Capital expenditure consistently exceeds operating cash flow, with the most recent quarter showing CapEx at 150.8% of OCF, indicating a heavy reliance on external financing to fund its growth engine.
Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (BIP) cash flow statement — 19-year operating, investing & financing cash flows
| 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 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 6.3B | 5.97B | 4.65B | 4.08B | 3.13B | 2.77B | 2.53B | 2.14B | 1.36B | 1.48B | 753M | 634M | 683M | 694M | 635M | 352M | 78M | 8.1M | 5.8M | 49.7M |
| Operating CF Growth % | 116.01% | 28.33% | 14.1% | 30.25% | 12.95% | 9.57% | 18.06% | 57.34% | -8.04% | 96.68% | 18.77% | -7.17% | -1.58% | 9.29% | 80.4% | 351.28% | 862.96% | 39.66% | -88.33% | - |
| Operating CF / Revenue % | 25.14% | 25.85% | 22.12% | 22.74% | 21.7% | 24.03% | 28.47% | 32.48% | 29.28% | 41.9% | 35.6% | 34.18% | 35.5% | 38.01% | 41.67% | 21.52% | 12.3% | 27.18% | 17.63% | - |
| Net Income | 859M | 449M | 1.68B | 1.45B | 1.38B | 2.72B | 904M | 650M | 806M | 574M | 528M | 391M | 229M | 65M | 291M | 440M | 473M | -59M | 28M | 1.1M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 4.29B | 4.02B | 3.64B | 2.74B | 2.16B | 2.04B | 1.71B | 1.21B | 801M | 671M | 447M | 375M | 380M | 329M | 232M | 127M | 29M | 7.5M | 7.7M | 49.7M |
| Deferred Taxes | -90M | -156M | -324M | 5M | 86M | 240M | 54M | 28M | 46M | 67M | -18M | -26M | 49M | 12M | 30M | 154M | -21M | 0 | 0 | -8.4M |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 1.64B | 2.06B | -124M | 524M | 416M | -1.7B | 87M | 183M | -167M | 38M | -249M | -26M | -21M | 307M | -74M | -362M | -365M | 37M | 3.5M | 7.3M |
| Working Capital Changes | -406M | -408M | -226M | -638M | -904M | -524M | -220M | 68M | -124M | 131M | 45M | -80M | 46M | -19M | 156M | -18M | -38M | 23.7M | -6.6M | 28.8M |
| Capital Expenditures | -20.95B | -12.66B | -4.97B | -12.99B | -2.77B | -2.07B | -4.61B | -11.37B | -5.56B | -5.72B | -1.06B | -2.35B | -1.07B | -425M | -1.76B | -763M | 72M | -661M | -348.3M | 0 |
| CapEx / Revenue % | 83.6% | 54.81% | 23.65% | 72.44% | 19.23% | 17.92% | 51.87% | 172.38% | 119.6% | 161.84% | 50.02% | 126.47% | 55.77% | 23.27% | 115.75% | 46.64% | 11.36% | 2218.12% | 1058.66% | - |
| CapEx / D&A | 4.88x | 3.15x | 1.37x | 4.74x | 1.29x | 1.02x | 2.70x | 9.37x | 6.95x | 8.53x | 2.37x | 6.26x | 2.82x | 1.29x | 7.60x | 6.01x | 2.48x | 88.13x | 45.23x | 0.00x |
| CapEx Coverage (OCF/CapEx) | 0.30x | 0.47x | 0.94x | 0.31x | 1.13x | 1.34x | 0.55x | 0.19x | 0.24x | 0.26x | 0.71x | 0.27x | 0.64x | 1.63x | 0.36x | 0.46x | 1.08x | 0.01x | 0.02x | - |
| Cash from Investing | -20.72B | -12.66B | -6.9B | -12.99B | -3.37B | -1.17B | -4.61B | -11.37B | -5.56B | -5.72B | -1.06B | -2.35B | -1.07B | -162M | -1.76B | -763M | 72M | -661M | -348.3M | 0 |
| Acquisitions | -9.75B | 0 | -2.8B | -10.14B | -870M | 773M | -3.03B | -10.4B | -4.6B | -4.84B | -1.05B | -707M | -536M | 505M | -1.14B | -196M | 142M | -676M | -116.4M | 0 |
| Purchase of Investments | -310M | 0 | -677M | -524M | -659M | -1.32B | -1.17B | -176M | -255M | -469M | -191M | -1.72B | -177M | -357M | 0 | -60M | -33M | -929.5M | -227.7M | 0 |
| Sale of Investments | -1.33B | 534M | 1.06B | 715M | 898M | 1.36B | 1.02B | 351M | 104M | 258M | 870M | 595M | 79M | 110M | 10M | 0 | 0 | 24M | 0 | 0 |
| Other Investing | -2.35B | -7.49B | 483M | -558M | 41M | 85M | 46M | 38M | 23M | 47M | 7M | 10M | 15M | 5M | 17M | 1M | 0 | 926.5M | 4M | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | 15.28B | 7.82B | 2.61B | 9.42B | 56M | -995M | 2.13B | 9.54B | 4.42B | 3.81B | 899M | 1.76B | 42M | -232M | 1.24B | 411M | -103M | 731M | 103.6M | 217.9M |
| Dividends Paid | -2.12B | -1.74B | -1.64B | -1.52B | -1.42B | -1.26B | -1.13B | -1.03B | -919M | -794M | -628M | -546M | -448M | -388M | -304M | -222M | -117M | -59M | -33.9M | 0 |
| Dividend Payout Ratio % | - | 388.2% | 468.38% | 413.08% | 415.84% | 164.1% | 350% | 486.73% | 478.65% | 640.32% | 170.19% | 323.08% | 308.97% | - | 380% | 163.24% | 38.74% | 236% | 121.07% | - |
| Debt Issuance (Net) | 0 | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | -1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | -1000K | 1000K | 0 |
| Stock Issued | 35M | 0 | 11M | 0 | 13M | 1.07B | 204M | 853M | 325M | 1.21B | 755M | 932M | 2M | 338M | 500M | 658M | 5M | 929M | 0 | 20M |
| Share Repurchases | -190M | -190M | 0 | -13M | -243M | -12M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -6M | -67M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2M | 0 |
| Other Financing | 19.71B | 1.56B | -3.91B | 5.58B | -1.68B | -2.08B | 1.55B | 5.85B | 716M | 1.8B | 577M | 304M | -314M | -156M | -94M | -142M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 197.9M |
| Net Change in Cash | 743M | 1.13B | 214M | 578M | -127M | 539M | 40M | 287M | 166M | -412M | 587M | 10M | -349M | 275M | 110M | -1M | 47M | 49.1M | -212.1M | 188.1M |
| Exchange Rate Effect | -114M | 2M | -150M | 71M | 51M | -65M | -7M | -26M | -50M | 14M | -7M | -40M | -9M | 84M | 1M | 11M | 107M | 0 | -217.9M | 0 |
| Cash at Beginning | 2.46B | 2.07B | 1.86B | 1.28B | 1.41B | 867M | 827M | 540M | 374M | 786M | 199M | 189M | 538M | 263M | 153M | 154M | 107M | 9.2M | 221.3M | 29.8M |
| Cash at End | 3.08B | 3.2B | 2.07B | 1.86B | 1.28B | 1.41B | 867M | 827M | 540M | 374M | 786M | 199M | 189M | 538M | 263M | 153M | 154M | 58.3M | 9.2M | 217.9M |
| Free Cash Flow | -14.65B | -6.69B | -322M | -8.91B | 356M | 705M | -2.08B | -9.23B | -4.2B | -4.24B | -305M | -1.71B | -390M | 269M | -1.13B | -411M | 150M | -652.9M | -342.5M | 0 |
| FCF Growth % | - | -1977.64% | 96.39% | -2603.37% | -49.5% | 133.91% | 77.47% | -119.63% | 0.9% | -1290.16% | 82.18% | -338.97% | -244.98% | 123.83% | -174.7% | -374% | 122.97% | -90.63% | - | - |
| FCF Margin % | -58.47% | -28.96% | -1.53% | -49.7% | 2.47% | 6.11% | -23.4% | -139.9% | -90.33% | -119.94% | -14.42% | -92.29% | -20.27% | 14.73% | -74.08% | -25.12% | 23.66% | -2190.94% | -1041.03% | - |
| FCF / Net Income % | -3618.02% | -1489.98% | -91.74% | -2428.34% | 104.4% | 92.04% | -641.67% | -4373.93% | -2188.54% | -3419.35% | -82.66% | -1013.02% | -268.97% | -840.63% | -1411.25% | -302.21% | 49.67% | -2611.6% | -1223.21% | 0% |
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying BIP stock.
Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (BIP) generated $5.97B in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (BIP) reported negative free cash flow of $6.69B in 2025, indicating capital requirements exceeded cash from operations.
Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (BIP) spent $12.66B 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, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (BIP) returned $1.74B to shareholders via cash dividends and spent $190.0M on share repurchases. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.
Key Metrics
Top Statement Risk
Sustained negative free cash flow
Aggressive CAPEX Outpaces Operating Cash Flow
BIP's capital expenditure consistently exceeds its operating cash flow, with the most recent quarter showing CapEx at 150.8% of OCF, indicating a heavy reliance on external financing to fund its growth engine.
The sustained pattern of CapEx significantly outstripping OCF is characteristic of a utility in a high-growth phase, but the magnitude here is extreme. This suggests the company is aggressively deploying capital into new projects and acquisitions, which is the primary driver of its expanding revenue base. However, this model is entirely dependent on the continuous availability of external capital markets to fund the deficit.
Chronic Free Cash Flow Deficit Reliant on Capital Markets
BIP has generated a negative free cash flow in eight of the last ten quarters, with the deficit reaching $8.3 billion in 2025Q3, underscoring its structural dependence on debt and equity issuance to fund operations and growth.
The persistent and large negative FCF is not a sign of operational distress but a direct consequence of the CAPEX-heavy growth model. The company's ability to consistently access long-term debt and equity markets is therefore the most critical factor for its sustainability. The recent net stock issuance of $3.0 million in 2026Q2 appears minimal relative to the scale of the deficit, suggesting debt is the primary funding source, which may increase interest expense pressure.
Strong OCF Coverage Provides Dividend Buffer
Despite the negative free cash flow, BIP's operating cash flow has consistently covered its distributions, with an OCF-to-dividend ratio ranging from 1.9x to 4.3x over the past ten quarters, providing a substantial safety margin.
The robust OCF coverage indicates that the core cash-generating ability of the asset portfolio is sufficient to support the current distribution level without needing to tap into financing proceeds for this specific purpose. This is a key positive, as it suggests the dividend is not being funded by debt. However, investors should monitor whether the growth in OCF keeps pace with any future distribution increases, especially given the volatile net income.
Net Income Volatility Masks Stable Cash Generation
GAAP net income has swung from a loss of $86.0 million in 2026Q1 to a profit of $219.0 million in 2025Q4, while operating cash flow has remained relatively stable, highlighting significant non-cash distortions in reported earnings.
The extreme volatility in net income, contrasted with the more predictable OCF trend, strongly suggests that non-cash items like depreciation, amortization, and fair value adjustments are dominating the income statement. This reinforces the need to focus on FFO and Adjusted EBITDA as the primary measures of performance. The low ROE of 1.4% further indicates that the accounting profit is not reflective of the cash returns being generated by the asset base.
Hidden Risks in the Cash Flow Statement
The cash flow statement may obscure risks such as the full scale of project-level debt in equity-accounted investments and the potential for regulatory delays in recovering the massive capital expenditures through rates.
BIP's complex structure, including equity-accounted investments, means that significant debt obligations may reside off the consolidated balance sheet, not fully reflected in the reported Debt/Equity ratio. Furthermore, the massive CAPEX deployed must eventually be recovered through regulated rates or contracted returns; any regulatory lag or disallowance could severely impact future OCF. The reliance on asset recycling to fund growth also introduces market risk if the secondary market for infrastructure assets weakens.