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Abbott Laboratories cash flow, quarter by quarter

Latest: Q3 2026 · from the cash-flow statements filed with the SEC

Free cash flow$1.2B in Q3 2026 · $6.8B over twelve months

Operating cash flow$1.7B
Capital spending−$513M
Free cash flow+$1.2B
Cash / net income1.9×
Cash conversion cycle105 days

Analysis

In Q3 2026, Abbott Laboratories generated $1.7B of operating cash flow and spent $513M on capital projects, leaving free cash flow of $1.2B. That is $1.1B less than in Q3 2025 ($2.3B).

Over the twelve months to Sep 30, 2026, operating cash flow was $8.9B; the largest uses were other investing ($20.2B), dividends ($4.3B), capital spending ($2.1B); besides operations, cash came from other financing ($15.7B), shares issued ($224M); the cash balance fell by $3.5B.

Operating cash flow was $1.7B against net income of $920M — 1.9× profit, cash ran ahead of reported earnings. The largest differences: depreciation & amortization +$1.3B, receivables −$476M, stock-based pay +$137M.

Its cash conversion cycle was 105 days (receivables 62 + inventory 120 − payables 77).

Free cash flow

Abbott Laboratories: free cash flow by quarterAbbott Laboratories: free cash flow by quarter$2.1BQ4 2024$933MQ1 2025$1.5BQ2 2025$2.3BQ3 2025$2.6BQ4 2025$916MQ1 2026$2.0BQ2 2026$1.2BQ3 2026
Operating cash flow less capital spending.
Abbott Laboratories: operating cash flow against capital spendingAbbott Laboratories: operating cash flow against capital spendingOperating cash flowCapital spending$2.9B$720MQ4 2024$1.4B$484MQ1 2025$2.0B$502MQ2 2025$2.8B$496MQ3 2025$3.3B$689MQ4 2025$1.3B$399MQ1 2026$2.5B$497MQ2 2026$1.7B$513MQ3 2026
Latest (Q3 2026): Operating cash flow $1.7B, Capital spending $513M.

Capital allocation, year by year

Abbott Laboratories: where the cash came from (up) and went (down), by fiscal yearAbbott Laboratories: where the cash came from (up) and went (down), by fiscal yearOperating cash flowNet borrowingShares issuedAsset salesCapital spendingBuybacksDividendsFY2021: Operating cash flow $10.5BFY2021: Net borrowing −$248MFY2021: Shares issued $255MFY2021: Asset sales $134MFY2021: Capital spending −$1.9BFY2021: Buybacks −$2.3BFY2021: Dividends −$3.2B$10.9BFY2021FY2022: Operating cash flow $9.6BFY2022: Net borrowing $47.0MFY2022: Shares issued $167MFY2022: Asset sales $48.0MFY2022: Capital spending −$1.8BFY2022: Buybacks −$3.8BFY2022: Dividends −$3.3B$9.8BFY2022FY2023: Operating cash flow $7.3BFY2023: Net borrowing $21.0MFY2023: Shares issued $167MFY2023: Asset sales $40.0MFY2023: Capital spending −$2.2BFY2023: Buybacks −$1.2BFY2023: Dividends −$3.6B$7.5BFY2023FY2024: Operating cash flow $8.6BFY2024: Net borrowing −$100MFY2024: Shares issued $264MFY2024: Asset sales $1.0MFY2024: Capital spending −$2.2BFY2024: Buybacks −$1.3BFY2024: Dividends −$3.8B$8.8BFY2024FY2025: Operating cash flow $9.6BFY2025: Net borrowing −$115MFY2025: Shares issued $396MFY2025: Capital spending −$2.2BFY2025: Buybacks −$893MFY2025: Dividends −$4.1B$10.0BFY2025
Over these 5 years operating cash flow totalled $45.5B; the largest uses were dividends ($18.0B) and capital spending ($10.2B). Cash-flow statements as filed.

Cash runway and the debt wall

Cash & investments$4.3B
Debt$12.9B
Net debt$8.6B
Due within a year$3.0B

Abbott Laboratories funds itself: free cash flow was $6.8B over the last twelve months, and $4.3B of cash and investments stands against $12.9B of debt ($3.0B due within a year, 1.4× covered by cash).

Abbott Laboratories: debt maturities by year (FY2025)Abbott Laboratories: debt maturities by year (FY2025)$3.0BYear 1$700MYear 2$653MYear 3$591MYear 4$650MYear 5$7.4BAfter year 5
Principal due in each year as disclosed in the annual report, against $4.3B of cash and investments now.

Where the cash came from and went

Abbott Laboratories: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, Q3 2026Abbott Laboratories: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, Q3 2026Operating cash flow$1.7BNet borrowing (+) / repaid (−)−$1.4BDividends−$1.1BCash drawn (+) / kept (−)$1.1BCapital spending−$513MOther investing$128MShares issued$100MBuybacks−$11.0MExchange rates$1.0M
Abbott Laboratories: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, TTM to Q3 2026Abbott Laboratories: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, TTM to Q3 2026Other investing−$20.2BOther financing$15.7BOperating cash flow$8.9BDividends−$4.3BCash drawn (+) / kept (−)$3.5BCapital spending−$2.1BBuybacks−$1.5BShares issued$224MNet borrowing (+) / repaid (−)−$45.0MExchange rates−$12.0M

From profit to cash

Abbott Laboratories: net income to operating cash flow, Q3 2026Abbott Laboratories: net income to operating cash flow, Q3 2026Net income$920MDepreciation & amortization$1.3BStock-based pay$137MReceivables−$476MInventory−$51.0MOther operating capital−$49.0MOperating cash flow$1.7B
Non-cash charges are added back; money tied up in receivables or inventory is subtracted.
QuarterReceivable daysInventory daysPayable daysCash conversion cycle
Q3 20266212077105
Q2 20266112281102
Q1 20266512482107
Q4 20256412378110
Q3 20256512476113
Q2 20256212780110
Q1 20256212985106
Q4 20245912177103

Every quarter

QuarterOperating cash flowCapital spendingBuybacksDividendsNet borrowing (+) / repaid (−)Shares issuedCash drawn (+) / kept (−)Free cash flow
Q3 2026$1.7B−$513M−$11.0M−$1.1B−$1.4B$100M$1.1B$1.2B
Q2 2026$2.5B−$497M−$1.0B−$1.1B−$1.4B$3.0M$1.7B$2.0B
Q1 2026$1.3B−$399M−$180M−$1.1B$18.5B$116M$1.7B$916M
Q4 2025$3.3B−$689M−$302M−$1.0B−$71.0M$5.0M−$1.0B$2.6B
Q3 2025$2.8B−$496M−$305M−$1.0B−$493M$69.0M−$560M$2.3B
Q2 2025$2.0B−$502M−$6.0M−$1.0B−$15.0M$35.0M−$419M$1.5B
Q1 2025$1.4B−$484M−$280M−$1.0B−$1.0B$287M$1.1B$933M
Q4 2024$2.9B−$720M−$315M−$958M$26.0M$25.0M−$58.0M$2.1B

Abbott Laboratories: income statement and cash flow

Abbott Laboratories, Q3 2026: revenue $13.0B (+14% year over year), operating margin 10.4%. The chart follows the revenue to costs, profit and cash.

Abbott Laboratories: every quarter, Q/Q and Y/Y → Open in the app

Read automatically from the company’s XBRL cash-flow statements; quarterly figures for the fourth quarter are the year less the first three. Errors are possible. Not investment advice.