Free cash flow
Fortive Free cash flow decreased by 37.9% to $208.20M in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric declined by 5.6%, from $220.60M to $208.20M. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Free cash flow shows relatively stable performance with a 1.8% 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 | $270.80M | $251.30M | $252.60M | $196.00M | $276.10M | $307.20M | $428.10M | $149.60M | $300.00M | $383.50M | $441.90M | $230.30M | $279.70M | $451.10M | $479.60M | $220.60M | $268.90M | $153.10M | $335.50M | $208.20M |
| QoQ Change | — | -7.2% | +0.5% | -22.4% | +40.9% | +11.3% | +39.4% | -65.1% | +100.5% | +27.8% | +15.2% | -47.9% | +21.5% | +61.3% | +6.3% | -54.0% | +21.9% | -43.1% | +119.1% | -37.9% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | +2.0% | +22.2% | +69.5% | -23.7% | +8.7% | +24.8% | +3.2% | +53.9% | -6.8% | +17.6% | +8.5% | -4.2% | -3.9% | -66.1% | -30.0% | -5.6% |
Free cash flow at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Fortive's free cash flow?
- Fortive (FTV) reported free cash flow of $208.20M in Q1 2026.
- How has Fortive's free cash flow changed year-over-year?
- Fortive's free cash flow decreased by 5.6% year-over-year, from $220.60M to $208.20M.
- What is the long-term trend for Fortive's free cash flow?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), Fortive's free cash flow has grown at a 1.8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $911.10M to $978.10M.
- What does free cash flow mean?
- The cash remaining after a company pays for its operating expenses and capital investments.