Capital intensity remains elevated with a 25.4% CapEx-to-revenue ratio in 2026Q1, contributing to a negative free cash flow of $7.8B for the period.
| 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 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 152.01B | 143.03B | 84.74B | 104.56B | 105.21B | 78.79B | 69.52B | 65.46B | 51.68B | 47.27B | 51.19B | 55.36B | 45.65B | 40.58B | 32.58B | 32.17B | 34.36B | 15.55B | 30.69B | 28.08B | 34.64B | 20.97B | 18.73B | 13.29B | 11.34B | 11.71B | 17.64B | 7.73B |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 22.04% | 13.94% | 18.21% | 15.49% | 13.96% | 15.28% | 16.02% | 13.67% | 16.41% | 18.57% | 18.84% | 17.55% | 18.74% | 17.02% | 16.97% | 19.62% | 18.66% | 31.41% | 28.02% | 34.37% | 24.35% | 25.9% | 23.22% | 24.82% | 30.51% | 34.67% | 23.27% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 871.11% | 68.79% | -18.96% | -0.62% | 33.54% | 13.32% | 6.21% | 26.67% | 9.33% | -7.67% | -7.52% | 21.26% | 12.49% | 24.57% | 1.28% | -6.37% | 120.96% | -49.34% | 9.3% | -18.93% | 65.2% | 11.96% | 40.88% | 17.21% | -3.13% | -33.64% | 128.37% | - |
| Net Income | 47.13B | 40.66B | 33.15B | 31.3B | 62.86B | 63.29B | 26.33B | 16.66B | 25.73B | 22.8B | 21.74B | 20.2B | 23.96B | 15.45B | 12.9B | 14.04B | 17.01B | 6.55B | 6.37B | 12.05B | 17.82B | -5.17B | 3.53B | 2.74B | 129.36M | -2.14B | 5.84B | 7.93B |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 69.11B | 67.44B | 59.95B | 56.25B | 55.01B | 53.25B | 48.37B | 49.32B | 43.09B | 28.84B | 29.5B | 30.61B | 26.71B | 25.08B | 23.13B | 23.47B | 18.42B | 17.14B | 17.84B | 16.47B | 14.54B | 15.95B | 15.05B | 13.57B | 13.13B | 11.82B | 9.15B | 6.17B |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 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 |
| Deferred Taxes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 565.43M | 470.95M | 51.72M | 223.2M | 725.98M | 2.01B | 483.6M | -493.43M | -1.6B | -1.19B | -1.13B | -401.75M | -226.89M | -349.32M |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 6.04B | 11.58B | -2.78B | -2.07B | 12.18B | -6.82B | 2.15B | -777.68M | -3.8B | 1.85B | 5.89B | 2.68B | 3.77B | 3.33B | 1.68B | 2.25B | 1.28B | 505.72M | 2.21B | 3.29B | -800.07M | 9.52B | 5.31B | 211.44M | 66.02M | -473.53M | -682.22M | -4.42B |
| Working Capital Changes | 29.66B | 23.35B | -5.59B | 19.08B | -24.84B | -30.94B | -7.32B | 261.8M | -13.35B | -6.23B | -5.94B | 1.87B | -8.79B | -3.28B | -5.7B | -8.07B | -2.4B | -8.87B | 3.53B | -5.74B | 2.59B | 1.15B | -3.57B | -2.84B | -1.21B | 337.73M | -93.54M | -1.61B |
| Change in Receivables | -16.33B | -13.05B | -14.09B | 16.62B | -1.34B | -29.37B | -8.64B | -419M | -9.55B | -4.36B | -6.41B | 8.33B | -9.84B | -5.69B | -6.35B | 1.17B | -1.73B | -6.41B | 7.96B | -5.48B | 4.78B | -2.71B | -1.12B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | -9.66B | -8.56B | 1.82B | 25.06B | -21.94B | -23.1B | -12.94B | 1.39B | -9.42B | -2.88B | 3.17B | -5.32B | -8.32B | -3.19B | -2.4B | -5.22B | -2.01B | -1.47B | 151.69M | -314.58M | 1.37B | 89.49M | -4.51B | -1.56B | -364.07M | 477.9M | -796.62M | -452.85M |
| Change in Payables | 14B | 10.56B | 7.85B | -8.92B | -5.52B | 13.52B | 13.39B | -1.01B | 7.12B | 4.71B | 1.67B | -1.32B | 6.51B | 4.65B | 2.95B | -3.27B | 1.54B | 3.68B | -4.5B | 655.1M | -3.69B | 3.21B | 1.43B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -161.93B | -166.55B | -86.53B | -54.87B | -75.98B | -54.95B | -64.15B | -65.95B | -141.15B | -16.2B | -46.35B | -56.45B | -29.3B | -29.5B | -43.29B | -32.76B | -33.47B | -15.53B | -37.62B | -17.94B | -22.18B | -13.81B | -29.62B | -18.55B | -13.2B | -15.18B | -33.55B | -12.57B |
| Capital Expenditures | -580.56B | -162.15B | -83.86B | -54.16B | -74.88B | -73.63B | -61.55B | -58.07B | -44.76B | -25B | -27.3B | -31.91B | -40.54B | -29.01B | -38.97B | -31.28B | -31.85B | -11.12B | -19.33B | -17.7B | -18.01B | -16.09B | -27.41B | -17.52B | -12.69B | -11.57B | -30.06B | -10.05B |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 87.15% | 24.99% | 13.8% | 9.43% | 11.03% | 13.04% | 13.53% | 14.21% | 11.84% | 8.68% | 9.91% | 10.86% | 15.59% | 13.4% | 20.35% | 16.5% | 18.19% | 13.34% | 19.79% | 17.66% | 17.87% | 18.69% | 37.91% | 30.59% | 27.77% | 30.14% | 59.07% | 30.26% |
| Acquisitions | 308.33M | 0 | -1.62B | 849.06M | -362.67M | 19.06B | -6B | -11.62B | -105.06B | 8.19B | -2.47B | 9.49B | 10.47B | 99.62M | 220.32M | -832.84M | -5.49B | 90.47M | -27.21B | -494.64M | 414.98M | 1.74B | -629.1M | -20.95M | -2.09B | 0 | 0 | -7.4B |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 418.03B | -4.4B | -1.2B | 216.4M | -531.13M | -242.63M | 1.2B | 26.75M | 2.55B | 268.7M | -1.42B | -281K | -487.24M | -98.46M | -687.82M | -731.86M | -4.38M | -1B | -367.17M | -683.5M | 4.91B | 1.68B | -1.4B | -768.52M | -1.04B | -484.23M | 10.56M | 4.88B |
| Cash from Financing | 22.71B | 45.52B | -6.53B | -47.97B | -62.11B | 524.22M | -14.98B | 5.56B | 93.85B | -18.92B | -18.07B | -284.13M | -12.88B | 11.6B | 7.55B | -350.48M | 1.58B | -2.7B | 14.34B | -8.41B | -12.6B | -101.74M | 8.81B | 4.21B | 531.76M | 603.5M | 17.58B | 8.72B |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 49.4B | 67.41B | 16.83B | -10.67B | -31.57B | 22.13B | -7.9B | 15.56B | 103.55B | -19.48B | -7.01B | 19.61B | -4.29B | 15.04B | 7.88B | 5.88B | 3.78B | 612.52M | 23.55B | -698.84M | -16.02B | -1.02B | 10.82B | 2.08B | 2.3B | 3.79B | 5.21B | 8.51B |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 2.92B | 3.5B | 1.13B | 1.16B | 874.29M | -2.77B | 1.85B | 1.14B | 1.22B | 11.63B | 998.51M | -4.2B | 1.52B | 4.4B | 311.63M | -2.23B | -636.12M | -1.04B | -888.92M | 1.01B | 851.54M | 330.45M | 41.09M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.15B | 0 |
| Dividends Paid | -20.56B | -23.16B | -22.92B | -37.34B | -30.36B | -17.91B | -8.13B | -10.5B | -10.81B | -11.12B | -12.28B | -15.86B | -10.1B | -7.72B | -4.19B | -3.95B | -1.8B | -2.5B | -9.13B | -6.87B | 0 | -404.39M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -208.14M | -5.48B | 0 | 0 | -72.64M | 0 | 0 | -5.53B | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2.84B | -1.1B | -1.28B | -1.14B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | -9.05B | -2.23B | -1.56B | -1.12B | -1.05B | -920.92M | -794.24M | -641.13M | -115.99M | 43.4M | 220.53M | 165.06M | -2.92M | -118.56M | 3.54B | -49.43M | 230.2M | 235.24M | 814.91M | -1.85B | 2.56B | 992.24M | -2.05B | 2.12B | -1.74B | -3.18B | 8.22B | 206.42M |
| Net Change in Cash | 12.83B | 19.1B | 4.62B | 9.35B | -25.99B | 25.32B | -4.82B | 10.08B | 3.92B | 10.78B | -15.87B | 1.52B | 3.84B | 24.03B | 6.71B | -1.47B | -533.68M | 3.22B | 1.57B | -1.19B | 13.51B | 0 | 0 | -1.27B | -1.39B | -2.4B | 2.36B | 3.7B |
| Free Cash Flow | -6.17B | -20.01B | 2.97B | 51.09B | 30.98B | 7.62B | 10.19B | 9B | 9.52B | 22.77B | 24.41B | 23.96B | 5.52B | 11.89B | -5.95B | 2.08B | 2.72B | 4.43B | 11.46B | 11.05B | 16.81B | 4.96B | -8.68B | -4.22B | -1.35B | 141.5M | -12.42B | -2.32B |
| FCF Margin % | -0.93% | -3.08% | 0.49% | 8.9% | 4.56% | 1.35% | 2.24% | 2.2% | 2.52% | 7.9% | 8.86% | 8.16% | 2.12% | 5.49% | -3.11% | 1.1% | 1.55% | 5.31% | 11.73% | 11.03% | 16.68% | 5.76% | -12.01% | -7.38% | -2.95% | 0.37% | -24.4% | -6.99% |
| FCF Growth % | 54.56% | -774.83% | -94.2% | 64.87% | 306.45% | -25.16% | 13.17% | -5.43% | -58.2% | -6.71% | 1.87% | 334.33% | -53.59% | 299.92% | -386.29% | -23.61% | -38.61% | -61.37% | 3.71% | -34.25% | 238.83% | 157.15% | -105.56% | -213.48% | -1052.13% | 101.14% | -435.32% | - |
| FCF per Share | -2.75 | -9.03 | 1.35 | 23.50 | 14.33 | 3.49 | 4.75 | 4.22 | 4.48 | 10.88 | 11.78 | 11.62 | 2.68 | 6.14 | -3.14 | 1.06 | 1.43 | 2.43 | 6.01 | 5.65 | 8.64 | 2.75 | -4.63 | -2.46 | -0.70 | 0.08 | -8.78 | -1.90 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | -0.13x | 3.50x | 2.56x | 3.34x | 1.67x | 1.24x | 2.64x | 3.93x | 2.01x | 2.07x | 2.35x | 2.74x | 1.91x | 2.63x | 2.53x | 2.29x | 2.02x | 2.37x | 4.82x | 2.33x | 1.94x | -4.36x | 4.60x | 4.85x | 87.67x | -5.46x | 3.02x | 0.97x |
| Interest Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.89B | 1.52B | 1.39B | 1.66B | 1.72B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.08B | 2.9B | 2.11B | 1.34B | 1.54B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
High cyclical utilization sensitivity
According to the provided financial data, the relationship between net income and operating cash flow is highly erratic, with OCF/NI ratios fluctuating from a low of 2.00 to an extreme outlier of 23.19, suggesting that reported earnings are frequently decoupled from actual cash generation capabilities.
The significant variance in the OCF/NI ratio indicates that accruals and working capital adjustments play a disproportionate role in quarterly results. Investors should monitor whether this volatility stems from the timing of large-scale EMS material pass-throughs or underlying shifts in the semiconductor assembly cycle.
As reported in recent quarterly statements, ASE's free cash flow trajectory is inconsistent, with the company recording negative FCF in six of the last ten quarters, including a significant -$7.8B outflow in 2026Q1 despite the company's ongoing efforts to scale advanced packaging capacity.
The inability to consistently generate positive free cash flow suggests that the company's aggressive capital investment strategy is currently outpacing its operational cash generation. This trend warrants further investigation into whether the current investment cycle will yield the expected margin expansion or if it will continue to pressure liquidity.
Based on the reported figures, ASE's capital expenditure as a percentage of revenue has surged to 25.4% in 2026Q1, reflecting a strategic pivot toward high-end packaging infrastructure that significantly exceeds the more modest 7.3% intensity observed in 2023Q4.
This sharp increase in capital intensity suggests that the company is heavily front-loading investment to capture AI-related demand. While this may secure a competitive moat, it simultaneously increases the company's sensitivity to utilization rates, as the depreciation burden on these new assets will be substantial.
Analysis of the cash flow statements reveals that working capital changes are a primary driver of quarterly cash volatility, with swings ranging from a $73.1B inflow in 2025Q4 to a $465.8M outflow in 2026Q1, complicating the assessment of underlying operational efficiency.
These large fluctuations appear to be tied to the cyclical nature of the EMS segment and the timing of inventory procurement for major consumer electronics launches. Investors should be cautious of interpreting these periodic working capital movements as indicators of long-term operational health.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying ASX stock.
ASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd. (ASX) generated $143.03B in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
ASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd. (ASX) reported negative free cash flow of $20.01B in 2025, indicating capital requirements exceeded cash from operations.
ASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd. (ASX) spent $162.15B on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.
In 2025, ASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd. (ASX) returned $23.16B to shareholders via cash dividends. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.