Operating
Operating Cash Flow
Packaging Corp of America Operating Cash Flow decreased by 26.3% to $329.3M in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric declined by 2.9%, from $339.1M to $329.3M. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Operating Cash Flow shows an upward trend with a 9.2% CAGR. This decline may warrant attention — for this metric, higher values are generally preferred.
Analysis
StatementCash Flow Statement
SectionOperating
CategoryProfitability
SignalHigher is better
VolatilityStable
First reportedQ1 2013
Last reportedQ1 2026May 8, 2026
How to read this metric
Higher values indicate strong operational health and ability to self-fund, while lower or negative values may signal operational stress.
Detailed definition
Represents the total cash generated or consumed by the company's core business activities. It is the primary indicator o...
Peer comparison
A fundamental metric for all companies; peers in packaging typically maintain strong positive cash flows.
Metric ID:
net_cash_from_operatingHistorical Data
20 periods
| 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 | $228.2M | $283.6M | $390.7M | $325.3M | $319M | $430.6M | $420.1M | $280.4M | $359.9M | $339.5M | $335.3M | $260.4M | $278.3M | $327.1M | $325.4M | $339.1M | $299.6M | $472.2M | $446.6M | $329.3M |
| QoQ Change | — | +24.3% | +37.8% | -16.7% | -1.9% | +35.0% | -2.4% | -33.3% | +28.4% | -5.7% | -1.2% | -22.3% | +6.9% | +17.5% | -0.5% | +4.2% | -11.6% | +57.6% | -5.4% | -26.3% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | +39.8% | +51.8% | +7.5% | -13.8% | +12.8% | -21.2% | -20.2% | -7.1% | -22.7% | -3.7% | -3.0% | +30.2% | +7.7% | +44.4% | +37.2% | -2.9% |
Range$228.2M – $472.2M
CAGR+8.0%
Avg YoY Growth+8.6%
Median YoY Growth+2.3%
Current Streak2 quarters decline
Operating Cash Flow at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Packaging Corp of America's operating cash flow?
- Packaging Corp of America (PKG) reported operating cash flow of $329.3M in Q1 2026.
- How has Packaging Corp of America's operating cash flow changed year-over-year?
- Packaging Corp of America's operating cash flow decreased by 2.9% year-over-year, from $339.1M to $329.3M.
- What is the long-term trend for Packaging Corp of America's operating cash flow?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), Packaging Corp of America's operating cash flow has grown at a 9.2% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $1.09B to $1.56B.
- What does operating cash flow mean?
- The net cash generated from the company's day-to-day business operations.