Free cash flow has shifted to a negative $18.2B in 2026Q1, driven by a surge in capital expenditures that now represent 24.4% of quarterly revenue.
| Metric | TTM | Dec'25 | Dec'24 | Dec'23 | Dec'22 | Dec'21 | Dec'20 | Dec'19 | Dec'18 | Dec'17 | Dec'16 | Dec'15 | Dec'14 | Dec'13 | Dec'12 | Dec'11 | Dec'10 | Dec'09 | Dec'08 | Dec'07 | Dec'06 | Dec'05 | Dec'04 | Dec'03 | Dec'02 | Dec'01 | Dec'00 | Dec'99 | Dec'98 | Dec'97 | Dec'96 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 148.53B | 139.51B | 115.88B | 84.95B | 46.75B | 46.33B | 66.06B | 38.51B | 30.72B | 18.36B | 17.2B | 12.04B | 6.84B | 5.47B | 4.18B | 3.9B | 3.5B | 3.29B | 1.7B | 1.41B | 702M | 733M | 566M | 393M | 174.29M | -119.78M | -130.44M | -90.88M | 31.04M | 687K | -2.01M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 19.46% | 18.16% | 14.78% | 9.1% | 9.86% | 17.11% | 13.73% | 13.19% | 10.33% | 12.65% | 11.25% | 7.69% | 7.35% | 6.84% | 8.12% | 10.22% | 13.44% | 8.85% | 9.47% | 6.55% | 8.63% | 8.18% | 7.47% | 4.43% | -3.84% | -4.72% | -5.54% | 5.09% | 0.46% | -12.77% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 137.73% | 20.4% | 36.41% | 81.69% | 0.92% | -29.88% | 71.53% | 25.36% | 67.29% | 6.75% | 42.89% | 75.96% | 24.97% | 30.98% | 7.1% | 11.67% | 6.13% | 94.05% | 20.78% | 100.14% | -4.23% | 29.51% | 44.02% | 125.48% | 245.51% | 8.17% | -43.54% | -392.81% | 4417.47% | 134.18% | - |
| Net Income | 90.8B | 77.67B | 59.25B | 30.43B | -2.72B | 33.36B | 21.33B | 11.59B | 10.07B | 3.03B | 2.37B | 596M | -241M | 274M | -39M | 631M | 1.15B | 902M | 645M | 476M | 190M | 359M | 588.45M | 35.28M | -149.13M | -567.28M | -1.41B | -719.97M | -124.55M | -27.6M | -5.8M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 70.44B | 65.76B | 52.8B | 48.66B | 41.92B | 34.3B | 25.25B | 21.79B | 15.34B | 11.48B | 8.12B | 6.28B | 4.75B | 3.25B | 2.16B | 1.08B | 568M | 378M | 287M | 246M | 205M | 121M | 75.72M | 78.31M | 87.75M | 265.74M | 406.23M | 251.5M | 9.69M | 4.7M | 300K |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 19.81B | 19.47B | 22.01B | 24.02B | 19.62B | 12.76B | 9.21B | 6.86B | 5.42B | 4.21B | 2.98B | 2.12B | 1.5B | 1.13B | 833M | 557M | 424M | 341M | 275M | 185M | 101M | 87M | 58M | 88M | 68.93M | 4.64M | 24.8M | 30.62M | 2.39M | 1.35M | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 23.76B | 11.47B | -4.65B | -5.88B | -8.15B | -310M | -554M | 796M | 441M | -29M | -246M | 81M | -316M | -156M | -265M | 136M | 4M | 81M | -5M | -99M | 22M | 70M | -256.7M | -87.75M | -68.93M | -4.64M | -24.8M | -30.62M | -2.39M | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | -39.2B | -14.88B | 2.01B | -748M | 16.97B | -14.17B | -2.65B | -85M | 493M | -90M | -10.66B | -5.82B | -3.51B | -2.09B | -1.55B | -989M | -1.14B | -610M | -563M | -446M | -280M | -206M | -109.86M | 109.43M | 60.46M | 10.41M | 588.62M | 147.48M | 73.42M | 100K | 100K |
| Working Capital Changes | -17.08B | -19.97B | -15.54B | -11.54B | -20.89B | -19.61B | 13.48B | -2.44B | -1.04B | -242M | 3.85B | 2.56B | 4.67B | 3.06B | 3.04B | 2.48B | 2.49B | 2.2B | 1.06B | 1.04B | 464M | 309M | 211M | 169M | 175.77M | 171.35M | 285.98M | 230.11M | 72.47M | 26.85M | 3.94M |
| Change in Receivables | -14.33B | -7.33B | -3.25B | -8.35B | -8.62B | -9.14B | -8.17B | -7.68B | -4.62B | -4.78B | -3.44B | -1.75B | -1.04B | -846M | -861M | -866M | -295M | -481M | -218M | -255M | -103M | -84M | -2M | 2M | -31.7M | 20.73M | -8.59M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | -158M | -3B | -1.88B | 1.45B | -2.59B | -9.49B | -2.85B | -3.28B | -1.31B | -3.58B | -1.43B | -2.19B | -1.19B | -1.41B | -999M | -1.78B | -1.02B | -531M | -232M | -303M | -282M | -104M | -169M | -77M | -51.3M | 30.63M | 46.08M | -172.07M | -20.51M | -8.4M | -554K |
| Change in Payables | 11.54B | 11.23B | 2.97B | 5.47B | 2.94B | 3.6B | 17.48B | 8.19B | 3.26B | 7.1B | 5.03B | 4.29B | 1.76B | 1.89B | 2.07B | 3B | 2.37B | 1.86B | 812M | 928M | 402M | 274M | 286M | 168M | 156.54M | -44.44M | 22.36M | 330.17M | 78.67M | 30.17M | 2.76M |
| Cash from Investing | -176.95B | -142.54B | -94.34B | -49.83B | -37.6B | -58.15B | -59.61B | -24.28B | -12.37B | -27.08B | -9.52B | -6.45B | -5.07B | -4.28B | -3.6B | -1.93B | -3.36B | -2.34B | -1.2B | 42M | -333M | -778M | -317M | 236M | -121.68M | -253.29M | 163.98M | -951.96M | -324M | -125.68M | -6.57M |
| Capital Expenditures | -151B | -131.82B | -83B | -52.73B | -63.65B | -61.05B | -40.14B | -16.86B | -13.43B | -11.96B | -7.8B | -5.39B | -4.89B | -3.44B | -3.79B | -1.81B | -979M | -373M | -333M | -224M | -216M | -204M | -89M | -46M | -39.16M | -50.32M | -134.76M | -287.06M | -28.33M | -7.6M | -1.33M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 20.33% | 18.39% | 13.01% | 9.17% | 12.38% | 12.99% | 10.4% | 6.01% | 5.77% | 6.72% | 5.74% | 5.03% | 5.5% | 4.63% | 6.2% | 3.77% | 2.86% | 1.52% | 1.74% | 1.51% | 2.02% | 2.4% | 1.29% | 0.87% | 1% | 1.61% | 4.88% | 17.51% | 4.65% | 5.14% | 8.48% |
| Acquisitions | -19.3B | -3.84B | -7.08B | -5.84B | -8.32B | -1.99B | -2.33B | -2.46B | -2.19B | -13.97B | -116M | -795M | -979M | -312M | -745M | -705M | -352M | -40M | -494M | -75M | -32M | -24M | -71.19M | 5.07M | 4.86M | -6.2M | -62.53M | -369.61M | -19.02M | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 3.7B | 3.5B | 5.34B | 4.6B | 5.32B | 5.66B | 5.1B | 4.17B | 2.1B | 1.9B | 1.07B | 798M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | 62.48B | 9.66B | -11.81B | -15.88B | 9.72B | 6.29B | -1.1B | -10.07B | -7.69B | 9.93B | -3.72B | -3.88B | 4.43B | -539M | 2.26B | -482M | 181M | -280M | -198M | 50M | -400M | -193M | -97M | -332M | 106.89M | 106.88M | 693.15M | 1.1B | 254.46M | 126M | 8.64M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 10.23B | 10.18B | -11.81B | -15.88B | 15.72B | 6.29B | -1.1B | -10.07B | -7.69B | 9.93B | -3.72B | -3.88B | 4.43B | -617M | 2.79B | -267M | -78M | -385M | -268M | 41M | -285M | -259M | -157M | -495M | -14.79M | -9.57M | 664.57M | 1.07B | 247.88M | 74.95M | 0 |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -6B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -960M | -277M | 0 | 0 | -100M | -248M | -252M | 66M | 60.11M | 0 | 0 | 99.83M | 0 | 0 | 8.38M | 53.36M | 8.44M |
| Dividends Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -6B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -960M | -277M | 0 | 0 | -100M | -248M | -252M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | 52.25B | -519M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6M | 78M | 429M | 62M | 259M | 105M | 159M | 257M | 137M | 66M | 60M | 163M | 121.69M | 16.63M | 28.57M | 29.32M | -1.8M | -2.31M | 195K |
| Net Change in Cash | 34.8B | 7.79B | 8.42B | 19.64B | 17.78B | -5.9B | 5.97B | 4.24B | 10.32B | 1.92B | 3.76B | 1.33B | 5.9B | 574M | 2.81B | 1.49B | 333M | 675M | 230M | 1.52B | 9M | -290M | 201M | 364M | 197.97M | -282.15M | 689.13M | 61.73M | -38.54M | 1.01M | 60K |
| Free Cash Flow | -2.47B | 7.7B | 32.88B | 32.22B | -16.89B | -14.73B | 25.92B | 21.65B | 17.3B | 6.41B | 9.4B | 6.65B | 1.95B | 2.03B | 395M | 2.09B | 2.52B | 2.92B | 1.36B | 1.18B | 486M | 529M | 477M | 347M | 135.13M | -170.1M | -265.2M | -377.93M | 2.7M | -6.92M | -3.35M |
| FCF Margin % | -0.33% | 1.07% | 5.15% | 5.61% | -3.29% | -3.13% | 6.71% | 7.72% | 7.43% | 3.6% | 6.91% | 6.22% | 2.19% | 2.73% | 0.65% | 4.35% | 7.36% | 11.91% | 7.12% | 7.96% | 4.54% | 6.23% | 6.89% | 6.59% | 3.44% | -5.45% | -9.6% | -23.05% | 0.44% | -4.68% | -21.24% |
| FCF Growth % | -111.88% | -76.6% | 2.05% | 290.71% | -14.72% | -156.8% | 19.72% | 25.19% | 169.83% | -31.8% | 41.3% | 241.3% | -4.04% | 414.18% | -81.12% | -16.85% | -13.84% | 114.08% | 15.5% | 143% | -8.13% | 10.9% | 37.46% | 156.79% | 179.44% | 35.86% | 29.83% | -14087.05% | 139.07% | -106.76% | - |
| FCF per Share | -0.23 | 0.71 | 3.07 | 3.07 | -1.66 | -1.43 | 2.54 | 2.15 | 1.73 | 0.65 | 0.97 | 0.70 | 0.21 | 0.22 | 0.04 | 0.23 | 0.28 | 0.33 | 0.16 | 0.14 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.04 | 0.02 | -0.02 | -0.04 | -0.06 | 0.00 | -0.00 | -0.00 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | -0.03x | 1.80x | 1.96x | 2.79x | -17.18x | 1.39x | 3.10x | 3.32x | 3.05x | 6.06x | 7.26x | 20.20x | -28.39x | 19.98x | -107.18x | 6.19x | 3.03x | 3.65x | 2.63x | 2.95x | 3.69x | 2.20x | 0.96x | 11.23x | -1.16x | 0.22x | 0.09x | 0.13x | -0.25x | -0.02x | 0.32x |
| Interest Paid | 1.59B | 1.95B | 2.36B | 3.11B | 2.14B | 1.77B | 1.63B | 1.56B | 1.43B | 647M | 496M | 478M | 177M | 138M | 31M | 14M | 11M | 32M | 64M | 67M | 86M | 105M | 108M | 120M | 0 | 112.18M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 7.42B | 8.29B | 12.31B | 11.18B | 6.04B | 3.69B | 1.71B | 881M | 1.18B | 957M | 412M | 273M | 177M | 169M | 112M | 33M | 75M | 48M | 53M | 24M | 15M | 12M | 4M | 2M | 0 | 4.46M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Capital intensity of AI
According to recent quarterly financial statements, the ratio of operating cash flow to net income has fluctuated significantly, reaching a low of 0.86 in 2026Q1, which suggests that reported earnings are increasingly decoupled from the actual cash generated by the company's core retail and cloud operations.
The divergence between net income and operating cash flow warrants close scrutiny, as it may indicate a growing reliance on non-cash adjustments or shifts in working capital management. Investors should monitor whether this trend reflects a structural change in earnings quality or merely temporary timing differences in tax and accrual accounting.
As reported in the latest filings, free cash flow margins have swung from a positive 16.4% in 2023Q4 to a negative 10.0% in 2026Q1, highlighting a period of intense capital consumption that appears to be outpacing the company's ability to generate surplus cash from operations.
This trajectory suggests that the company is prioritizing aggressive infrastructure expansion over immediate cash preservation. The volatility in FCF margins implies that the business remains highly sensitive to the timing of large-scale capital projects, which may continue to pressure liquidity in the near term.
Based on the provided data, capital expenditures as a percentage of revenue have surged to 24.4% in 2026Q1, a significant increase from the 8.6% observed in 2023Q4, indicating a massive acceleration in investment toward data centers and logistics infrastructure to support long-term growth initiatives.
The sharp rise in capital intensity suggests that the company is in a heavy investment cycle, likely driven by the requirements of generative AI and cloud capacity. This level of spending may imply that management is willing to sacrifice short-term cash flow to secure a competitive advantage in high-growth technology sectors.
Analysis of recent financial disclosures reveals that working capital changes have become a significant drag on cash flow, with a $12.9B outflow in 2026Q1, suggesting that the company's inventory and receivables management may be facing headwinds as it scales its regionalized fulfillment network.
The recurring negative working capital changes appear to be a byproduct of the company's complex supply chain requirements and inventory build-up. Investors should monitor whether these outflows are a permanent feature of the new logistics model or if they represent temporary inefficiencies that may normalize as the network matures.
Data from the cash flow statement indicates that stock-based compensation remains a persistent non-cash expense, averaging over $4B per quarter, which suggests that the true economic cost of the company's workforce is not fully captured in the reported operating cash flow figures.
By excluding these substantial non-cash charges, the company's cash flow metrics may appear more robust than they are on an economic basis. This practice warrants further investigation to determine the extent to which dilution and compensation costs are masking the underlying cash-generative capacity of the business.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying AMZN stock.
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) generated $139.51B in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) generated $7.70B in free cash flow in 2025. Free cash flow is the cash left over after capital expenditures, which can be used to pay dividends, repurchase shares, or pay down debt.
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) spent $131.82B on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.