Ashland Inc. (ASH) Cash Flow Statement
Where ASH’s cash came from and went, FY2025
September 30, 2025 · U.S. dollars- Cash from operations
- $94.0M −77.1% vs FY2024
- Capital expenditures
- $98.0M 5.4% of revenue
- Free cash flow
- −$4.0M −0.2% margin
- Returned to shareholders
- $176.0M
- Change in cash
- −$85.0M cash at year-end $215.0M
Drawn to scale: where the cash came from and how it was used. Hover for values.
ASH operating cash flow, capex and free cash flow
ASH cash flow trends, FY2016–FY2025
| Metric | Trend | Then | Latest | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating cash flow | $678.0MFY2016 | $94.0MFY2025 | −19.7%/yr | |
| Capital expenditures | $231.0MFY2016 | $98.0MFY2025 | −9.1%/yr | |
| Free cash flow | $447.0MFY2016 | −$4.0MFY2025 | — | |
| Free cash flow margin | 14.8%FY2016 | −0.2%FY2025 | −15.0 pts | |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 13.68FY2017 | 2.07FY2024 | −11.61 | |
| Stock-based compensation | $30.0MFY2016 | $14.0MFY2025 | −8.1%/yr | |
| Dividends paid | $97.0MFY2016 | $76.0MFY2025 | −2.7%/yr | |
| Share buybacks (net) | $500.0MFY2016 | $100.0MFY2025 | −16.4%/yr | |
| Capex / revenue | 7.7%FY2016 | 5.4%FY2025 | −2.3 pts |
Change is the average annual growth (CAGR) or the difference between the first and latest year.
ASH cash flow by activity
ASH net income vs operating cash flow
Operating cash flow above net income usually means earnings are backed by cash (depreciation and stock-based pay are non-cash expenses).
ASH cash flow statement
| FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 | FY2019 | FY2018 | FY2017 | FY2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||
| Net income | −$822.0M | $199.0M | $178.0M | $927.0M | $220.0M | −$508.0M | $505.0M | $114.0M | $28.0M | −$28.0M |
| Depreciation & amortization | $237.0M | $274.0M | $243.0M | $241.0M | $244.0M | $247.0M | $277.0M | $277.0M | $302.0M | $302.0M |
| Stock-based compensation | $14.0M | $15.0M | $22.0M | $18.0M | $15.0M | $14.0M | $21.0M | $44.0M | $20.0M | $30.0M |
| Change in working capital | −$191.0M | $227.0M | −$58.0M | −$247.0M | $80.0M | $19.0M | −$129.0M | $10.0M | −$53.0M | $43.0M |
| Other non-cash items | $856.0M | −$304.0M | −$142.0M | −$1.15B | $1.0M | $431.0M | −$433.0M | −$148.0M | $86.0M | $331.0M |
| Cash from operating activities | $94.0M | $411.0M | $243.0M | −$213.0M | $560.0M | $203.0M | $241.0M | $297.0M | $383.0M | $678.0M |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$98.0M | −$137.0M | −$170.0M | −$113.0M | −$105.0M | −$138.0M | −$154.0M | −$157.0M | −$199.0M | −$231.0M |
| Investments (net) | −$3.0M | −$51.0M | −$109.0M | $1.56B | $1.0M | $8.0M | $849.0M | −$202.0M | −$1.12B | −$332.0M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | $98.0M | $137.0M | $170.0M | $113.0M | −$263.0M | $40.0M | $154.0M | $157.0M | $199.0M | $231.0M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$3.0M | −$51.0M | −$109.0M | $1.56B | −$367.0M | −$90.0M | $849.0M | −$202.0M | −$1.12B | −$332.0M |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$76.0M | −$78.0M | −$76.0M | −$70.0M | −$70.0M | −$66.0M | −$64.0M | −$60.0M | −$77.0M | −$97.0M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$100.0M | −$380.0M | −$300.0M | −$200.0M | −$450.0M | −$7.0M | −$200.0M | −$10.0M | −$15.0M | −$500.0M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | $0 | −$16.0M | $16.0M | −$615.0M | $101.0M | $82.0M | −$875.0M | −$296.0M | $260.0M | −$1.25B |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | −$3.0M | −$5.0M | −$11.0M | −$11.0M | −$7.0M | $0 | −$10.0M | −$2.0M | −$49.0M | $1.44B |
| Cash from financing activities | −$179.0M | −$479.0M | −$371.0M | −$896.0M | −$426.0M | $9.0M | −$1.15B | −$368.0M | $119.0M | −$407.0M |
| Summary | ||||||||||
| Net change in cash | −$85.0M | −$117.0M | −$229.0M | $436.0M | −$244.0M | $222.0M | −$62.0M | −$272.0M | −$451.0M | −$69.0M |
| Cash at end of period | $215.0M | $300.0M | $417.0M | $646.0M | $210.0M | $454.0M | $232.0M | $294.0M | $566.0M | $1.19B |
| Free cash flow | −$4.0M | $274.0M | $73.0M | −$326.0M | $455.0M | $65.0M | $87.0M | $140.0M | $166.0M | $447.0M |
| Free cash flow margin | −0.2% | 13.0% | 3.3% | −13.6% | 21.6% | 3.2% | 4.1% | 5.4% | 7.2% | 14.8% |
| Capex / revenue | 5.4% | 6.5% | 7.8% | 4.7% | 5.0% | 6.8% | 7.2% | 6.1% | 8.6% | 7.7% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | — | 2.07 | 1.37 | −0.23 | 2.55 | — | 0.48 | 2.61 | 13.68 | — |
| Jun '26 | Mar '26 | Dec '25 | Sep '25 | Jun '25 | Mar '25 | Dec '24 | Sep '24 | Jun '24 | Mar '24 | Dec '23 | Sep '23 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||||
| Net income | $41.0M | $15.0M | $2.0M | −$741.0M | −$719.0M | $31.0M | −$165.0M | $16.0M | $6.0M | $121.0M | $26.0M | −$4.0M |
| Depreciation & amortization | $48.0M | $45.0M | $48.0M | $50.0M | $122.0M | $60.0M | $51.0M | $53.0M | $61.0M | $86.0M | $77.0M | $62.0M |
| Stock-based compensation | $4.0M | $5.0M | $4.0M | $2.0M | $2.0M | $5.0M | $4.0M | $3.0M | $4.0M | $6.0M | $1.0M | $6.0M |
| Change in working capital | $56.0M | −$18.0M | $98.0M | $68.0M | $68.0M | −$65.0M | −$109.0M | $101.0M | −$60.0M | −$37.0M | $167.0M | $108.0M |
| Other non-cash items | −$27.0M | −$6.0M | −$27.0M | $727.0M | $660.0M | −$30.0M | $179.0M | −$106.0M | $105.0M | −$122.0M | −$84.0M | −$50.0M |
| Cash from operating activities | $122.0M | $41.0M | $125.0M | $106.0M | $133.0M | $1.0M | −$40.0M | $67.0M | $116.0M | $54.0M | $187.0M | $122.0M |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$20.0M | −$17.0M | −$14.0M | −$20.0M | −$20.0M | −$21.0M | −$23.0M | −$38.0M | −$29.0M | −$34.0M | −$36.0M | −$69.0M |
| Investments (net) | $0 | $0 | $0 | −$3.0M | $1.0M | $17.0M | −$18.0M | $3.0M | −$5.0M | −$23.0M | −$26.0M | −$51.0M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | $14.0M | $33.0M | $0 | $24.0M | −$44.0M | $21.0M | $23.0M | $38.0M | $29.0M | $21.0M | $36.0M | $11.0M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$6.0M | $16.0M | −$14.0M | $1.0M | −$63.0M | $17.0M | −$18.0M | $3.0M | −$5.0M | −$36.0M | −$26.0M | −$109.0M |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$19.0M | −$19.0M | −$19.0M | −$19.0M | −$19.0M | −$19.0M | −$19.0M | −$19.0M | −$20.0M | −$19.0M | −$20.0M | −$20.0M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | $0 | $2.0M | −$2.0M | $1.0M | −$1.0M | −$100.0M | −$3.0M | −$150.0M | −$130.0M | −$1.0M | −$100.0M | −$300.0M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | — | — | — | $0 | −$50.0M | $50.0M | $0 | $0 | — | — | — | $16.0M |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | $1.0M | −$2.0M | $0 | −$52.0M | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | −$1.0M | $0 | −$19.0M | $299.0M |
| Cash from financing activities | −$18.0M | −$19.0M | −$21.0M | −$70.0M | −$70.0M | −$69.0M | −$22.0M | −$169.0M | −$151.0M | −$20.0M | −$139.0M | −$5.0M |
| Summary | ||||||||||||
| Net change in cash | $97.0M | $39.0M | $89.0M | $39.0M | $39.0M | −$51.0M | −$81.0M | −$99.0M | −$40.0M | −$1.0M | $23.0M | $68.0M |
| Cash at end of period | $440.0M | $343.0M | $304.0M | $207.0M | $207.0M | $168.0M | $219.0M | $300.0M | $399.0M | $439.0M | $440.0M | $417.0M |
| Free cash flow | $102.0M | $24.0M | $111.0M | $86.0M | $113.0M | −$20.0M | −$63.0M | $29.0M | $87.0M | $20.0M | $151.0M | $53.0M |
| Free cash flow margin | 20.5% | 5.0% | 28.8% | 18.0% | 24.4% | −4.2% | −15.6% | 5.6% | 16.0% | 3.5% | 31.9% | 10.3% |
| Capex / revenue | 4.0% | 3.5% | 3.6% | 4.2% | 4.3% | 4.4% | 5.7% | 7.3% | 5.3% | 5.9% | 7.6% | 13.3% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 2.98 | 2.73 | 62.50 | — | — | 0.03 | — | 4.19 | 19.33 | 0.45 | 7.19 | — |
Negative numbers are cash paid out. Quarterly columns are labeled by the month the quarter ended. Figures in U.S. dollars as reported; data from EODHD.
ASH cash generation
In fiscal 2025 (ended September 30, 2025), Ashland generated $94.0 million of cash from operations (down 77.1%) and spent $98.0 million on capital expenditures, leaving free cash flow of -$4.0 million, −0.2% of revenue. It returned $176.0 million to shareholders through dividends ($76.0 million) and net share buybacks ($100.0 million). Cash and equivalents fell by $85.0 million over the year.
Related: ASH income statement, ASH balance sheet, ASH dividend history. See the ASH stock overview for the latest quote and news.
ASH cash flow FAQ
What is Ashland's free cash flow?
Ashland's free cash flow was -$4.0 million in fiscal 2025: $94.0 million of operating cash flow minus $98.0 million of capital expenditures It was $274.0 million a year earlier..
How much cash does Ashland generate from operations?
Ashland generated $94.0 million of cash from operating activities in fiscal 2025.
How much does Ashland spend on capital expenditures?
Ashland spent $98.0 million on capital expenditures in fiscal 2025, 5.4% of revenue, compared with $137.0 million the year before.
How much stock does Ashland buy back?
Ashland spent $100.0 million on net share repurchases in fiscal 2025.
How much does Ashland pay in dividends?
Ashland paid $76.0 million in dividends in fiscal 2025.