free cash flow
-$378.0M
Free cash flow in the selected fiscal quarter.
Operating cash flow
-$185.0M
Cash generated by operations before capital spending.
CapEx
$193.0M
Capital spending and related asset purchases.
FCF margin
-2.9%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-29 | $13.4B | $796.0M | $263.0M | $533.0M | 4.0% |
| 2024-09-28 | $13.6B | $617.0M | $248.0M | $369.0M | 2.7% |
| 2024-12-28 | $13.6B | $1.0B | $271.0M | $760.0M | 5.6% |
| 2025-03-29 | $13.1B | -$185.0M | $193.0M | -$378.0M | -2.9% |
Cash conversion quality
Checks that separate high-quality free cash flow from accounting noise or working-capital timing.
| FCF / net income | -5400.0% | Shows whether accounting earnings convert into cash. |
| CapEx / revenue | 1.5% | 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 deterioration
Operating cash flow turned negative this quarter, versus a positive figure in the prior quarter and a smaller negative a year ago. This drove the free cash flow deficit.
The negative operating cash flow pressured liquidity and required external funding or cash reserves.
What the cash flow says
How to interpret the company's free cash flow beyond the headline number.
Revenue remained stable, but operating cash flow turned negative, resulting in a negative free cash flow margin. The conversion of revenue into cash was weak, with operating cash flow insufficient to cover capital expenditures.
Compared to the prior quarter, operating cash flow and free cash flow both declined significantly, shifting from positive to negative. Versus the same quarter last year, free cash flow was slightly less negative, as capital expenditure decreased.
Monitor the company's ability to restore positive operating cash flow, as it is a key source of liquidity per the filing.