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Charter Communications cash flow, quarter by quarter

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

Free cash flow$1.0B in Q3 2026 · $3.9B over twelve months

Operating cash flow$4.0B
Capital spending−$3.0B
Free cash flow+$1.0B

Analysis

In Q3 2026, Charter Communications generated $4.0B of operating cash flow and spent $3.0B on capital projects, leaving free cash flow of $1.0B. That is $429M less than in Q3 2025 ($1.4B).

Over the twelve months to Sep 30, 2026, operating cash flow was $16.0B; the largest uses were capital spending ($12.1B), other investing ($4.7B), buybacks ($2.7B); besides operations, cash came from net borrowing (+) / repaid (−) ($3.5B), other financing ($83.0M); the cash balance rose by $95.0M.

Operating cash flow was $4.0B against net income of −$2.7B. The largest differences: depreciation & amortization +$2.6B, deferred taxes −$1.0B, payables +$324M.

Free cash flow

Charter Communications: free cash flow by quarterCharter Communications: free cash flow by quarter$398MQ4 2024$1.8BQ1 2025$726MQ2 2025$1.4BQ3 2025$426MQ4 2025$1.4BQ1 2026$1.1BQ2 2026$1.0BQ3 2026
Operating cash flow less capital spending.
Charter Communications: operating cash flow against capital spendingCharter Communications: operating cash flow against capital spendingOperating cash flowCapital spending$3.5B$3.1BQ4 2024$4.2B$2.4BQ1 2025$3.6B$2.9BQ2 2025$4.5B$3.1BQ3 2025$3.8B$3.3BQ4 2025$4.3B$2.9BQ1 2026$3.9B$2.9BQ2 2026$4.0B$3.0BQ3 2026
Latest (Q3 2026): Operating cash flow $4.0B, Capital spending $3.0B.

Capital allocation, year by year

Charter Communications: where the cash came from (up) and went (down), by fiscal yearCharter Communications: where the cash came from (up) and went (down), by fiscal yearOperating cash flowNet borrowingShares issuedCapital spendingBuybacksFY2021: Operating cash flow $16.2BFY2021: Net borrowing $8.8BFY2021: Shares issued $44.0MFY2021: Capital spending −$7.6BFY2021: Buybacks −$15.4B$25.1BFY2021FY2022: Operating cash flow $14.9BFY2022: Net borrowing $6.3BFY2022: Shares issued $5.0MFY2022: Capital spending −$9.4BFY2022: Buybacks −$10.3B$21.3BFY2022FY2023: Operating cash flow $14.4BFY2023: Net borrowing $124MFY2023: Shares issued $22.0MFY2023: Capital spending −$11.1BFY2023: Buybacks −$3.2B$14.6BFY2023FY2024: Operating cash flow $14.4BFY2024: Net borrowing −$3.8BFY2024: Shares issued $32.0MFY2024: Capital spending −$11.3BFY2024: Buybacks −$1.2B$14.5BFY2024FY2025: Operating cash flow $16.1BFY2025: Net borrowing $688MFY2025: Shares issued $20.0MFY2025: Capital spending −$11.7BFY2025: Buybacks −$5.1B$16.8BFY2025
Over these 5 years operating cash flow totalled $76.1B; the largest uses were capital spending ($51.1B) and buybacks ($35.3B). Cash-flow statements as filed.

Cash runway and the debt wall

Cash & investments$573M
Debt$107.1B
Net debt$106.5B
Due within a year$1.1B

Charter Communications funds itself: free cash flow was $3.9B over the last twelve months, and $573M of cash and investments stands against $107.1B of debt ($1.1B due within a year, 0.5× covered by cash).

Charter Communications: debt maturities by year (FY2025)Charter Communications: debt maturities by year (FY2025)$1.1BYear 1$3.6BYear 2$5.4BYear 3$7.3BYear 4$13.9BYear 5$63.5BAfter year 5
Principal due in each year as disclosed in the annual report, against $573M of cash and investments now.

Where the cash came from and went

Charter Communications: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, Q3 2026Charter Communications: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, Q3 2026Net borrowing (+) / repaid (−)$12.8BOther financing−$9.2BOther investing−$4.5BOperating cash flow$4.0BCapital spending−$3.0BPartners−$25.0MBuybacks−$21.0MCash drawn (+) / kept (−)−$17.0M
Charter Communications: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, TTM to Q3 2026Charter Communications: sources (+) and uses (−) of cash, TTM to Q3 2026Operating cash flow$16.0BCapital spending−$12.1BOther investing−$4.7BNet borrowing (+) / repaid (−)$3.5BBuybacks−$2.7BCash drawn (+) / kept (−)−$95.0MOther financing$83.0MPartners−$55.0MShares issued$13.0M

From profit to cash

Charter Communications: net income to operating cash flow, Q3 2026Charter Communications: net income to operating cash flow, Q3 2026Net income−$2.7BDepreciation & amortization$2.6BStock-based pay$177MDeferred taxes−$1.0BOther non-cash$272MReceivables−$80.0MPayables$324MPrepaid and other assets−$288MOperating cash flow$4.0B
Non-cash charges are added back; money tied up in receivables or inventory is subtracted.

Every quarter

QuarterOperating cash flowCapital spendingBuybacksNet borrowing (+) / repaid (−)Shares issuedCash drawn (+) / kept (−)Free cash flow
Q3 2026$4.0B−$3.0B−$21.0M$12.8B—−$17.0M$1.0B
Q2 2026$3.9B−$2.9B−$852M−$215M$11.0M$23.0M$1.1B
Q1 2026$4.3B−$2.9B−$1.0B−$283M$2.0M−$24.0M$1.4B
Q4 2025$3.8B−$3.3B−$766M−$410M—−$77.0M$426M
Q3 2025$4.5B−$3.1B−$2.1B$775M$1.0M$128M$1.4B
Q2 2025$3.6B−$2.9B−$1.5B$539M$2.0M$217M$726M
Q1 2025$4.2B−$2.4B−$802M−$216M$17.0M−$360M$1.8B
Q4 2024$3.5B−$3.1B−$114M−$1.3B$3.0M$244M$398M

Charter Communications: income statement and cash flow

Charter Communications, Q3 2026: revenue $14.9B (+9% year over year), operating margin -23.6%. The chart follows the revenue to costs, profit and cash.

Charter Communications: 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.