Choice Hotels International, Inc. (CHH) Cash Flow Statement
Where CHH’s cash came from and went, 2025
December 31, 2025 · U.S. dollars- Cash from operations
- $270.4M −15.3% vs 2024
- Capital expenditures
- $145.8M 9.1% of revenue
- Free cash flow
- $124.7M 7.8% margin
- Returned to shareholders
- $191.8M 154% of free cash flow
- Change in cash
- $4.8M cash at year-end $45.0M
Drawn to scale: where the cash came from and how it was used. Hover for values.
CHH operating cash flow, capex and free cash flow
CHH cash flow trends, 2016–2025
| Metric | Trend | Then | Latest | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating cash flow | $152.0M2016 | $270.4M2025 | +6.6%/yr | |
| Capital expenditures | $27.8M2016 | $145.8M2025 | +20.2%/yr | |
| Free cash flow | $124.3M2016 | $124.7M2025 | +0.0%/yr | |
| Free cash flow margin | 13.4%2016 | 7.8%2025 | −5.6 pts | |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.092016 | 0.732025 | −0.36 | |
| Stock-based compensation | $15.5M2016 | $38.3M2025 | +10.6%/yr | |
| Dividends paid | $46.2M2016 | $53.5M2025 | +1.6%/yr | |
| Share buybacks (net) | $35.9M2016 | $138.3M2025 | +16.2%/yr | |
| Capex / revenue | 3.0%2016 | 9.1%2025 | +6.1 pts |
Change is the average annual growth (CAGR) or the difference between the first and latest year.
CHH cash flow by activity
CHH 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).
CHH cash flow statement
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||
| Net income | $369.9M | $299.7M | $258.5M | $332.2M | $289.0M | $75.4M | $222.9M | $216.4M | $114.9M | $139.4M |
| Depreciation & amortization | $59.7M | $70.9M | $75.7M | $63.9M | $50.5M | $48.5M | $36.1M | $33.9M | $12.4M | $11.7M |
| Stock-based compensation | $38.3M | $43.2M | $46.8M | $43.0M | $35.7M | $9.7M | $17.6M | $16.0M | $23.3M | $15.5M |
| Change in working capital | −$98.0M | $17.4M | $6.1M | −$5.1M | $23.2M | $11.5M | −$21.8M | −$2.0M | $58.1M | −$7.8M |
| Other non-cash items | −$99.5M | −$111.8M | −$90.6M | −$66.9M | −$14.7M | −$30.0M | $15.8M | −$21.3M | $48.6M | −$6.7M |
| Cash from operating activities | $270.4M | $319.4M | $296.6M | $367.1M | $383.7M | $115.1M | $270.6M | $242.9M | $257.4M | $152.0M |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$145.8M | −$145.9M | −$118.3M | −$93.6M | −$77.9M | −$40.0M | −$64.0M | −$49.5M | −$26.0M | −$27.8M |
| Investments (net) | $0 | −$84.6M | −$62.0M | −$442.4M | −$78.9M | $2.0M | −$15.1M | −$39.2M | $50.6M | −$52.5M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | −$72.5M | $145.9M | −$85.3M | $93.6M | $77.9M | $13.5M | −$172.0M | −$232.6M | −$114.7M | −$18.2M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$218.3M | −$84.6M | −$265.6M | −$442.4M | −$78.9M | −$24.5M | −$251.2M | −$321.3M | −$90.1M | −$98.5M |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$53.5M | −$55.5M | −$56.5M | −$52.5M | −$25.0M | −$25.3M | −$48.1M | −$48.7M | −$48.7M | −$46.2M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$138.3M | −$380.7M | −$362.8M | −$434.8M | −$13.4M | −$55.5M | −$50.6M | −$148.7M | −$9.8M | −$35.9M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | $134.8M | $205.1M | $368.5M | $87.4M | −$365,000 | $185.9M | $89.2M | $26.4M | −$115.0M | $24.5M |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | $6.8M | $9.5M | $4.8M | $5.8M | $11.1M | $10.2M | −$3.0M | $41.5M | $37.7M | $13.5M |
| Cash from financing activities | −$50.1M | −$221.7M | −$45.9M | −$394.1M | −$27.7M | $115.4M | −$12.5M | −$129.4M | −$135.8M | −$44.1M |
| Summary | ||||||||||
| Net change in cash | $4.8M | $13.4M | −$14.8M | −$470.0M | $276.8M | $201.0M | $7.1M | −$208.7M | $32.9M | $9.0M |
| Cash at end of period | $45.0M | $40.2M | $26.8M | $41.6M | $511.6M | $234.8M | $33.8M | $26.6M | $235.3M | $202.5M |
| Free cash flow | $124.7M | $173.6M | $178.3M | $273.5M | $305.8M | $75.1M | $206.5M | $193.4M | $231.4M | $124.3M |
| Free cash flow margin | 7.8% | 11.0% | 11.5% | 19.5% | 28.6% | 9.7% | 18.5% | 18.6% | 23.0% | 13.4% |
| Capex / revenue | 9.1% | 9.2% | 7.7% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 5.2% | 5.7% | 4.8% | 2.6% | 3.0% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 0.73 | 1.07 | 1.15 | 1.11 | 1.33 | 1.53 | 1.21 | 1.12 | 2.24 | 1.09 |
| 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 | $64.3M | $20.3M | $63.7M | $180.0M | $81.7M | $44.5M | $75.4M | $105.7M | $87.1M | $31.0M | $29.0M | $92.0M |
| Depreciation & amortization | $16.8M | $16.8M | $11.9M | $20.6M | $8.5M | $18.6M | $18.0M | $17.3M | $17.6M | $18.0M | $18.7M | $18.6M |
| Stock-based compensation | $4.7M | $8.4M | $10.8M | $8.0M | $9.6M | $9.8M | $10.8M | $13.2M | $8.7M | $10.6M | $12.1M | $11.0M |
| Change in working capital | $21.5M | −$56.3M | $18.8M | −$18.8M | $38.6M | −$38.6M | −$2.0M | $37.4M | $15.5M | −$33.5M | $15.3M | $27.7M |
| Other non-cash items | −$16.7M | −$12.4M | −$19.5M | −$121.2M | −$42.9M | −$13.9M | −$19.3M | −$50.7M | −$17.0M | −$24.3M | −$25.7M | −$27.8M |
| Cash from operating activities | $90.5M | −$23.2M | $85.7M | $68.7M | $95.6M | $20.5M | $82.9M | $122.9M | $111.9M | $1.7M | $49.4M | $121.5M |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$26.9M | −$26.9M | −$28.2M | −$28.2M | −$46.0M | −$46.0M | −$28.9M | −$43.5M | −$40.8M | −$32.8M | −$35.0M | −$36.2M |
| Investments (net) | — | — | $0 | −$82.7M | −$42.2M | −$53.0M | −$21.2M | −$1.3M | −$19.3M | −$42.7M | −$162.4M | −$44.1M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | −$964,000 | $20.7M | −$12.2M | $28.2M | $46.0M | $46.0M | $28.9M | $43.5M | $40.8M | $32.8M | $35.0M | −$22.9M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$27.8M | −$6.2M | −$40.4M | −$82.7M | −$42.2M | −$53.0M | −$21.2M | −$1.3M | −$19.3M | −$42.7M | −$162.4M | −$103.3M |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$13.2M | −$13.1M | −$13.3M | −$13.3M | −$13.4M | −$13.5M | −$13.0M | −$13.6M | −$14.1M | −$14.7M | −$14.4M | −$14.5M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$51.0M | −$56.5M | −$25.3M | −$202,000 | −$48.1M | −$64.6M | −$31.8M | −$56.3M | −$233.3M | −$59.5M | −$58.4M | −$69.9M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | −$725,000 | $97.0M | −$13.9M | $18.7M | $24.5M | $105.5M | −$43.0M | −$53.4M | — | — | — | $6.5M |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | $1.5M | $880,000 | −$647,000 | $1.1M | $1.6M | $4.8M | $8.2M | −$291,000 | $172.3M | $130.7M | $175.8M | $1.1M |
| Cash from financing activities | −$63.5M | $28.3M | −$53.2M | $6.3M | −$35.4M | $32.2M | −$79.5M | −$123.6M | −$75.0M | $56.5M | $103.1M | −$76.9M |
| Summary | ||||||||||||
| Net change in cash | −$1.0M | −$1.1M | −$7.6M | −$6.0M | $18.6M | −$123,000 | −$18.4M | −$1.8M | $18.3M | $15.4M | −$9.7M | $265,000 |
| Cash at end of period | $42.8M | $43.9M | $45.0M | $52.6M | $58.6M | $40.1M | $40.2M | $58.6M | $60.4M | $42.1M | $26.8M | $36.4M |
| Free cash flow | $63.7M | −$50.1M | $57.5M | $40.5M | $49.6M | −$25.5M | $54.0M | $79.5M | $71.1M | −$31.0M | $14.4M | $85.2M |
| Free cash flow margin | 14.4% | −14.7% | 14.7% | 9.0% | 11.6% | −7.7% | 13.9% | 18.6% | 16.3% | −9.3% | 4.0% | 20.0% |
| Capex / revenue | 6.1% | 7.9% | 7.2% | 6.3% | 10.8% | 13.8% | 7.4% | 10.2% | 9.4% | 9.9% | 9.8% | 8.5% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.41 | −1.14 | 1.35 | 0.38 | 1.17 | 0.46 | 1.10 | 1.16 | 1.28 | 0.06 | 1.70 | 1.32 |
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.
CHH cash generation
In fiscal 2025 (ended December 31, 2025), Choice Hotels International generated $270.4 million of cash from operations (down 15.3%) and spent $145.8 million on capital expenditures, leaving free cash flow of $124.7 million, 7.8% of revenue. It returned $191.8 million to shareholders through dividends ($53.5 million) and net share buybacks ($138.3 million). Cash and equivalents rose by $4.8 million over the year.
Related: CHH income statement, CHH balance sheet, CHH dividend history. See the CHH stock overview for the latest quote and news.
CHH cash flow FAQ
What is Choice Hotels International's free cash flow?
Choice Hotels International's free cash flow was $124.7 million in fiscal 2025: $270.4 million of operating cash flow minus $145.8 million of capital expenditures It was $173.6 million a year earlier..
How much cash does Choice Hotels International generate from operations?
Choice Hotels International generated $270.4 million of cash from operating activities in fiscal 2025, 0.73 times its net income of $369.9 million.
How much does Choice Hotels International spend on capital expenditures?
Choice Hotels International spent $145.8 million on capital expenditures in fiscal 2025, 9.1% of revenue, compared with $145.9 million the year before.
How much stock does Choice Hotels International buy back?
Choice Hotels International spent $138.3 million on net share repurchases in fiscal 2025.
How much does Choice Hotels International pay in dividends?
Choice Hotels International paid $53.5 million in dividends in fiscal 2025, 42.9% of free cash flow.