Free cash flow generation remains highly volatile, with margins fluctuating between 9.3% and 38.5% over the last ten quarters, complicated by aggressive share repurchases like the $45.9 million outflow in 2025Q2.
| Metric | TTM | Jan'26 | Dec'24 | Dec'23 | Dec'22 | Jan'22 | Jan'21 | 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 | Apr'99 | Mar'97 | Mar'96 | Apr'95 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 193.47M | 175.11M | 140.88M | 269.59M | 238.81M | 167.72M | 91.69M | 124.14M | 51.46M | 38.51M | 41.73M | -22.89M | 40.12M | 56.5M | 4.5M | 62.18M | 79.31M | 98.94M | 26.23M | -28.5M | -14.49M | -19.98M | 5.96M | 34.78M | 46M | 6.97M | 94.3M | 39.7M | 7.3M | 39.7M | -4.3M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 33.46% | 27.66% | 36.57% | 36.16% | 32.55% | 22.47% | 30.72% | 12.9% | 9.98% | 9.77% | -5.64% | 10.96% | 16.99% | 1.61% | 19.53% | 26.64% | 50.89% | 11.8% | -12.46% | -5.91% | -9.47% | 2.64% | 16.59% | 20.08% | 2.36% | 16.61% | 16.14% | 3.58% | 20.03% | -2.98% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 167.06% | 24.3% | -47.74% | 12.89% | 42.38% | 82.93% | -26.14% | 141.24% | 33.61% | -7.72% | 282.36% | -157.04% | -28.99% | 1157.04% | -92.77% | -21.6% | -19.84% | 277.25% | 192.04% | -96.59% | 27.46% | -435.32% | -82.87% | -24.39% | 560.23% | -92.61% | 137.52% | 443.84% | -81.61% | 1023.26% | -127.04% |
| Net Income | 19.88M | 3.08M | 61.13M | 259.06M | 178.88M | 95.92M | 47.39M | 43.49M | -26.32M | -70.56M | -54.1M | -159.49M | 48.58M | 22.32M | -29.61M | 78.23M | 57.07M | -6.96M | -38.21M | -239.82M | 3.09M | -49.12M | -51.98M | -91.81M | -175.24M | -109.52M | 167.89M | 56.6M | 45M | 41.8M | 27M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 42.75M | 42.31M | 46.27M | 41.2M | 35.84M | 24.43M | 25.14M | 33.06M | 39.26M | 57.86M | 61.81M | 60.81M | 22.25M | 20.81M | 22.15M | 16.67M | 14.49M | 14.21M | 21.93M | 26.96M | 27.75M | 33.49M | 68.78M | 99.9M | 94.38M | 106.54M | 102.21M | 9.6M | 8.6M | 7.1M | 6M |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 59.86M | 115.61M | 52.98M | 70.2M | 55.53M | 46.48M | 40.37M | 18.9M | 13.65M | 12.54M | 16.21M | 18.4M | 12.8M | 9.52M | 7.51M | 6.36M | 4.55M | 4.58M | 5.58M | 5.5M | 3.62M | 2.08M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 7.87M | 5.19M | -12.07M | -58.61M | -1.42M | -324K | 0 | 0 | -96K | -154K | 90K | 21.37M | -7.22M | 2.36M | 19.22M | -49.38M | 0 | 0 | -5.34M | -7.1M | -5.18M | -2.08M | 0 | 0 | 110.79M | -55.37M | 11.48M | -2.8M | -2M | -2.4M | -1.8M |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 67.67M | 4.24M | 4.27M | 253K | 7.91M | 6.67M | 6.1M | 10.29M | 14.73M | 33.15M | 8.52M | 25.32M | -1.7M | 2.85M | -393K | -303K | -1.39M | -358K | 26.28M | 226.31M | 1.25M | -6.94M | -8.83M | 1.11M | 17.38M | 165.34M | -149.96M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Working Capital Changes | -4.57M | 4.67M | -11.71M | -42.51M | -37.92M | -5.45M | -27.32M | 18.39M | 10.24M | 5.68M | 9.2M | 10.71M | -34.59M | 1.5M | -14.39M | 10.6M | 4.58M | 87.47M | 15.98M | -40.34M | -45.02M | 2.58M | -2.01M | 25.57M | -1.31M | -100.02M | -37.33M | -23.7M | -44.3M | -6.8M | -35.5M |
| Change in Receivables | -33.56M | -21.22M | 23.31M | -10.36M | -14.16M | -12.01M | 336K | -4.03M | -3.98M | 44.61M | -11.42M | 4.58M | -12.29M | -3.14M | -9.95M | 4.55M | -7.64M | -7.15M | 2.89M | -6.75M | 1.03M | -3.99M | 7.21M | -422K | -6.92M | 0 | -16.01M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | 6.66M | 14.21M | -4.58M | 11.55M | -42.78M | -3M | -9.62M | 12.12M | 13.18M | -902K | -3.27M | 9.87M | -18.7M | -2.03M | -6.92M | 2.62M | -11.41M | 6.78M | 7.3M | -1.19M | -10.23M | 10.05M | 8M | 9.61M | 12.16M | -5.43M | -33.46M | 5.2M | -6M | -7.6M | -300K |
| Change in Payables | 26.43M | 19.69M | 2.34M | -7.55M | 7.44M | 7.05M | -16.82M | 9.26M | 13.32M | -23.59M | 8.34M | 6.55M | -7.82M | 3.59M | 5.31M | -1.06M | 3.96M | 7.12M | -4M | -46.76M | 31.36M | -8.94M | 28.66M | -3.21M | -3.5M | 0 | 634K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -65.65M | -62.31M | -37.69M | -33.25M | -34.93M | -89.8M | -20.87M | -15.54M | -21.11M | -8.26M | -17.37M | -336.82M | -34.14M | -56.4M | -13.38M | -86.23M | -64.39M | 4.39M | 32.75M | 91.35M | 31.71M | 42.82M | 9.88M | -144.59M | -90.33M | -3.03M | -225.07M | -50.9M | -24.7M | -92M | -12.2M |
| Capital Expenditures | -41.55M | -42.53M | -20.98M | -33.25M | -23.34M | -9.84M | -12.12M | -15.59M | -16.51M | -22.39M | -25.75M | -27.72M | -10.27M | -12.5M | -19.71M | -38.64M | -13.86M | -7.03M | -10.13M | -11.04M | -13.67M | -11.29M | -10.72M | -9.79M | -17.45M | -13.75M | -25.88M | -18.8M | -10.6M | -12.6M | -6.3M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 7.24% | 8.13% | 4.12% | 4.51% | 3.53% | 1.91% | 2.97% | 3.86% | 4.14% | 5.8% | 6.03% | 6.83% | 2.8% | 3.76% | 7.06% | 12.14% | 4.65% | 3.62% | 4.56% | 4.83% | 5.57% | 5.35% | 4.75% | 4.67% | 7.62% | 4.66% | 4.56% | 7.65% | 5.19% | 6.36% | 4.37% |
| Acquisitions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -68.1M | 0 | 0 | 8.11M | 967K | -1M | -436.07M | 14.63M | 0 | 5.73M | -45.65M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -29.61M | 1.1M | -256.76M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | -24.1M | -19.78M | -16.71M | 0 | -11.59M | -11.86M | -8.75M | -9.6M | -8.11M | 7.89M | 1.97M | 112.46M | -6.06M | -7.35M | -5.73M | -45.65M | 871K | 0 | 1.66M | 2.25M | 257.43M | 258.2M | 29.61M | -1.1M | 50.16M | -7.42M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100K | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | -115.69M | -115.7M | -94.46M | -253.72M | -188.07M | -128.61M | -8.1M | -109.91M | -16.84M | -32.61M | -1.11M | 329.94M | -4.35M | -3.83M | -14M | -8.9M | 3.4M | -932K | -42.64M | -65.96M | -16.12M | -28.32M | -6.3M | -24.39M | -36.4M | 10.36M | 252.86M | 17.6M | 16.7M | 99.2M | 5.8M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 0 | 0 | 0 | -130M | -30.15M | -13.13M | 23.75M | -116.99M | -43.76M | -35.43M | -5.15M | 343.88M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -805K | -43.24M | -68.69M | -20.39M | -28.41M | -9.49M | -29.09M | -42.08M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equity Issued (Net) | -107.93M | -92.41M | -60.81M | -71.64M | -102.97M | -61.3M | -4.89M | 17.17M | 29.29M | 6.08M | 7.61M | -1.29M | -921K | -3.08M | -13.17M | -8.26M | 4.21M | 84K | 597K | 2.73M | 4.27M | 92K | 3.19M | 4.7M | 5.68M | 10.36M | 252.86M | 7M | 17.6M | 16.7M | 99.2M |
| 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 | -90M | -100M | -67M | -80M | -110.13M | -70.12M | -14.99M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -6.97M | -13.09M | -6.16M | -17.55M | -14.44M | -1.97M | -329K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -10.61M | -9.38M | -9.2M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | -7.76M | -23.29M | -33.65M | -52.08M | -54.95M | -54.19M | -26.96M | -10.08M | -2.37M | -3.27M | -3.56M | -12.64M | -3.43M | -744K | -832K | -642K | -808K | -211K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.6M | 0 | 82.5M | -93.4M |
| Net Change in Cash | 12.39M | -2.4M | 7.97M | -17.41M | 14.15M | -50.76M | 64.25M | -970K | 12.24M | 263K | 21.95M | -31M | 1.3M | -4.23M | -22.89M | -32.96M | 18.32M | 102.4M | 16.34M | -3.1M | 1.1M | -5.48M | 9.54M | -134.2M | -80.73M | 14.3M | 122.08M | 6.4M | -700K | 46.9M | -10.7M |
| Free Cash Flow | 151.92M | 132.58M | 119.89M | 236.34M | 215.47M | 157.89M | 79.57M | 108.55M | 34.95M | 16.12M | 15.98M | -50.61M | 29.86M | 44M | -15.22M | 23.54M | 65.45M | 91.91M | 16.1M | -39.53M | -28.17M | -31.27M | -4.77M | 24.98M | 28.55M | -6.78M | 68.41M | 20.9M | -3.3M | 27.1M | -10.6M |
| FCF Margin % | 26.47% | 25.34% | 23.54% | 32.06% | 32.63% | 30.64% | 19.5% | 26.86% | 8.76% | 4.18% | 3.74% | -12.47% | 8.15% | 13.23% | -5.45% | 7.39% | 21.98% | 47.27% | 7.24% | -17.29% | -11.48% | -14.81% | -2.11% | 11.92% | 12.46% | -2.3% | 12.05% | 8.5% | -1.62% | 13.67% | -7.36% |
| FCF Growth % | 25.13% | 10.58% | -49.27% | 9.69% | 36.47% | 98.44% | -26.7% | 210.57% | 116.78% | 0.88% | 131.58% | -269.52% | -32.15% | 389.12% | -164.67% | -64.04% | -28.79% | 470.92% | 140.72% | -40.35% | 9.91% | -556.06% | -119.08% | -12.48% | 520.8% | -109.92% | 227.33% | 733.33% | -112.18% | 355.66% | -221.84% |
| FCF per Share | 1.09 | 0.96 | 0.87 | 1.69 | 1.53 | 1.11 | 0.56 | 0.79 | 0.28 | 0.13 | 0.13 | -0.43 | 0.25 | 0.38 | -0.13 | 0.19 | 0.54 | 0.80 | 0.14 | -0.34 | -0.24 | -0.28 | -0.04 | 0.22 | 0.26 | -0.06 | 0.66 | 0.22 | -0.04 | 0.31 | -0.14 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 7.64x | 56.78x | 2.30x | 1.04x | 1.33x | 1.75x | 1.93x | 2.85x | -1.95x | -0.55x | -0.77x | 0.14x | 0.83x | 2.53x | -0.15x | 0.79x | 1.39x | -14.22x | -0.69x | 0.12x | -4.69x | 0.41x | -0.11x | -0.38x | -0.26x | -0.06x | 0.56x | 0.70x | 0.16x | 0.95x | -0.16x |
| Interest Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.24M | 3.97M | 2.31M | 3.7M | 10.99M | 18.61M | 20.65M | 18.16M | 11.07M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 3.85M | 0 | 8.59M | 15.75M | 4.62M | 3.3M | 1.87M | 3.39M | 3.05M | 2.39M | 9.36M | 8.34M | 1.6M | 1.37M | 908K | 1.82M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Operating margin and cash divergence
As evidenced by the quarterly cash flow data, the OCF/NI ratio has exhibited extreme volatility, reaching a peak of 16.86 in 2025Q3, which suggests that reported net income is currently a poor proxy for the company's actual ability to generate cash from its core operations.
The significant divergence between net income and operating cash flow appears to be driven by non-cash charges and working capital fluctuations rather than operational efficiency. Investors should monitor whether this disconnect persists, as it may indicate that the company's accounting earnings are being heavily influenced by items that do not reflect the underlying cash-generating capacity of the business.
Based on the provided financial statements, free cash flow margins have fluctuated significantly, ranging from a low of 9.3% in 2024Q2 to a high of 38.5% in 2025Q4, indicating that the company's cash generation remains highly sensitive to the current semiconductor industry inventory correction cycle.
While the company has maintained positive free cash flow throughout the observed period, the lack of a consistent trajectory suggests that the business is currently in a transition phase. The variability in FCF margins warrants further investigation into whether this is a temporary byproduct of R&D-heavy product cycles or a more permanent shift in the company's cash-conversion efficiency.
According to recent SEC filings, the company's capital expenditure as a percentage of revenue has averaged roughly 6.5% over the last ten quarters, suggesting that the fabless model continues to provide a structural advantage in maintaining a relatively light asset base despite ongoing product development investments.
The moderate level of capital intensity appears to support the company's ability to fund its Nexus and Avant platform roadmaps without excessive strain on the balance sheet. However, investors should monitor whether future competitive pressures necessitate a step-up in capital spending that could further compress free cash flow margins.
As reported in financial statements, the company has consistently utilized cash for share repurchases, including a notable $45.9 million outflow in 2025Q2, even as net income has faced significant pressure, which suggests a management preference for returning capital despite the current volatility in operational performance.
The decision to prioritize share repurchases during a period of earnings instability may indicate management's confidence in the long-term value of the business. Nevertheless, this capital allocation strategy warrants further investigation to ensure that such outflows do not impair the company's ability to fund critical R&D initiatives during a potential industry downturn.
Based on the provided data, stock-based compensation has reached as high as $35.8 million in a single quarter, which significantly impacts the cash flow statement and suggests that the company's reported cash generation may be overstated when accounting for the dilution and economic cost of employee equity.
The reliance on stock-based compensation as a primary component of the expense structure appears to be a material factor in the company's cash flow profile. Analysts should adjust for these non-cash expenses to better understand the true economic cost of operations and the sustainability of the company's current cash-flow-based valuation metrics.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying LSCC stock.
Lattice Semiconductor Corporation (LSCC) generated $175.1M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Lattice Semiconductor Corporation (LSCC) generated $132.6M 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.
Lattice Semiconductor Corporation (LSCC) spent $42.5M 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, Lattice Semiconductor Corporation (LSCC) spent $100.0M on share repurchases. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.