Free cash flow
Dow Free cash flow increased by 318.7% to $621.00M in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 204.5%, from -$594.00M to $621.00M. Over 2 years (FY 2021 to FY 2023), Free cash flow shows a downward trend with a -28.2% CAGR. This is a positive signal — higher values indicate stronger performance for this metric.
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 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $1.67B | $2.31B | $2.11B | $1.29B | $1.40B | $1.49B | $1.48B | $95.00M | $786.00M | $1.06B | $898.00M | -$250.00M | -$594.00M | -$1.13B | -$284.00M | $621.00M |
| QoQ Change | — | +38.1% | -8.6% | -38.9% | +8.5% | +6.5% | -0.6% | -93.6% | +727.4% | +35.0% | -15.4% | -127.8% | -137.6% | -90.6% | +74.9% | +318.7% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | -16.4% | -35.5% | -29.9% | -92.6% | -43.7% | -28.7% | -39.3% | -363.2% | -137.6% | — | — | +204.5% |
Free cash flow at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Dow's free cash flow?
- Dow (DOW) reported free cash flow of $621.00M in Q1 2026.
- How has Dow's free cash flow changed year-over-year?
- Dow's free cash flow increased by 204.5% year-over-year, from -$594.00M to $621.00M.
- What is the long-term trend for Dow's free cash flow?
- Over 2 years (2021 to 2023), Dow's free cash flow has grown at a -28.2% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $5.51B to $2.84B.
- What does free cash flow mean?
- The cash remaining after a company pays for its operating expenses and capital investments.