Free cash flow
Estee Lauder Companies Inc. Free cash flow decreased by 69.5% to $310.00M in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 91.4%, from $162.00M to $310.00M. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Free cash flow shows a downward trend with a -31.2% 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
| 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 | $603.00M | -$286.00M | $1.67B | -$76.00M | $689.00M | -$802.00M | $1.13B | $33.00M | $363.00M | -$703.00M | $1.11B | $359.00M | $672.00M | -$811.00M | $925.00M | $162.00M | $394.00M | -$436.00M | $1.02B | $310.00M |
| QoQ Change | — | -147.4% | +685.0% | -104.5% | >999% | -216.4% | +241.4% | -97.1% | >999% | -293.7% | +258.3% | -67.7% | +87.2% | -220.7% | +214.1% | -82.5% | +143.2% | -210.7% | +333.3% | -69.5% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | +14.3% | -180.4% | -32.2% | +143.4% | -47.3% | +12.3% | -1.9% | +987.9% | +85.1% | -15.4% | -16.9% | -54.9% | -41.4% | +46.2% | +9.9% | +91.4% |
Free cash flow at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Estee Lauder Companies Inc.'s free cash flow?
- Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (EL) reported free cash flow of $310.00M in Q1 2026.
- How has Estee Lauder Companies Inc.'s free cash flow changed year-over-year?
- Estee Lauder Companies Inc.'s free cash flow increased by 91.4% year-over-year, from $162.00M to $310.00M.
- What is the long-term trend for Estee Lauder Companies Inc.'s free cash flow?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), Estee Lauder Companies Inc.'s free cash flow has grown at a -31.2% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $2.99B to $670.00M.
- What does free cash flow mean?
- The cash remaining after a company pays for its operating expenses and capital investments.