Free cash flow remains inconsistent, swinging from a negative $663 million in 2023Q4 to a positive $254.8 million in 2025Q4, while capital expenditure continues to consume 22% 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 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 1.32B | 1.38B | 1.15B | 2.11B | 2.56B | 2.64B | 2.44B | 2.95B | 2.52B | 2.48B | 1.9B | 2.03B | 5.28B | 6.35B | 7.26B | 6.11B | 3.7B | 3.51B | 3.46B | 3.04B |
| Operating CF Growth % | -10.86% | 19.67% | -45.52% | -17.44% | -3.07% | 7.98% | -17.13% | 16.91% | 1.55% | 30.48% | -6.03% | -61.64% | -16.88% | -12.48% | 18.85% | 64.94% | 5.39% | 1.47% | 13.97% | - |
| Operating CF / Revenue % | 28.85% | 30.76% | 28.72% | 57.08% | 68.1% | 68.52% | 70.16% | 36.62% | 27.75% | 26.21% | 21.42% | 21.08% | 39.14% | 39.78% | 31.47% | 30.15% | 35.21% | 40.36% | 34.22% | 42.36% |
| Net Income | 532.12M | 541.13M | 415M | 307M | 656M | 75M | 373M | 1.04B | -398.05M | -115.38M | -385.69M | -913.44M | -647M | -2.63B | 1.54B | 543M | 1.81B | 1.12B | 530.49M | 1.46B |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 817.03M | 815.77M | 728M | 735M | 778M | 799M | 792M | 1.95B | 1.84B | 2.03B | 1.97B | 2.06B | 4.32B | 4.84B | 5.01B | 4.79B | 2.01B | 1.69B | 1.9B | 1.39B |
| Deferred Taxes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -190.95M | 0 | 0 | 32.86M |
| Other Non-Cash Items | -71.27M | -59M | -106M | 821M | 1.19B | 1.86B | 1.28B | 53M | 758.01M | 485.58M | 576.51M | 1.04B | 1.63B | 4.2B | 267M | 691M | 171.95M | 495.29M | 1.56B | 43.69M |
| Working Capital Changes | 46.63M | 78.32M | 113M | 248M | -66M | -96M | 2M | -102M | 322.85M | 78.26M | -252.73M | -156.39M | -20M | -60M | 445M | 87M | -98M | 201.48M | -533.93M | -63.35M |
| Capital Expenditures | -794.91M | -745.58M | -627M | -2.24B | -1.66B | -1.46B | -1.87B | -1.58B | -1.95B | -3.29B | -2.72B | -2.2B | -4.49B | -3.96B | -3.89B | -6.26B | -1.81B | -1.43B | -7.26B | -1.61B |
| CapEx / Revenue % | 17.7% | 21.57% | 22.65% | 60.49% | 44.1% | 37.9% | 53.59% | 19.65% | 21.5% | 34.68% | 30.57% | 22.89% | 33.29% | 24.77% | 16.85% | 30.91% | 17.26% | 16.47% | 71.78% | 22.4% |
| CapEx / D&A | 0.99x | 1.18x | 1.25x | 3.04x | 2.13x | 1.83x | 2.36x | 0.81x | 1.06x | 1.61x | 1.38x | 1.07x | 1.04x | 0.82x | 0.78x | 1.31x | 0.90x | 0.85x | 3.82x | 1.15x |
| CapEx Coverage (OCF/CapEx) | 1.63x | 1.43x | 1.27x | 0.94x | 1.54x | 1.81x | 1.31x | 1.86x | 1.29x | 0.76x | 0.70x | 0.92x | 1.18x | 1.61x | 1.87x | 0.98x | 2.04x | 2.45x | 0.48x | 1.89x |
| Cash from Investing | -740.74M | -804.58M | -778M | -2.24B | -1.66B | -1.46B | -1.87B | -1.87B | 2B | -3.29B | -2.72B | -329.72M | -3.98B | -4.21B | -4.01B | -6.95B | -1.38B | -1.43B | -7.26B | -2.23B |
| Acquisitions | 88.63M | 299.05M | 136M | 0 | 24M | -279M | -10M | 0 | 19.05M | -239.78M | -312.61M | 2.3B | 91M | 125M | -33M | -804M | -13M | 0 | -4.18B | -301.36M |
| Purchase of Investments | 0 | 0 | 0 | -147M | -14M | -48M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -101.33M | -88.3M | 0 | -23M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -12.5M | -497.03M | 0 |
| Sale of Investments | 0 | 0 | 92M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.9B | 0 | 0 | 73.71M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25M | 455.19M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Investing | -16.57M | -138.33M | -99M | -1.32B | -656M | -274M | -1.31B | -291M | 1.04B | -900.94M | -639.44M | -500.05M | 444M | -383M | -89M | 94M | -10.19M | -529.38M | -162.11M | -327.12M |
| Cash from Financing | -614.42M | -557.41M | -551M | -1.15B | 116M | -465M | -103M | -1.64B | -3.93B | -475.55M | -122.81M | -3.73B | 1.33B | -2.58B | -587M | 2.58B | -2.86B | -1.55B | 3.79B | -193.74M |
| Dividends Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -259M | -520M | -509.35M | -519.7M | -61.91M | -60.76M | -71M | -4.05B | 0 | -1.22B | -578M | -315.64M | -594.19M | -331.88M |
| Dividend Payout Ratio % | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 83.6% | 87.52% | - | 2.66% | - | - | - | - | 223.94% | 32% | 28.14% | 113.32% | 22.69% |
| Debt Issuance (Net) | 0 | -1000K | -1000K | -1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | -1000K | -1000K | 1000K | 1000K | -1000K | 1000K | 1000K | -1000K | 1000K | -1000K | -1000K | 1000K | 1000K |
| Stock Issued | -172.77K | 134.27M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.99M | 0 | 1.39B | 0 | 5M | 7M | 0 | 25.79M | 39.79M |
| Share Repurchases | -108.89M | -106.8M | -8M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1M | -480M | -18.2M | -1.12B | -81.07M |
| Other Financing | -305.67M | -254.29M | -15M | -241M | -352M | -569M | -317M | -838M | -93.25M | -447.46M | -127.89M | -891.53M | -16M | -12M | -31M | -13M | -85M | 4.17M | 0 | -14.38M |
| Net Change in Cash | -22.25M | 42.99M | -213M | -1.21B | 855M | 583M | 423M | -572M | 493.36M | -1.63B | -671.76M | -2.73B | 1.89B | 1.21B | 1.55B | 1.28B | -1.03B | 532.29M | 914.66M | 659.22M |
| Exchange Rate Effect | 10M | 28.75M | -34M | 66M | -162M | -131M | -51M | -8M | -104.22M | -349.51M | 264.05M | -696.46M | -743M | 1.64B | -1.11B | -465M | -487.95M | -1.63M | 919.18M | 49.82M |
| Cash at Beginning | 1.73B | 1.69B | 1.9B | 3.11B | 2.25B | 1.67B | 1.24B | 1.81B | 1.31B | 2.94B | 3.61B | 6.34B | 4.45B | 3.25B | 1.69B | 415M | 1.45B | 914.66M | 0 | 344.49M |
| Cash at End | 1.75B | 1.73B | 1.69B | 1.9B | 3.11B | 2.25B | 1.66B | 1.24B | 1.81B | 1.31B | 2.94B | 3.61B | 6.34B | 4.45B | 3.25B | 1.69B | 415M | 1.45B | 914.66M | 1B |
| Free Cash Flow | 529.02M | 630.64M | 523M | -126M | 901M | 1.18B | 577M | 1.37B | 568.5M | -802.62M | -813M | -173.32M | 790M | 2.4B | 3.37B | -154M | 1.89B | 2.08B | -3.8B | 1.43B |
| FCF Growth % | 3.32% | 20.58% | 515.08% | -113.98% | -23.58% | 104.33% | -57.76% | 140.28% | 170.83% | 1.28% | -369.06% | -121.94% | -67.03% | -28.92% | 2288.96% | -108.16% | -9.2% | 154.73% | -365.39% | - |
| FCF Margin % | 11.52% | 14.09% | 13.06% | -3.41% | 23.99% | 30.62% | 16.57% | 16.97% | 6.26% | -8.47% | -9.15% | -1.8% | 5.86% | 15.01% | 14.62% | -0.76% | 17.96% | 23.89% | -37.56% | 19.96% |
| FCF / Net Income % | 99.42% | 116.54% | 126.02% | 4.98% | -556.17% | 174.93% | -165.33% | 219.61% | 97.68% | 158.93% | -34.92% | 26.46% | -122.1% | -120.28% | 219.04% | -28.36% | 104.54% | 185.35% | -724.62% | 97.87% |
Currency and geopolitical volatility
As reported in recent financial statements, VEON's operating cash flow frequently decouples from net income, with the OCF/NI ratio exhibiting extreme variance, such as the -14.93x multiple observed in 2025Q4, which highlights the significant impact of non-cash items and currency translation on reported profitability metrics.
The persistent gap between net income and operating cash flow suggests that reported earnings are heavily influenced by non-operating adjustments rather than core operational cash generation. Investors should monitor this divergence, as it indicates that the company's accounting bottom line may not accurately reflect the underlying cash-generating capacity of its digital operator business model.
Based on the provided cash flow data, VEON's free cash flow trajectory has been inconsistent, swinging from a negative $663 million in 2023Q4 to a positive $254.8 million in 2025Q4, reflecting the company's ongoing struggle to maintain stable cash margins amidst significant capital expenditure requirements.
The volatility in free cash flow margins suggests that the company's ability to self-fund its digital transformation is highly sensitive to external shocks and lumpy investment cycles. This inconsistency warrants further investigation into whether the current cash flow profile can support long-term debt service obligations without further external financing.
According to historical cash flow filings, VEON's capital expenditure as a percentage of revenue has remained elevated, peaking at 112.7% in 2023Q4 and maintaining a 22% intensity in 2026Q1, which underscores the heavy infrastructure requirements inherent in its frontier market telecommunications operations.
The high capital intensity suggests that the company is still in a heavy investment phase to maintain its network moat, which limits the amount of cash available for shareholder returns. The persistent need for significant reinvestment may indicate that the digital operator strategy has yet to achieve the scale necessary to reduce physical asset dependency.
As evidenced by the quarterly cash flow data, working capital changes have been a significant driver of cash flow volatility, with swings ranging from a $225 million inflow in 2023Q4 to a $64 million outflow in 2024Q2, indicating inconsistent efficiency in managing receivables and payables.
These fluctuations suggest that the company's cash conversion cycle is susceptible to the macroeconomic instability of its operating regions. Investors should monitor whether these working capital movements represent temporary timing differences or a more structural challenge in collecting cash from subsidiaries in markets with strict capital controls.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying VEON stock.
VEON Ltd. (VEON) generated $1.38B in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
VEON Ltd. (VEON) generated $630.6M 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.
VEON Ltd. (VEON) spent $965.3M 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, VEON Ltd. (VEON) spent $106.8M on share repurchases. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.