Free cash flow
American Water Works Free cash flow increased by 8.1% to -$354.00M in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric declined by 63.1%, from -$217.00M to -$354.00M. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Free cash flow shows a downward trend with a 34.8% 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 | -$69.00M | $56.00M | -$147.00M | -$270.00M | -$529.00M | -$34.00M | -$356.00M | -$241.00M | -$198.00M | $7.00M | -$269.00M | -$227.00M | -$325.00M | -$4.00M | -$255.00M | -$217.00M | -$432.00M | -$33.00M | -$385.00M | -$354.00M |
| QoQ Change | — | +181.2% | -362.5% | -83.7% | -95.9% | +93.6% | -947.1% | +32.3% | +17.8% | +103.5% | <-999% | +15.6% | -43.2% | +98.8% | <-999% | +14.9% | -99.1% | +92.4% | <-999% | +8.1% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | -666.7% | -160.7% | -142.2% | +10.7% | +62.6% | +120.6% | +24.4% | +5.8% | -64.1% | -157.1% | +5.2% | +4.4% | -32.9% | -725.0% | -51.0% | -63.1% |
Free cash flow at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is American Water Works's free cash flow?
- American Water Works (AWK) reported free cash flow of -$354.00M in Q1 2026.
- How has American Water Works's free cash flow changed year-over-year?
- American Water Works's free cash flow decreased by 63.1% year-over-year, from -$217.00M to -$354.00M.
- What is the long-term trend for American Water Works's free cash flow?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), American Water Works's free cash flow has grown at a 34.8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from -$323.00M to -$1.07B.
- What does free cash flow mean?
- The cash remaining after a company pays for its operating expenses and capital investments.