Free cash flow
Dollar General Free cash flow decreased by 15.7% to $581.97M in Q4 2025 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 10.2%, from $528.11M to $581.97M. Over 3 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Free cash flow shows an upward trend with a 10.1% CAGR. This decline may warrant attention — for this metric, higher values are generally preferred.
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
| Q1 '21 | Q2 '21 | Q3 '21 | Q4 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q2 '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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $425.26M | $373.82M | $648.23M | $348.04M | $167.94M | $121.30M | $253.99M | -$172.03M | $130.81M | $242.73M | $490.06M | $321.83M | $635.22M | $201.02M | $528.11M | $556.23M | $564.71M | $690.43M | $581.97M |
| QoQ Change | — | -12.1% | +73.4% | -46.3% | -51.7% | -27.8% | +109.4% | -167.7% | +176.0% | +85.6% | +101.9% | -34.3% | +97.4% | -68.4% | +162.7% | +5.3% | +1.5% | +22.3% | -15.7% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | -60.5% | -67.6% | -27.0% | -202.4% | +7.8% | — | +92.9% | +287.1% | +385.6% | -17.2% | +7.8% | +72.8% | -11.1% | +243.5% | +10.2% |
Free cash flow at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Dollar General's free cash flow?
- Dollar General (DG) reported free cash flow of $581.97M in Q4 2025.
- How has Dollar General's free cash flow changed year-over-year?
- Dollar General's free cash flow increased by 10.2% year-over-year, from $528.11M to $581.97M.
- What is the long-term trend for Dollar General's free cash flow?
- Over 3 years (2021 to 2025), Dollar General's free cash flow has grown at a 10.1% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $1.80B to $2.39B.
- What does free cash flow mean?
- The cash remaining after a company pays for its operating expenses and capital investments.