Rio Tinto Group (RIO) Cash Flow Statement
Where RIO’s cash came from and went, 2025
December 31, 2025 · U.S. dollars- Cash from operations
- $17.19B +10.2% vs 2024
- Capital expenditures
- $12.36B 21.4% of revenue
- Free cash flow
- $4.82B 8.3% margin
- Returned to shareholders
- $6.16B 128% of free cash flow
- Change in cash
- $377.0M cash at year-end $8.87B
Drawn to scale: where the cash came from and how it was used. Hover for values.
RIO operating cash flow, capex and free cash flow
RIO cash flow trends, 2016–2025
| Metric | Trend | Then | Latest | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating cash flow | $8.46B2016 | $17.19B2025 | +8.2%/yr | |
| Capital expenditures | $3.01B2016 | $12.36B2025 | +17.0%/yr | |
| Free cash flow | $5.45B2016 | $4.82B2025 | −1.4%/yr | |
| Free cash flow margin | 16.1%2016 | 8.3%2025 | −7.8 pts | |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.772016 | 1.722025 | −0.05 | |
| Stock-based compensation | $125.0M2016 | $144.0M2023 | +2.0%/yr | |
| Dividends paid | $2.73B2016 | $6.16B2025 | +9.5%/yr | |
| Share buybacks (net) | $02016 | $02025 | — | |
| Capex / revenue | 8.9%2016 | 21.4%2025 | +12.5 pts |
Change is the average annual growth (CAGR) or the difference between the first and latest year.
RIO cash flow by activity
RIO 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).
RIO cash flow statement
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||
| Net income | $9.99B | $11.55B | $9.95B | $13.08B | $22.57B | $10.40B | $6.97B | $13.93B | $8.85B | $4.78B |
| Depreciation & amortization | $6.58B | $5.92B | $5.33B | $5.01B | $4.70B | $4.28B | $4.38B | $4.01B | $4.38B | $4.79B |
| Stock-based compensation | — | — | $144.0M | $122.0M | $126.0M | $138.0M | $123.0M | $122.0M | $98.0M | $125.0M |
| Change in working capital | −$244.6M | $57.0M | −$926.0M | −$465.0M | −$1.08B | −$285.0M | $28.0M | −$532.0M | −$199.0M | −$273.0M |
| Other non-cash items | $864.3M | −$1.93B | $655.0M | −$1.61B | −$974.0M | $1.34B | $3.40B | −$5.71B | $759.0M | −$957.0M |
| Cash from operating activities | $17.19B | $15.60B | $15.16B | $16.13B | $25.34B | $15.88B | $14.91B | $11.82B | $13.88B | $8.46B |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$12.36B | −$9.62B | −$7.09B | −$6.75B | −$7.38B | −$6.19B | −$5.49B | −$5.43B | −$4.48B | −$3.01B |
| Investments (net) | −$162.0M | −$9.59B | −$6.96B | −$6.71B | $75.0M | −$6.56B | −$5.50B | $1.32B | −$2.37B | −$2.10B |
| Acquisitions & other investing | −$5.22B | $9.62B | $7.09B | $6.75B | $150.0M | $6.19B | $5.49B | $5.43B | $4.48B | $3.01B |
| Cash from investing activities | −$17.75B | −$9.59B | −$6.96B | −$6.71B | −$7.16B | −$6.56B | −$5.50B | $1.32B | −$2.37B | −$2.10B |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$6.16B | −$7.03B | −$6.47B | −$11.73B | −$15.36B | −$6.13B | −$10.33B | −$5.36B | −$4.25B | −$2.73B |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | $1.63B | $1.57B | $127.0M | $86.0M | $66.0M | −$208.0M | −$1.55B | −$5.39B | −$2.08B | $101.0M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | $7.83B | −$599.0M | $1.52B | −$843.0M | −$577.0M | −$920.0M | −$438.0M | −$2.25B | −$2.78B | −$4.95B |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | −$2.45B | −$1.04B | −$457.0M | −$2.99B | $6.0M | $130.0M | $105.0M | $37.0M | −$31.0M | $81.0M |
| Cash from financing activities | $849.0M | −$7.09B | −$5.28B | −$15.47B | −$15.86B | −$7.13B | −$12.22B | −$12.95B | −$9.14B | −$7.49B |
| Summary | ||||||||||
| Net change in cash | $377.0M | −$1.19B | $2.90B | −$6.03B | $2.42B | $2.35B | −$2.86B | $342.0M | $2.36B | −$1.17B |
| Cash at end of period | $8.87B | $8.48B | $9.67B | $6.77B | $12.80B | $10.38B | $8.03B | $10.89B | $10.55B | $8.19B |
| Free cash flow | $4.82B | $5.98B | $8.07B | $9.38B | $17.96B | $9.69B | $9.42B | $6.39B | $9.40B | $5.45B |
| Free cash flow margin | 8.3% | 11.1% | 14.9% | 16.9% | 28.3% | 21.7% | 21.8% | 15.8% | 23.5% | 16.1% |
| Capex / revenue | 21.4% | 17.9% | 13.1% | 12.2% | 11.6% | 13.9% | 12.7% | 13.4% | 11.2% | 8.9% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.72 | 1.35 | 1.52 | 1.23 | 1.12 | 1.53 | 2.14 | 0.85 | 1.57 | 1.77 |
| Jun '26 | Dec '25 | Jun '25 | Dec '24 | Jun '24 | Dec '23 | Jun '23 | Dec '22 | Sep '22 | Jun '22 | Mar '22 | Dec '21 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||||
| Net income | $6.66B | $5.42B | $4.57B | $5.74B | $5.81B | $4.90B | $5.12B | $3.68B | $1.76B | $8.91B | $4.45B | $8.86B |
| Depreciation & amortization | $4.05B | $3.99B | $3.36B | $3.53B | $2.82B | $3.20B | $3.06B | $2.68B | $1.15B | $2.46B | $1.23B | $2.41B |
| Stock-based compensation | — | — | — | $172.0M | — | $144.0M | — | $122.0M | — | — | — | $126.0M |
| Change in working capital | −$1.64B | $392.3M | −$635.4M | −$18.0M | −$101.0M | $8.4M | −$927.0M | −$44.8M | — | −$443.0M | — | $245.0M |
| Other non-cash items | $107.0M | $240.8M | −$259.2M | −$885.0M | −$1.47B | $222.4M | −$232.0M | $413.4M | −$78.5M | −$409.0M | −$446.5M | $967.1M |
| Cash from operating activities | $9.18B | $10.04B | $7.04B | $8.54B | $7.06B | $8.48B | $7.02B | $6.85B | $2.83B | $10.52B | $5.24B | $12.61B |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$5.95B | −$7.51B | −$4.77B | −$5.60B | −$4.02B | −$4.03B | −$3.00B | −$3.93B | −$1.80B | −$3.15B | −$1.57B | −$4.12B |
| Investments (net) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $412.0M | $412.0M | −$31.0M | −$31.0M | $24.5M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | $1.59B | $399.2M | −$5.75B | −$447.0M | $474.0M | −$586.7M | $803.0M | −$2.53B | $47.5M | −$823.0M | −$407.0M | $212.2M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$4.36B | −$7.11B | −$10.53B | −$6.05B | −$3.54B | −$4.62B | −$2.20B | −$6.05B | −$1.34B | −$4.00B | −$2.01B | −$3.88B |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$4.21B | −$2.33B | −$3.79B | −$2.90B | −$4.12B | −$2.73B | −$3.69B | −$4.71B | −$2.07B | −$7.59B | −$3.31B | −$9.06B |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | — | $1.63B | $786.0M | $1.57B | $445.0M | $127.0M | $61.0M | $86.0M | — | $22.0M | — | $66.0M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | −$296.5M | −$296.5M | −$125.0M | −$125.0M | −$143.5M |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | −$538.9M | −$2.37B | $6.92B | −$2.79B | −$225.0M | −$822.1M | $1.27B | −$854.8M | −$1.46B | −$187.0M | −$480.0M | −$908.0M |
| Cash from financing activities | −$4.75B | −$3.07B | $3.91B | −$4.12B | −$3.90B | −$3.42B | −$2.36B | −$5.77B | −$3.83B | −$7.88B | −$3.91B | −$10.05B |
| Summary | ||||||||||||
| Net change in cash | $41.0M | −$143.0M | $520.0M | −$761.0M | $9.25B | $494.0M | $2.40B | −$4.64B | −$2.32B | −$1.40B | −$698.0M | −$1.22B |
| Cash at end of period | $8.91B | $8.87B | $9.02B | $8.48B | $9.25B | $9.67B | $9.18B | $6.78B | $11.41B | $11.41B | $12.81B | $12.81B |
| Free cash flow | $3.23B | $2.53B | $2.26B | $2.94B | $3.04B | $4.45B | $4.02B | $2.92B | $1.03B | $7.37B | $3.66B | $8.50B |
| Free cash flow margin | 10.4% | 8.3% | 8.3% | 10.9% | 11.3% | 16.4% | 15.1% | 10.8% | — | 24.7% | — | 27.7% |
| Capex / revenue | 19.2% | 24.5% | 17.6% | 20.9% | 15.0% | 14.8% | 11.3% | 14.5% | — | 10.6% | — | 13.4% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.38 | 1.85 | 1.54 | 1.49 | 1.21 | 1.73 | 1.37 | 1.86 | 1.61 | 1.18 | 1.18 | 1.42 |
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.
RIO cash generation
In fiscal 2025 (ended December 31, 2025), Rio Tinto generated $17.2 billion of cash from operations (up 10.2%) and spent $12.4 billion on capital expenditures, leaving free cash flow of $4.8 billion, 8.3% of revenue. It returned $6.2 billion to shareholders through dividends ($6.2 billion) and net share buybacks ($0). Cash and equivalents rose by $377.0 million over the year.
Related: RIO income statement, RIO balance sheet, RIO dividend history. See the RIO stock overview for the latest quote and news.
RIO cash flow FAQ
What is Rio Tinto's free cash flow?
Rio Tinto's free cash flow was $4.8 billion in fiscal 2025: $17.2 billion of operating cash flow minus $12.4 billion of capital expenditures It was $6.0 billion a year earlier..
How much cash does Rio Tinto generate from operations?
Rio Tinto generated $17.2 billion of cash from operating activities in fiscal 2025, 1.72 times its net income of $10.0 billion.
How much does Rio Tinto spend on capital expenditures?
Rio Tinto spent $12.4 billion on capital expenditures in fiscal 2025, 21.4% of revenue, compared with $9.6 billion the year before.
How much does Rio Tinto pay in dividends?
Rio Tinto paid $6.2 billion in dividends in fiscal 2025, 127.7% of free cash flow.