Northern Trust Corporation (NTRS) Cash Flow Statement
Where NTRS’s cash came from and went, 2025
December 31, 2025 · U.S. dollars- Cash from operations
- $5.53B
- Capital expenditures
- $74.0M 0.5% of revenue
- Free cash flow
- $5.46B 38.2% margin
- Returned to shareholders
- $1.91B 35% of free cash flow
- Change in cash
- $1.20B cash at year-end $5.87B
Drawn to scale: where the cash came from and how it was used. Hover for values.
NTRS operating cash flow, capex and free cash flow
NTRS cash flow trends, 2016–2025
| Metric | Trend | Then | Latest | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating cash flow | $1.51B2016 | $5.53B2025 | +15.5%/yr | |
| Capital expenditures | $473.4M2016 | $74.0M2025 | −18.6%/yr | |
| Free cash flow | $1.04B2016 | $5.46B2025 | +20.3%/yr | |
| Free cash flow margin | 20.6%2016 | 38.2%2025 | +17.5 pts | |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.462016 | 3.192025 | +1.72 | |
| Stock-based compensation | $86.8M2016 | $118.2M2023 | +4.5%/yr | |
| Dividends paid | $356.4M2016 | $633.4M2025 | +6.6%/yr | |
| Share buybacks (net) | $411.1M2016 | $1.27B2025 | +13.4%/yr | |
| Capex / revenue | 9.4%2016 | 0.5%2025 | −8.9 pts |
Change is the average annual growth (CAGR) or the difference between the first and latest year.
NTRS cash flow by activity
NTRS 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).
NTRS cash flow statement
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||
| Net income | $1.74B | $2.03B | $1.11B | $1.34B | $1.55B | $1.21B | $1.49B | $1.56B | $1.20B | $1.03B |
| Depreciation & amortization | $779.1M | $716.8M | $634.6M | $553.6M | $515.6M | $500.3M | $458.9M | $460.9M | $421.7M | $373.3M |
| Stock-based compensation | — | — | $118.2M | $125.2M | $7.3M | $198.7M | $45.4M | $130.9M | $128.0M | $86.8M |
| Change in working capital | $2.71B | −$3.15B | −$19.2M | $931.2M | −$898.0M | −$11.5M | $1.01B | −$998.1M | $413.8M | −$438.7M |
| Other non-cash items | $303.6M | −$81.7M | $784.7M | −$553.6M | $185.8M | $0 | −$413.9M | $617.4M | −$442.1M | $456.1M |
| Cash from operating activities | $5.53B | −$486.0M | $2.63B | $2.39B | $1.36B | $1.90B | $2.59B | $1.77B | $1.72B | $1.51B |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$74.0M | −$745.5M | −$675.8M | −$128.6M | −$95.5M | −$135.8M | −$158.0M | −$506.0M | −$472.8M | −$473.4M |
| Investments (net) | −$4.77B | −$2.56B | $13.80B | $25.93B | −$1.30B | −$8.50B | $2.15B | −$3.97B | −$14.02B | −$10.19B |
| Acquisitions & other investing | −$15.33B | $745.5M | −$8.34B | $128.6M | −$17.20B | −$21.29B | −$5.40B | $8.81B | $472.8M | $473.4M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$20.17B | −$2.56B | $4.78B | $25.93B | −$18.60B | −$29.92B | −$3.40B | $4.33B | −$14.02B | −$10.19B |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$633.4M | −$644.1M | −$663.3M | −$796.7M | −$625.1M | −$630.5M | −$576.1M | −$451.8M | −$406.6M | −$356.4M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$1.27B | −$937.8M | −$347.5M | −$35.4M | −$267.6M | −$699.8M | −$1.10B | −$924.3M | −$523.1M | −$411.1M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | $466.6M | −$103.8M | $940.9M | $7.39B | −$973.2M | −$2.66B | −$2.41B | $1.69B | $3.55B | $847.2M |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $392.5M | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | $16.62B | $5.13B | −$7.11B | −$32.99B | $17.94B | $31.87B | $4.31B | −$6.13B | $8.63B | $7.46B |
| Cash from financing activities | $15.18B | $3.44B | −$7.18B | −$26.44B | $16.07B | $27.87B | $615.9M | −$5.82B | $11.25B | $7.54B |
| Summary | ||||||||||
| Net change in cash | $1.20B | −$114.3M | $137.3M | $1.60B | −$1.33B | −$69.7M | −$122.4M | $63.5M | −$813.9M | −$1.09B |
| Cash at end of period | $5.87B | $4.68B | $4.79B | $4.65B | $3.06B | $4.39B | $4.46B | $4.58B | $4.52B | $5.33B |
| Free cash flow | $5.46B | −$1.23B | $1.95B | $2.26B | $1.26B | $1.76B | $2.43B | $1.26B | $1.25B | $1.04B |
| Free cash flow margin | 38.2% | −7.8% | 16.1% | 29.2% | 19.4% | 27.9% | 35.3% | 18.9% | 21.8% | 20.6% |
| Capex / revenue | 0.5% | 4.7% | 5.6% | 1.7% | 1.5% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 7.6% | 8.3% | 9.4% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 3.19 | −0.24 | 2.37 | 1.79 | 0.88 | 1.57 | 1.74 | 1.14 | 1.43 | 1.46 |
| 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 | $792.3M | $525.5M | $466.0M | $457.6M | $421.3M | $392.0M | $455.4M | $464.9M | $896.1M | $214.7M | $113.1M | $327.8M |
| Depreciation & amortization | $198.4M | $197.1M | $196.9M | $195.8M | $195.7M | $190.7M | $182.9M | $183.1M | $180.5M | $170.3M | $169.0M | $30.8M |
| Stock-based compensation | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | −$83.4M | $17.0M | $66.4M | $19.9M | $16.5M |
| Change in working capital | $1.31B | −$1.31B | $3.10B | −$1.13B | $924.7M | $2.17B | −$2.87B | $647.5M | $305.6M | −$1.24B | $1.95B | −$869.8M |
| Other non-cash items | −$2.36B | $266.1M | −$3.37B | $1.01B | $327.8M | −$5.9M | −$402.8M | −$601.0M | $1.59B | −$669.0M | $551.4M | $581.4M |
| Cash from operating activities | −$64.9M | −$320.0M | $388.4M | $525.8M | $1.87B | $2.75B | −$2.63B | $611.1M | $2.99B | −$1.45B | $2.80B | $86.7M |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$219.5M | −$219.5M | −$229.9M | −$168.3M | −$217.5M | −$183.5M | −$226.5M | −$208.9M | −$182.3M | −$127.8M | −$210.3M | −$21.1M |
| Investments (net) | −$347.1M | −$3.98B | −$1.58B | $807.7M | −$3.62B | −$10.29B | −$2.21B | $3.49B | $950.5M | −$4.79B | −$4.86B | $10.08B |
| Acquisitions & other investing | −$4.28B | $7.69B | −$5.27B | $168.3M | $217.5M | $183.5M | $226.5M | $208.9M | $182.3M | $127.8M | $210.3M | $21.1M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$4.85B | $3.49B | −$7.07B | $807.7M | −$3.62B | −$10.29B | −$2.21B | $3.49B | $950.5M | −$4.79B | −$4.86B | $10.08B |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$151.6M | −$164.7M | −$154.3M | −$168.1M | −$148.7M | −$162.3M | −$152.3M | −$165.4M | −$156.6M | −$169.8M | −$158.9M | −$171.6M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$350.6M | −$358.9M | −$369.9M | −$277.0M | −$339.4M | −$287.2M | −$253.6M | −$301.4M | −$250.8M | −$132.0M | −$146.2M | −$1.1M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | −$10.8M | $62.6M | $472.8M | $50.5M | −$64.9M | $8.2M | −$353.9M | $40.7M | — | — | — | — |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | $5.28B | −$2.66B | $7.19B | −$1.91B | $4.07B | $7.27B | $3.91B | −$3.58B | −$2.23B | $7.24B | $2.01B | −$9.79B |
| Cash from financing activities | $4.77B | −$3.12B | $7.14B | −$2.30B | $3.52B | $6.82B | $3.15B | −$4.01B | −$2.64B | $6.94B | $1.71B | −$9.96B |
| Summary | ||||||||||||
| Net change in cash | −$79.1M | −$57.1M | $526.9M | −$1.08B | $2.05B | −$308.5M | −$2.19B | $304.7M | $1.26B | $517.2M | −$164.2M | $58.0M |
| Cash at end of period | $5.74B | $5.82B | $5.87B | $5.35B | $6.42B | $4.37B | $4.68B | $6.87B | $6.57B | $5.31B | $4.79B | $4.96B |
| Free cash flow | $154.6M | −$539.5M | $158.5M | $357.5M | $1.65B | $2.57B | −$2.86B | $402.2M | $2.81B | −$1.58B | $2.59B | $65.6M |
| Free cash flow margin | 3.7% | −14.3% | 4.4% | 10.0% | 45.9% | 73.1% | −77.8% | 10.2% | 59.8% | −44.3% | 79.5% | 2.0% |
| Capex / revenue | 5.2% | 5.8% | 6.4% | 4.7% | 6.0% | 5.2% | 6.2% | 5.3% | 3.9% | 3.6% | 6.4% | 0.7% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | −0.08 | −0.61 | 0.83 | 1.15 | 4.44 | 7.01 | −5.79 | 1.31 | 3.34 | −6.77 | 24.79 | 0.26 |
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.
NTRS cash generation
In fiscal 2025 (ended December 31, 2025), Northern Trust generated $5.5 billion of cash from operations and spent $74.0 million on capital expenditures, leaving free cash flow of $5.5 billion, 38.2% of revenue. It returned $1.9 billion to shareholders through dividends ($633.4 million) and net share buybacks ($1.3 billion). Cash and equivalents rose by $1.2 billion over the year.
Related: NTRS income statement, NTRS balance sheet, NTRS dividend history. See the NTRS stock overview for the latest quote and news.
NTRS cash flow FAQ
What is Northern Trust's free cash flow?
Northern Trust's free cash flow was $5.5 billion in fiscal 2025: $5.5 billion of operating cash flow minus $74.0 million of capital expenditures It was -$1.2 billion a year earlier..
How much cash does Northern Trust generate from operations?
Northern Trust generated $5.5 billion of cash from operating activities in fiscal 2025, 3.19 times its net income of $1.7 billion.
How much does Northern Trust spend on capital expenditures?
Northern Trust spent $74.0 million on capital expenditures in fiscal 2025, 0.5% of revenue, compared with $745.5 million the year before.
How much stock does Northern Trust buy back?
Northern Trust spent $1.3 billion on net share repurchases in fiscal 2025.
How much does Northern Trust pay in dividends?
Northern Trust paid $633.4 million in dividends in fiscal 2025, 11.6% of free cash flow.