Free cash flow
PPL Free cash flow increased by 18.4% to -$501.00M in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric declined by 78.9%, from -$280.00M to -$501.00M. Over 3 years (FY 2022 to FY 2025), Free cash flow shows a downward trend with a 48.8% 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 | 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 | $360.00M | -$34.00M | $75.00M | -$105.00M | $26.00M | -$421.00M | -$69.00M | -$179.00M | $155.00M | -$539.00M | -$314.00M | $96.00M | $102.00M | -$349.00M | -$280.00M | -$328.00M | -$179.00M | -$614.00M | -$501.00M |
| QoQ Change | — | -109.4% | +320.6% | -240.0% | +124.8% | <-999% | +83.6% | -159.4% | +186.6% | -447.7% | +41.7% | +130.6% | +6.3% | -442.2% | +19.8% | -17.1% | +45.4% | -243.0% | +18.4% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | -129.2% | +176.5% | — | -192.0% | -70.5% | +496.2% | -28.0% | -355.1% | +153.6% | -34.2% | +35.3% | +10.8% | -441.7% | -275.5% | -75.9% | -78.9% |
Free cash flow at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is PPL's free cash flow?
- PPL (PPL) reported free cash flow of -$501.00M in Q1 2026.
- How has PPL's free cash flow changed year-over-year?
- PPL's free cash flow decreased by 78.9% year-over-year, from -$280.00M to -$501.00M.
- What is the long-term trend for PPL's free cash flow?
- Over 3 years (2022 to 2025), PPL's free cash flow has grown at a 48.8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from -$425.00M to -$1.40B.
- What does free cash flow mean?
- The cash remaining after a company pays for its operating expenses and capital investments.