Operating

Operating Cash Flow

Northrop Grumman Operating Cash Flow decreased by 142.5% to -$1.66B in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric declined by 5.8%, from -$1.57B to -$1.66B. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Operating Cash Flow shows an upward trend with a 7.5% CAGR. This decline may warrant attention — for this metric, higher values are generally preferred.

Analysis

StatementCash Flow Statement
SectionOperating
CategoryEfficiency
SignalHigher is better
VolatilityModerate
First reportedQ1 2013
Last reportedQ1 2026Apr 21, 2026

How to read this metric

An increase indicates strong operational efficiency and cash generation, while a decrease may signal operational challenges or issues with working capital management.

Detailed definition

This metric represents the total cash generated or consumed by a company's core business operations during a specific pe...

Peer comparison

Standard across all industries; peers in the medical device and diagnostics sector typically maintain high conversion ratios of net income to operating cash flow.

Metric ID: net_cash_from_operating

Historical Data

20 periods
 Q2 '21Q3 '21Q4 '21Q1 '22Q2 '22Q3 '22Q4 '22Q1 '23Q2 '23Q3 '23Q4 '23Q1 '24Q2 '24Q3 '24Q4 '24Q1 '25Q2 '25Q3 '25Q4 '25Q1 '26
Value$1.03B$1.16B$1.44B-$488.00M-$197.00M$1.34B$2.25B-$702.00M$919.00M$1.23B$2.43B-$706.00M$1.43B$1.09B$2.58B-$1.57B$868.00M$1.56B$3.90B-$1.66B
QoQ Change+13.1%+24.0%-133.8%+59.6%+777.7%+68.6%-131.2%+230.9%+33.6%+97.9%-129.1%+301.8%-23.4%+136.3%-160.7%+155.5%+79.4%+150.3%-142.5%
YoY Change-119.2%+14.8%+56.1%-43.9%+566.5%-8.0%+8.0%-0.6%+55.1%-11.2%+6.1%-121.7%-39.1%+42.7%+51.2%-5.8%
Range-$1.66B$3.90B
CAGR+10.6%
Avg YoY Growth+28.2%
Median YoY Growth+2.8%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Northrop Grumman's operating cash flow?
Northrop Grumman (NOC) reported operating cash flow of -$1.66B in Q1 2026.
How has Northrop Grumman's operating cash flow changed year-over-year?
Northrop Grumman's operating cash flow decreased by 5.8% year-over-year, from -$1.57B to -$1.66B.
What is the long-term trend for Northrop Grumman's operating cash flow?
Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), Northrop Grumman's operating cash flow has grown at a 7.5% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $3.57B to $4.76B.
What does operating cash flow mean?
The amount of cash a company generates from its regular business activities.