Operating cash flow is erratic, swinging from -$86.6M in 2025Q4 to $1.5B in 2026Q1, with free cash flow concentrated in peak quarters and shareholder returns of roughly $150M to $600M per quarter appearing timed around those inflows.
Ryanair Holdings plc (RYAAY) cash flow statement — 30-year operating, investing & financing cash flows
| Metric | TTM | Mar'26 | Mar'25 | Mar'24 | Mar'23 | Mar'22 | Mar'21 | Mar'20 | Mar'19 | Mar'18 | Mar'17 | Mar'16 | Mar'15 | Mar'14 | Mar'13 | Mar'12 | Mar'11 | Mar'10 | Mar'09 | Mar'08 | Mar'07 | Mar'06 | Mar'05 | Mar'04 | Mar'03 | Mar'02 | Mar'01 | Mar'00 | Mar'99 | Mar'98 | Mar'97 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 3.12B | 3.69B | 3.42B | 3.16B | 3.89B | -2.45B | 2.11B | 2.06B | 1.76B | 2.23B | 1.93B | 1.85B | 1.69B | 1.04B | 1.02B | 1.02B | 786.3M | 871.5M | 413.13M | 703.9M | 869.85M | 610.57M | 530.51M | 462.06M | 351M | 333.75M | 229.8M | 149.57M | 124.41M | 92.05M | 2.52M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 23.77% | 24.49% | 23.49% | 36.11% | -50.99% | 128.76% | 24.3% | 22.86% | 31.23% | 28.99% | 28.25% | 29.88% | 20.74% | 20.96% | 23.24% | 21.66% | 29.17% | 14.04% | 25.94% | 38.89% | 36.07% | 39.69% | 43.01% | 41.66% | 53.48% | 47.15% | 40.41% | 42.07% | 39.7% | 2.44% |
| Operating CF Growth % | -116.7% | 8.17% | 8.16% | -18.84% | 258.95% | -216.22% | 2.03% | 17.34% | -21.22% | 15.88% | 4.38% | 9.29% | 61.73% | 2.06% | 0.31% | 29.76% | -9.78% | 110.95% | -41.31% | -19.08% | 42.47% | 15.09% | 14.81% | 31.64% | 5.17% | 45.23% | 53.64% | 20.23% | 35.16% | 3546.79% | -93.64% |
| Net Income | 1.78B | 2.17B | 1.61B | 1.92B | 1.31B | -1.02B | 648.7M | 885M | 885M | 1.45B | 1.32B | 1.56B | 866.7M | 591.4M | 650.9M | 633M | 420.9M | 341M | -180.49M | 0 | 452.51M | 339.26M | 308.28M | 251.62M | 239.05M | 162.63M | 113.04M | 72.44M | 57.42M | 56.28M | 16.4M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 1.5B | 1.37B | 1.21B | 1.06B | 923.2M | 719.4M | 571M | 748.7M | 640.5M | 561M | 497.5M | 427.3M | 377.7M | 351.8M | 329.6M | 309.2M | 277.7M | 235.4M | 256.12M | 175.95M | 143.5M | 124.41M | -100.53M | -103.87M | -76.75M | -58.9M | -57.22M | -43.5M | 36.18M | 25.14M | 6.54M |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 8.3M | 15M | 12.8M | -3.9M | 16.2M | 8.6M | 3.6M | 7M | 7.7M | 6.4M | 5.7M | 5.9M | 500K | 1.9M | 1.9M | -700K | 3.3M | 4.9M | 3.8M | 10.9M | 3.94M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | -42M | 249.6M | 172.8M | 210.9M | 128.7M | -93.6M | 21.6M | 63.1M | 63.1M | 161.1M | 154.4M | 162.8M | 115.7M | 68.6M | -25.3M | 72.6M | -1.7M | 0 | 224.03M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | -65.25M | -256.8M | 8.7M | -102.6M | 151M | -359.6M | 467.8M | -174.8M | -91.1M | -114.4M | -161.8M | -889.6M | -176.4M | -204.4M | -25.8M | -24.1M | -6M | 352.4M | 225.34M | 471.79M | 186.21M | 135.48M | 612.63M | 208.01M | 77.27M | 119.39M | 116.85M | 195.7M | 10.87M | -5.01M | -9.84M |
| Working Capital Changes | -70M | 140M | 395.4M | 76.9M | 1.36B | -1.71B | 393.6M | 535.4M | 254.1M | 168.9M | 115.5M | 136M | 417M | 133.1M | 66.9M | 102.9M | 90.4M | 278.8M | 108.41M | 45.24M | 87.63M | 11.42M | 18.42M | 106.31M | 111.44M | 110.63M | 57.12M | -2.63M | 19.94M | 15.63M | -10.57M |
| Change in Receivables | 8.9M | 29.3M | 2.9M | -16.7M | -16.2M | 48.9M | -8M | -1.9M | -1.9M | -3.3M | 11.8M | -6M | -2M | -2M | -4.6M | -900K | -6.3M | -2.5M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | 700K | -200K | 1.6M | -200K | -1.7M | -300K | -400K | 800K | 800K | -600K | 200K | -1.2M | 400K | 200K | 100K | -100K | -200K | -400K | -78K | 423K | 1M | -962K | -424K | -3.66M | 0 | -1.15M | -2.02M | -1.01M | -6.33M | -1.51M | -734K |
| Change in Payables | 153.1M | -9.2M | 124.8M | -46.4M | 31.2M | -407.6M | 794.4M | 324.2M | 66M | -44.5M | 63.5M | 34.1M | 46.5M | 11.7M | -42.9M | 30.4M | -3.2M | 21.3M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -1.66B | -2.61B | -1.43B | -1.56B | -1.9B | 937.1M | -918.1M | -1.02B | -744.2M | -719.4M | -1.29B | -283.6M | -2.89B | 300.7M | -1.82B | -185.4M | -474M | -1.55B | -388.33M | -692.31M | -1.16B | -337.29M | -616.9M | -331.6M | -469.85M | -396.66M | -356.21M | -154.08M | -107.12M | -110.34M | -33.7M |
| Capital Expenditures | -1.62B | -1.89B | -1.55B | -2.39B | -1.91B | -294.7M | -1.2B | -1.64B | -1.29B | -1.47B | -1.45B | -1.22B | -788.5M | -505.8M | -310.7M | -290.4M | -897.2M | -997.8M | -702.02M | -937.12M | -494.97M | -546.23M | -619.13M | -331.6M | -469.88M | -397.23M | -356.67M | -155.1M | -108.45M | -78.55M | -18.05M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 10.25% | 12.17% | 11.13% | 17.79% | 17.77% | 6.14% | 73.1% | 19.32% | 16.74% | 20.57% | 21.81% | 18.63% | 13.95% | 10.04% | 6.36% | 6.61% | 24.72% | 33.39% | 23.86% | 34.53% | 22.13% | 32.27% | 46.32% | 30.87% | 55.77% | 63.65% | 73.18% | 41.9% | 36.67% | 33.88% | 17.48% |
| Acquisitions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 224.4M | 0 | -25M | -101.5M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -32.74M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11.12M |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | -815M | -720.4M | 121M | 831.5M | 13.5M | 265.7M | 500K | -1.64B | -1.29B | 751.2M | -1.29B | 536M | -2.89B | 300.7M | -1.51B | -185.4M | -872.3M | -908.6M | -387.81M | -820.7M | 495K | 208.94M | 2.23M | 32.74M | 31K | 563K | 456K | 1.02M | 1.33M | -31.79M | -26.77M |
| Cash from Financing | -1.91B | -2.2B | -2B | -1.33B | -1.05B | -536.5M | -297.4M | -883.4M | -854.5M | -1.22B | -671.6M | -1.49B | 653.3M | -856.1M | -669.4M | -154.9M | 238.1M | 572.3M | 87.55M | 112.84M | 195.57M | 293.46M | 467.26M | 122.7M | 286.78M | 329.75M | 404.83M | 214.86M | 79.82M | 28.81M | 34.31M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | -936.9M | -1.22B | -86.4M | -1.14B | -1.09B | -583.3M | 1.2B | 274.4M | -322.9M | -393.7M | 346.3M | -384.9M | 1.27B | -390.8M | -131.8M | -37.4M | 710.7M | 557.8M | 131.9M | 404.4M | 184.34M | 262.87M | 461.88M | 115.76M | 286.72M | 147.86M | 281.06M | 97.47M | 19.78M | -44.35M | 29.6M |
| Equity Issued (Net) | -567.3M | -533.3M | -1.48B | 16.4M | 31.7M | 46.8M | 0 | -580.5M | -531.6M | -829.1M | -1.02B | -1.1B | -617.9M | -481.7M | -537.6M | -117.5M | -472.6M | 14.5M | -44.4M | -291.6M | 11.23M | 30.59M | 5.38M | 6.95M | 56K | 182M | 128.61M | 122.47M | 60.02M | 83.3M | 6.74M |
| Dividends Paid | -406.3M | -443.3M | -437.7M | -199.5M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.1B | -520.3M | 0 | -491.5M | 0 | -500M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | -568.7M | -536.5M | -1.48B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -580.5M | -531.6M | -829.1M | -1.02B | -1.1B | -632.3M | -481.7M | -559M | -124.6M | -500M | 0 | -46.02M | -300M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -6.33M | -4.55M | -4.59M | -3.47M | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | -1.59M | 0 | 4.9M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.5B | 19.1M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 397.9M | 520.3M | 16.4M | 491.5M | 0 | 500M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1K | -107K | -4.83M | -5.08M | 16.14K | -10.15M | -2.03M |
| Net Change in Cash | -445.4M | -1.13B | -12.1M | 276.1M | 930.3M | 84.3M | 890.8M | 160.6M | 160.6M | 291M | -35.2M | 74.6M | -545.5M | 489.2M | -1.47B | 680M | 550.4M | -105.3M | 112.34M | 124.43M | -92.58M | 566.41M | -369.71M | -51.18M | -1.2M | 20.85M | 39.21M | -143.87M | 12.63M | 10.51M | 3.14M |
| Free Cash Flow | 1.5B | 1.8B | 1.86B | 766M | 1.98B | -2.74B | 910.5M | 423.2M | 470.8M | 762.6M | 477.4M | 628.6M | 900.9M | 538.8M | 712.8M | 729.9M | -110.9M | -126.3M | -288.88M | -233.21M | 374.88M | 64.34M | -88.62M | 130.46M | -118.88M | -63.48M | -126.87M | -5.52M | 15.96M | 13.5M | -15.53M |
| FCF Margin % | 9.51% | 11.6% | 13.36% | 5.7% | 18.34% | -57.13% | 55.66% | 4.98% | 6.12% | 10.66% | 7.18% | 9.62% | 15.93% | 10.7% | 14.59% | 16.63% | -3.06% | -4.23% | -9.82% | -8.59% | 16.76% | 3.8% | -6.63% | 12.14% | -14.11% | -10.17% | -26.03% | -1.49% | 5.4% | 5.82% | -15.04% |
| FCF Growth % | -32.8% | -3.26% | 143.24% | -61.24% | 172.06% | -401.23% | 115.15% | -10.11% | -38.26% | 59.74% | -24.05% | -30.23% | 67.2% | -24.41% | -2.34% | 758.16% | 12.19% | 56.28% | -23.87% | -162.21% | 482.61% | 172.61% | -167.93% | 209.74% | -87.27% | 49.96% | -2196.65% | -134.61% | 18.25% | 186.91% | -155.87% |
| FCF per Share | 2.87 | 3.39 | 3.36 | 1.34 | 3.47 | -4.85 | 1.64 | 0.76 | 0.82 | 1.27 | 0.76 | 0.93 | 1.33 | 0.76 | 1.01 | 1.01 | -0.15 | -0.17 | -0.40 | -0.31 | 0.49 | 0.09 | -0.12 | 0.17 | -0.16 | -0.09 | -0.18 | -0.01 | 0.02 | 0.02 | -0.03 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 0.84x | 1.70x | 2.12x | 1.65x | 2.96x | 10.17x | -2.07x | 3.18x | 1.99x | 1.54x | 1.46x | 1.18x | 1.95x | 2.00x | 1.80x | 1.82x | 2.10x | 2.85x | -2.44x | 1.80x | 2.00x | 1.99x | 1.89x | 2.24x | 1.47x | 2.22x | 2.20x | 2.06x | 2.16x | 2.54x | 0.22x |
| Interest Paid | 19.9M | 51M | 69.7M | 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 |
| Taxes 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 |
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying RYAAY stock.
Ryanair Holdings plc (RYAAY) generated $3.69B in net cash from operating activities in 2026. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Ryanair Holdings plc (RYAAY) generated $1.80B in free cash flow in 2026. Free cash flow is the cash left over after capital expenditures, which can be used to pay dividends, repurchase shares, or pay down debt.
Ryanair Holdings plc (RYAAY) spent $1.89B on capital expenditures in 2026. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.
In 2026, Ryanair Holdings plc (RYAAY) returned $443.3M to shareholders via cash dividends and spent $536.5M on share repurchases. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.
Key Metrics
Top Statement Risk
Seasonal Cash Burn Concentration
Earnings Quality Diverges From Operating Cash
Based on reported quarterly figures, Ryanair's operating cash flow to net income ratio swings from -5.03 in 2026Q4 to 3.13 in 2025Q1, indicating cash conversion is highly erratic rather than tracking earnings in a stable way.
The ratio is distorted by quarters where net income is near zero or negative, so the multiple itself carries limited meaning in isolation. The more informative pattern is that operating cash flow stays positive in most profitable quarters while turning negative in several Q4 and Q3 periods where reported earnings were also weak. This suggests that the cash generated during peak seasons is largely consumed by off-peak working capital and operating outflows, warranting further investigation into the timing of cash receipts versus expense recognition.
Free Cash Flow Concentrated in Peak Quarters
As reported in the quarterly statements, free cash flow reached $1.5B in 2026Q4 and $835.4M in 2026Q1, while the 2026Q3 and 2025Q4 periods printed negative FCF margins near -12%, reflecting a strongly seasonal cash profile.
Free cash flow margins range from roughly -12.6% to 61.0%, and the sign flips depend heavily on the quarter rather than on any consistent multi-period trend. Investors should recognize that the trailing picture depends on which four-quarter window is observed, since a single quarter can swing the cumulative total materially. The data does not support a clear conclusion about whether underlying cash generation is improving, because the seasonal pattern dominates the signal.
Capital Spending Tracks Revenue Seasonally
Based on Ryanair's reported figures, CapEx runs between $203.1M and $622.8M per quarter, equating to 6.4% to 18.1% of revenue, which suggests spending is paced to fleet and operational timing rather than a steady maintenance base.
The relationship between capital expenditure and D&A, which ranges from about $291.9M to $417.1M per quarter, indicates that CapEx has generally exceeded depreciation in most periods. This pattern is consistent with ongoing fleet investment rather than a purely maintenance-level program, though the supplied data does not separate maintenance from growth spending. Investors should monitor whether capital intensity remains elevated once the fleet expansion phase matures.
Shareholder Returns Funded From Peak Cash
According to the reported statements, dividends were paid in only a few quarters while buybacks totaled roughly $150M to $600M per quarter, suggesting capital returns are timed around strong cash periods and appear discretionary rather than fixed.
Repurchase activity continues in weaker quarters, including periods of negative operating cash flow, which may indicate reliance on balance sheet liquidity or prior accumulated cash rather than current free cash flow. The large Q2 2025 buyback outflow of $605.8M stands out against modest operating cash in that quarter. This warrants further investigation into how these returns are funded across the full cycle.
Peak-Quarter Cash Masks Off-Season Burn
The reported figures suggest that headline annual free cash flow may overstate underlying cash generation, since the 2026Q3 and 2025Q4 quarters both recorded negative operating cash flow despite the strong 2026Q4 and 2026Q1 inflows.
Because the data is quarterly and seasonal, an annualized view could present a more favorable picture than the off-peak cash drain would support. Investors may wish to test whether the strength in peak periods reflects genuine earnings power or timing of working capital, including advance ticket receipts that unwind later. The data does not show the underlying causes, so these interpretations remain inferential rather than established.