Free cash flow
Packaging Corp of America Free cash flow increased by 29.0% to $164.60M in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric declined by 13.8%, from $191.00M to $164.60M. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Free cash flow shows an upward trend with a 10.5% 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 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $96.80M | $133.90M | $151.80M | $112.10M | $134.70M | $251.00M | $173.00M | $168.00M | $233.50M | $249.70M | $194.20M | $183.70M | $33.30M | $180.40M | $124.10M | $191.00M | $129.90M | $280.10M | $127.60M | $164.60M |
| QoQ Change | — | +38.3% | +13.4% | -26.2% | +20.2% | +86.3% | -31.1% | -2.9% | +39.0% | +6.9% | -22.2% | -5.4% | -81.9% | +441.7% | -31.2% | +53.9% | -32.0% | +115.6% | -54.4% | +29.0% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | +39.2% | +87.5% | +14.0% | +49.9% | +73.3% | -0.5% | +12.3% | +9.3% | -85.7% | -27.8% | -36.1% | +4.0% | +290.1% | +55.3% | +2.8% | -13.8% |
Free cash flow at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Packaging Corp of America's free cash flow?
- Packaging Corp of America (PKG) reported free cash flow of $164.60M in Q1 2026.
- How has Packaging Corp of America's free cash flow changed year-over-year?
- Packaging Corp of America's free cash flow decreased by 13.8% year-over-year, from $191.00M to $164.60M.
- What is the long-term trend for Packaging Corp of America's free cash flow?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), Packaging Corp of America's free cash flow has grown at a 10.5% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $489.00M to $728.60M.
- What does free cash flow mean?
- The cash remaining after a company pays for its operating expenses and capital investments.