Free cash flow
CF Industries Free cash flow decreased by 12.8% to $273.00M in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric declined by 39.9%, from $454.00M to $273.00M. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Free cash flow shows a downward trend with a -6.5% CAGR. This decline may warrant attention — for this metric, higher values are generally preferred.
Analysis
How to read this metric
An increase suggests improved operational efficiency or reduced capital intensity, providing more flexibility for capital allocation. A decrease may indicate higher investment in R&D or infrastructure, or potential challenges in converting earnings into cash.
Detailed definition
Free cash flow represents the cash generated by a company after accounting for cash outflows to support operations and m...
Peer comparison
Large-cap medical device and pharmaceutical peers typically maintain strong, positive free cash flow, though levels vary based on the intensity of R&D spending and the lifecycle stage of major product lines.
free_cash_flowHistorical Data
| Q2 '21 | Q3 '21 | Q4 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q2 '22 | Q3 '22 | Q4 '22 | Q1 '23 | Q2 '23 | Q3 '23 | Q4 '23 | Q1 '24 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $18.00M | $486.00M | $1.35B | $1.33B | $823.00M | $800.00M | $451.00M | $878.00M | $617.00M | $471.00M | $292.00M | $347.00M | $391.00M | $792.00M | $223.00M | $454.00M | $318.00M | $717.00M | $313.00M | $273.00M |
| QoQ Change | — | >999% | +177.4% | -1.5% | -38.0% | -2.8% | -43.6% | +94.7% | -29.7% | -23.7% | -38.0% | +18.8% | +12.7% | +102.6% | -71.8% | +103.6% | -30.0% | +125.5% | -56.3% | -12.8% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | >999% | +64.6% | -66.5% | -33.9% | -25.0% | -41.1% | -35.3% | -60.5% | -36.6% | +68.2% | -23.6% | +30.8% | -18.7% | -9.5% | +40.4% | -39.9% |
Free cash flow at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CF Industries's free cash flow?
- CF Industries (CF) reported free cash flow of $273.00M in Q1 2026.
- How has CF Industries's free cash flow changed year-over-year?
- CF Industries's free cash flow decreased by 39.9% year-over-year, from $454.00M to $273.00M.
- What is the long-term trend for CF Industries's free cash flow?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), CF Industries's free cash flow has grown at a -6.5% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $2.36B to $1.80B.
- What does free cash flow mean?
- The cash remaining after a company pays for its operating expenses and capital investments.