Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (DLB) Cash Flow Statement
Where DLB’s cash came from and went, FY2025
September 30, 2025 · U.S. dollars- Cash from operations
- $472.2M +44.3% vs FY2024
- Capital expenditures
- $41.9M 3.1% of revenue
- Free cash flow
- $430.3M 31.9% margin
- Returned to shareholders
- $288.8M 67% of free cash flow
- Change in cash
- $215.6M cash at year-end $793.4M
Drawn to scale: where the cash came from and how it was used. Hover for values.
DLB operating cash flow, capex and free cash flow
DLB cash flow trends, FY2016–FY2025
| Metric | Trend | Then | Latest | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating cash flow | $360.1MFY2016 | $472.2MFY2025 | +3.1%/yr | |
| Capital expenditures | $221.8MFY2016 | $41.9MFY2025 | −16.9%/yr | |
| Free cash flow | $138.3MFY2016 | $430.3MFY2025 | +13.4%/yr | |
| Free cash flow margin | 13.5%FY2016 | 31.9%FY2025 | +18.4 pts | |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.93FY2016 | 1.84FY2025 | −0.09 | |
| Stock-based compensation | $67.0MFY2016 | $128.5MFY2025 | +7.5%/yr | |
| Dividends paid | $48.4MFY2016 | $126.6MFY2025 | +11.3%/yr | |
| Share buybacks (net) | $114.5MFY2016 | $162.2MFY2025 | +3.9%/yr | |
| Capex / revenue | 21.6%FY2016 | 3.1%FY2025 | −18.5 pts |
Change is the average annual growth (CAGR) or the difference between the first and latest year.
DLB cash flow by activity
DLB 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).
DLB cash flow statement
| FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 | FY2019 | FY2018 | FY2017 | FY2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||
| Net income | $256.5M | $264.3M | $191.7M | $183.9M | $317.8M | $231.6M | $255.5M | $42.3M | $207.1M | $186.4M |
| Depreciation & amortization | $98.6M | $87.3M | $71.3M | $103.6M | $112.8M | $90.9M | $85.1M | $81.3M | $84.3M | $85.2M |
| Stock-based compensation | $128.5M | $119.8M | $90.3M | $114.9M | $99.7M | $86.6M | $76.6M | $71.2M | $65.3M | $67.0M |
| Change in working capital | −$17.0M | −$118.7M | −$42.6M | −$56.3M | −$24.6M | −$81.1M | −$61.2M | $83.8M | $49.5M | $37.7M |
| Other non-cash items | $5.6M | −$25.5M | −$28.6M | −$27.6M | −$57.9M | $15.8M | −$28.4M | $73.5M | −$28.5M | −$16.2M |
| Cash from operating activities | $472.2M | $327.3M | $282.1M | $318.6M | $447.8M | $343.8M | $327.7M | $352.2M | $377.8M | $360.1M |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$41.9M | −$30.0M | −$22.2M | −$59.5M | −$54.5M | −$69.0M | −$113.5M | −$85.4M | −$104.9M | −$221.8M |
| Investments (net) | −$10.6M | −$286.3M | $54.2M | −$198.3M | −$2.3M | $203.4M | −$56.2M | $78.2M | −$53.2M | −$60.0M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | $41.9M | $30.0M | $22.2M | −$38.2M | $11.9M | $0 | $113.5M | $85.2M | $0 | −$709,000 |
| Cash from investing activities | −$10.6M | −$286.3M | $54.2M | −$295.9M | −$44.9M | $134.4M | −$56.2M | $78.1M | −$158.0M | −$282.5M |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$126.6M | −$114.6M | −$77.6M | −$100.1M | −$89.2M | −$88.6M | −$77.5M | −$66.2M | −$57.1M | −$48.4M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$162.2M | −$199.1M | −$152.9M | −$566.9M | −$278.1M | −$196.8M | −$363.4M | −$172.6M | −$117.7M | −$114.5M |
| Shares issued | $43.7M | $40.2M | $47.8M | $57.8M | $122.1M | $82.7M | $57.3M | $106.2M | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | −$2.1M | −$14.4M | −$11.3M | −$1.4M | −$7.4M | −$5.0M | −$1.8M | −$1.0M | $67.9M | $70.9M |
| Cash from financing activities | −$247.2M | −$287.8M | −$194.0M | −$610.6M | −$252.5M | −$207.8M | −$385.3M | −$133.6M | −$106.8M | −$92.0M |
| Summary | ||||||||||
| Net change in cash | $215.6M | −$240.2M | $170.8M | −$604.7M | $153.1M | $274.4M | −$119.7M | $290.9M | $114.6M | −$15.8M |
| Cash at end of period | $793.4M | $577.8M | $799.2M | $628.4M | $1.23B | $1.08B | $805.6M | $925.2M | $634.4M | $516.1M |
| Free cash flow | $430.3M | $297.2M | $259.9M | $259.1M | $393.3M | $274.9M | $214.1M | $266.8M | $272.9M | $138.3M |
| Free cash flow margin | 31.9% | 23.3% | 25.8% | 20.7% | 30.7% | 23.7% | 17.2% | 25.3% | 25.2% | 13.5% |
| Capex / revenue | 3.1% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 4.7% | 4.3% | 5.9% | 9.1% | 8.1% | 9.7% | 21.6% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.84 | 1.24 | 1.47 | 1.73 | 1.41 | 1.48 | 1.28 | 8.33 | 1.82 | 1.93 |
| 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 | $29.2M | $94.9M | $53.7M | $49.7M | $46.5M | $92.2M | $68.1M | $58.9M | $39.7M | $98.2M | $67.6M | $9.9M |
| Depreciation & amortization | $25.1M | $26.8M | $26.8M | $24.6M | $24.4M | $24.4M | $25.2M | $24.4M | $21.2M | $20.8M | $21.0M | $24.3M |
| Stock-based compensation | $31.0M | $30.7M | $37.2M | $31.1M | $30.7M | $30.7M | $36.1M | $29.7M | $29.3M | $28.9M | $31.9M | $28.2M |
| Change in working capital | $90.5M | −$72.1M | −$56.5M | −$12.2M | −$25.5M | $33.6M | −$12.9M | $11.7M | −$52.3M | $35.9M | −$101.9M | $5.3M |
| Other non-cash items | −$8.3M | $12.1M | −$6.4M | $29.7M | −$8.5M | −$6.0M | −$9.6M | −$8.5M | −$16.7M | −$2.4M | −$10.1M | $17.4M |
| Cash from operating activities | $167.5M | $92.5M | $54.8M | $122.8M | $67.7M | $174.9M | $106.8M | $116.2M | $21.3M | $181.4M | $8.4M | $85.0M |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$19.8M | −$46.1M | −$5.4M | −$21.8M | −$6.4M | −$6.9M | −$6.8M | −$7.4M | −$7.6M | −$8.9M | −$6.1M | −$8.2M |
| Investments (net) | $0 | — | — | −$21.9M | −$6.4M | $25.9M | −$8.1M | −$261.3M | −$7.7M | −$17.9M | $633,000 | −$19.7M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | $10.0M | $0 | $6.6M | $21.8M | $6.4M | $6.9M | $6.8M | $7.4M | $7.6M | $8.9M | $6.1M | $8.2M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$9.8M | −$46.1M | $1.2M | −$21.9M | −$6.4M | $25.9M | −$8.1M | −$261.3M | −$7.7M | −$17.9M | $633,000 | −$19.7M |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$34.0M | −$34.3M | −$34.3M | −$31.6M | −$31.6M | −$31.8M | −$31.5M | −$28.6M | −$28.7M | −$28.7M | −$28.6M | −$25.8M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$65.9M | −$65.0M | −$101.2M | −$37.1M | −$41.2M | −$36.5M | −$47.4M | −$21.6M | −$36.4M | −$26.5M | −$114.6M | −$27.5M |
| Shares issued | $9.4M | $1.0M | $14.3M | $5.0M | $12.6M | $4.0M | $22.2M | $716,000 | $10.1M | $11.0M | $18.3M | $10.6M |
| Other financing | −$534,000 | −$1.6M | −$547,000 | −$398,000 | −$468,000 | −$502,000 | −$740,000 | −$10.6M | −$3.5M | $0 | −$325,000 | $0 |
| Cash from financing activities | −$91.0M | −$99.9M | −$121.8M | −$64.1M | −$60.7M | −$64.9M | −$57.6M | −$60.1M | −$58.4M | −$44.2M | −$125.1M | −$42.8M |
| Summary | ||||||||||||
| Net change in cash | $65.1M | −$53.8M | −$65.8M | $36.8M | $6.2M | $138.7M | $33.9M | −$200.9M | −$45.7M | $115.7M | −$109.3M | $18.8M |
| Cash at end of period | $738.9M | $673.8M | $727.6M | $793.4M | $756.6M | $750.3M | $611.7M | $577.8M | $778.6M | $824.4M | $708.7M | $818.0M |
| Free cash flow | $147.7M | $46.4M | $49.4M | $101.0M | $61.3M | $168.0M | $100.0M | $108.8M | $13.7M | $172.5M | $2.3M | $76.8M |
| Free cash flow margin | 48.4% | 11.7% | 14.3% | 32.9% | 19.4% | 45.5% | 28.0% | 35.7% | 4.7% | 47.3% | 0.7% | 26.4% |
| Capex / revenue | 6.5% | 11.6% | 1.6% | 7.1% | 2.0% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 2.4% | 2.6% | 2.4% | 1.9% | 2.8% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 5.73 | 0.97 | 1.02 | 2.47 | 1.45 | 1.90 | 1.57 | 1.97 | 0.54 | 1.85 | 0.12 | 8.58 |
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.
DLB cash generation
In fiscal 2025 (ended September 30, 2025), Dolby Laboratories generated $472.2 million of cash from operations (up 44.3%) and spent $41.9 million on capital expenditures, leaving free cash flow of $430.3 million, 31.9% of revenue. It returned $288.8 million to shareholders through dividends ($126.6 million) and net share buybacks ($162.2 million). Cash and equivalents rose by $215.6 million over the year.
Related: DLB income statement, DLB balance sheet, DLB dividend history. See the DLB stock overview for the latest quote and news.
DLB cash flow FAQ
What is Dolby Laboratories's free cash flow?
Dolby Laboratories's free cash flow was $430.3 million in fiscal 2025: $472.2 million of operating cash flow minus $41.9 million of capital expenditures It was $297.2 million a year earlier..
How much cash does Dolby Laboratories generate from operations?
Dolby Laboratories generated $472.2 million of cash from operating activities in fiscal 2025, 1.84 times its net income of $256.5 million.
How much does Dolby Laboratories spend on capital expenditures?
Dolby Laboratories spent $41.9 million on capital expenditures in fiscal 2025, 3.1% of revenue, compared with $30.0 million the year before.
How much stock does Dolby Laboratories buy back?
Dolby Laboratories spent $162.2 million on net share repurchases in fiscal 2025.
How much does Dolby Laboratories pay in dividends?
Dolby Laboratories paid $126.6 million in dividends in fiscal 2025, 29.4% of free cash flow.