Cheniere Energy, Inc. (LNG) Cash Flow Statement
Where LNG’s cash came from and went, 2025
December 31, 2025 · U.S. dollars- Cash from operations
- $5.54B +2.7% vs 2024
- Capital expenditures
- $3.08B 15.7% of revenue
- Free cash flow
- $2.46B 12.5% margin
- Returned to shareholders
- $3.17B 129% of free cash flow
- Change in cash
- −$1.61B cash at year-end $1.58B
Drawn to scale: where the cash came from and how it was used. Hover for values.
LNG operating cash flow, capex and free cash flow
LNG cash flow trends, 2016–2025
| Metric | Trend | Then | Latest | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating cash flow | −$404.0M2016 | $5.54B2025 | — | |
| Capital expenditures | $4.36B2016 | $3.08B2025 | −3.8%/yr | |
| Free cash flow | −$4.76B2016 | $2.46B2025 | — | |
| Free cash flow margin | −370.0%2016 | 12.5%2025 | +382.5 pts | |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 2.192017 | 1.042025 | −1.14 | |
| Stock-based compensation | $101.0M2016 | $161.0M2025 | +5.3%/yr | |
| Dividends paid | $80.1M2016 | $451.0M2025 | +21.2%/yr | |
| Share buybacks (net) | $20.0M2016 | $2.72B2025 | +72.6%/yr | |
| Capex / revenue | 338.6%2016 | 15.7%2025 | −322.9 pts |
Change is the average annual growth (CAGR) or the difference between the first and latest year.
LNG cash flow by activity
LNG 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).
LNG cash flow statement
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||
| Net income | $5.32B | $4.49B | $12.06B | $2.63B | −$1.56B | $501.0M | $1.23B | $1.20B | $563.0M | −$665.0M |
| Depreciation & amortization | $1.95B | $1.22B | $1.20B | $1.12B | $1.01B | $932.0M | $794.0M | $449.0M | $356.0M | $174.0M |
| Stock-based compensation | $161.0M | $215.0M | $250.0M | $205.0M | $140.0M | $110.0M | $131.0M | $113.0M | $91.0M | $101.0M |
| Change in working capital | −$1.74B | −$188.0M | −$177.0M | −$307.0M | −$1.25B | −$499.0M | −$303.0M | −$8.0M | $6.0M | −$232.0M |
| Other non-cash items | −$154.0M | −$345.0M | −$4.91B | $6.87B | $4.14B | $221.0M | −$21.0M | $236.0M | $215.0M | $218.0M |
| Cash from operating activities | $5.54B | $5.39B | $8.42B | $10.52B | $2.47B | $1.26B | $1.83B | $1.99B | $1.23B | −$404.0M |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$3.08B | −$2.24B | −$2.12B | −$1.83B | −$966.0M | −$1.84B | −$3.06B | −$3.64B | −$3.36B | −$4.36B |
| Investments (net) | — | −$2.28B | −$1.97B | −$1.84B | −$912.0M | −$100.0M | −$105.0M | −$25.0M | −$3.38B | −$4.41B |
| Acquisitions & other investing | $188.0M | $2.24B | $1.89B | $1.83B | $966.0M | −$8.0M | −$2.0M | $14.0M | $3.36B | $4.36B |
| Cash from investing activities | −$2.89B | −$2.28B | −$2.20B | −$1.84B | −$912.0M | −$1.95B | −$3.16B | −$3.65B | −$3.38B | −$4.41B |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$451.0M | −$412.0M | −$393.0M | −$349.0M | −$85.0M | −$626.0M | −$85.0M | −$576.0M | −$185.0M | −$80.1M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$2.72B | −$2.26B | −$1.47B | −$1.37B | −$9.0M | −$155.0M | −$249.0M | −$20.0M | −$12.0M | −$20.0M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | −$105.0M | −$796.0M | −$1.20B | −$5.28B | −$899.0M | $586.0M | $2.02B | $2.81B | $3.22B | $5.19B |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | −$972.0M | −$981.0M | −$1.11B | −$1.02B | −$824.0M | −$40.0M | −$520.0M | −$8.0M | −$89.0M | −$185.9M |
| Cash from financing activities | −$4.25B | −$4.45B | −$4.18B | −$8.01B | −$1.82B | −$235.0M | $1.17B | $2.21B | $2.94B | $4.91B |
| Summary | ||||||||||
| Net change in cash | −$1.61B | −$1.33B | $2.04B | $670.0M | −$260.0M | −$917.0M | −$162.0M | $543.0M | $786.0M | $91.0M |
| Cash at end of period | $1.58B | $3.19B | $4.53B | $2.49B | $1.82B | $2.08B | $2.99B | $3.16B | $2.61B | $1.83B |
| Free cash flow | $2.46B | $3.16B | $6.30B | $8.69B | $1.50B | −$574.0M | −$1.22B | −$1.65B | −$2.13B | −$4.76B |
| Free cash flow margin | 12.5% | 20.0% | 31.0% | 25.8% | 8.5% | −6.1% | −13.1% | −20.7% | −37.7% | −370.0% |
| Capex / revenue | 15.7% | 14.2% | 10.5% | 5.4% | 5.5% | 19.6% | 32.9% | 45.6% | 59.5% | 338.6% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.04 | 1.20 | 0.70 | 3.99 | — | 2.52 | 1.49 | 1.66 | 2.19 | — |
| 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 | $3.64B | −$3.50B | $2.30B | $1.30B | $1.90B | $668.0M | $1.28B | $1.21B | $1.16B | $839.0M | $1.83B | $2.09B |
| Depreciation & amortization | $380.0M | $518.0M | $508.0M | $338.0M | $329.0M | $312.0M | $308.0M | $306.0M | $304.0M | $302.0M | $304.0M | $298.0M |
| Stock-based compensation | $37.0M | $78.0M | $21.0M | $35.0M | $49.0M | $56.0M | $75.0M | $48.0M | $52.0M | $40.0M | $122.0M | $43.0M |
| Change in working capital | −$493.0M | −$708.0M | $150.0M | −$616.0M | −$659.0M | −$610.0M | $110.0M | $92.0M | −$1.0M | −$389.0M | −$58.0M | $94.0M |
| Other non-cash items | −$1.99B | $4.70B | −$921.0M | $372.0M | −$785.0M | $802.0M | −$136.0M | −$262.0M | −$401.0M | $454.0M | −$474.0M | −$828.0M |
| Cash from operating activities | $1.58B | $1.08B | $2.06B | $1.43B | $831.0M | $1.23B | $1.64B | $1.39B | $1.12B | $1.25B | $1.72B | $1.70B |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$736.0M | −$736.0M | −$744.0M | −$1.65B | −$1.02B | −$623.0M | −$569.0M | −$516.0M | −$503.0M | −$650.0M | −$691.0M | −$386.0M |
| Investments (net) | — | — | — | −$688.0M | −$1.03B | −$549.0M | −$573.0M | −$521.0M | −$519.0M | −$666.0M | −$724.0M | −$410.0M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | −$449.0M | −$142.0M | $9.0M | $1.64B | $1.03B | $623.0M | $569.0M | $516.0M | $503.0M | $650.0M | $691.0M | −$682.0M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$1.19B | −$878.0M | −$735.0M | −$699.0M | −$1.01B | −$549.0M | −$573.0M | −$521.0M | −$519.0M | −$666.0M | −$724.0M | −$1.48B |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$116.0M | −$117.0M | −$119.0M | −$109.0M | −$111.0M | −$112.0M | −$112.0M | −$98.0M | −$97.0M | −$105.0M | −$102.0M | −$96.0M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$576.0M | −$537.0M | −$1.04B | −$997.0M | −$327.0M | −$363.0M | −$281.0M | −$282.0M | −$510.0M | −$1.19B | −$341.0M | −$358.0M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | $308.0M | $940.0M | $250.0M | −$55.0M | $0 | −$300.0M | −$350.0M | −$150.0M | — | — | — | −$1.46B |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | −$260.0M | −$299.0M | −$228.0M | −$185.0M | −$229.0M | −$222.0M | −$215.0M | −$217.0M | −$1.88B | $1.03B | −$311.0M | −$262.0M |
| Cash from financing activities | −$644.0M | −$13.0M | −$1.13B | −$1.35B | −$667.0M | −$997.0M | −$958.0M | −$747.0M | −$2.48B | −$264.0M | −$754.0M | −$2.17B |
| Summary | ||||||||||||
| Net change in cash | −$249.0M | $184.0M | $186.0M | −$619.0M | −$851.0M | −$322.0M | $114.0M | $122.0M | −$1.88B | $313.0M | $242.0M | −$886.0M |
| Cash at end of period | $1.52B | $1.77B | $1.58B | $1.40B | $2.02B | $2.87B | $3.19B | $3.08B | $2.95B | $4.84B | $4.53B | $4.28B |
| Free cash flow | $2.31B | $344.0M | $1.31B | $3.07B | −$193.0M | $605.0M | $1.07B | $875.0M | $613.0M | $596.0M | $1.03B | $1.31B |
| Free cash flow margin | 40.4% | 5.2% | 24.2% | 69.2% | −4.3% | 11.4% | 23.7% | 23.2% | 18.9% | 14.1% | 21.7% | 31.8% |
| Capex / revenue | 12.8% | 11.1% | 13.7% | 37.1% | 22.6% | 11.7% | 12.6% | 13.7% | 15.5% | 15.4% | 14.6% | 9.4% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 0.43 | — | 0.89 | 1.10 | 0.44 | 1.84 | 1.28 | 1.15 | 0.96 | 1.49 | 0.94 | 0.81 |
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.
LNG cash generation
In fiscal 2025 (ended December 31, 2025), Cheniere Energy generated $5.5 billion of cash from operations (up 2.7%) and spent $3.1 billion on capital expenditures, leaving free cash flow of $2.5 billion, 12.5% of revenue. It returned $3.2 billion to shareholders through dividends ($451.0 million) and net share buybacks ($2.7 billion). Cash and equivalents fell by $1.6 billion over the year.
Related: LNG income statement, LNG balance sheet, LNG dividend history. See the LNG stock overview for the latest quote and news.
LNG cash flow FAQ
What is Cheniere Energy's free cash flow?
Cheniere Energy's free cash flow was $2.5 billion in fiscal 2025: $5.5 billion of operating cash flow minus $3.1 billion of capital expenditures It was $3.2 billion a year earlier..
How much cash does Cheniere Energy generate from operations?
Cheniere Energy generated $5.5 billion of cash from operating activities in fiscal 2025, 1.04 times its net income of $5.3 billion.
How much does Cheniere Energy spend on capital expenditures?
Cheniere Energy spent $3.1 billion on capital expenditures in fiscal 2025, 15.7% of revenue, compared with $2.2 billion the year before.
How much stock does Cheniere Energy buy back?
Cheniere Energy spent $2.7 billion on net share repurchases in fiscal 2025.
How much does Cheniere Energy pay in dividends?
Cheniere Energy paid $451.0 million in dividends in fiscal 2025, 18.3% of free cash flow.