Free cash flow
US Foods Free cash flow increased by 23.3% to $196.00M in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric declined by 36.2%, from $307.00M to $196.00M. Over 3 years (FY 2022 to FY 2025), Free cash flow shows an upward trend with a 24.2% 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 | $13.00M | $204.00M | $86.00M | $30.00M | $296.00M | $88.00M | $218.00M | $327.00M | $223.00M | $63.00M | $52.00M | $413.00M | $190.00M | $178.00M | $307.00M | $257.00M | $236.00M | $159.00M | $196.00M |
| QoQ Change | — | >999% | -57.8% | -65.1% | +886.7% | -70.3% | +147.7% | +50.0% | -31.8% | -71.7% | -17.5% | +694.2% | -54.0% | -6.3% | +72.5% | -16.3% | -8.2% | -32.6% | +23.3% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | +130.8% | +45.1% | — | +153.5% | +990.0% | -24.7% | -28.4% | -76.1% | +26.3% | -14.8% | +182.5% | +490.4% | -37.8% | +24.2% | -10.7% | -36.2% |
Free cash flow at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is US Foods's free cash flow?
- US Foods (USFD) reported free cash flow of $196.00M in Q1 2026.
- How has US Foods's free cash flow changed year-over-year?
- US Foods's free cash flow decreased by 36.2% year-over-year, from $307.00M to $196.00M.
- What is the long-term trend for US Foods's free cash flow?
- Over 3 years (2022 to 2025), US Foods's free cash flow has grown at a 24.2% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $500.00M to $959.00M.
- What does free cash flow mean?
- The cash remaining after a company pays for its operating expenses and capital investments.