Westlake Corporation (WLK) Cash Flow Statement
Where WLK’s cash came from and went, 2025
December 31, 2025 · U.S. dollars- Cash from operations
- $465.0M −64.6% vs 2024
- Capital expenditures
- $995.0M 8.9% of revenue
- Free cash flow
- −$530.0M −4.7% margin
- Returned to shareholders
- $335.0M
- Change in cash
- −$195.0M cash at year-end $2.74B
Cash from operations
$465.0M
Capital expenditures
−$995.0M
Investments (net)
−$204.0M
Acquisitions & other
−$24.0M
Dividends
−$272.0M
Share buybacks (net)
−$63.0M
Net borrowing (repayment)
+$933.0M
Other financing
−$68.0M
Currency & other
+$33.0M
Change in cash
−$195.0M
Drawn to scale: where the cash came from and how it was used. Hover for values.
WLK operating cash flow, capex and free cash flow
Operating cash flowCapital expendituresFree cash flowFCF margin (right axis)
WLK cash flow trends, 2016–2025
| Metric | Trend | Then | Latest | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating cash flow | $833.9M2016 | $465.0M2025 | −6.3%/yr | |
| Capital expenditures | $628.5M2016 | $995.0M2025 | +5.2%/yr | |
| Free cash flow | $205.4M2016 | −$530.0M2025 | — | |
| Free cash flow margin | 4.0%2016 | −4.7%2025 | −8.8 pts | |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.992016 | 2.032024 | +0.04 | |
| Stock-based compensation | $14.2M2016 | $41.0M2025 | +12.5%/yr | |
| Dividends paid | $96.6M2016 | $272.0M2025 | +12.2%/yr | |
| Share buybacks (net) | $67.4M2016 | $63.0M2025 | −0.7%/yr | |
| Capex / revenue | 12.4%2016 | 8.9%2025 | −3.5 pts |
Change is the average annual growth (CAGR) or the difference between the first and latest year.
WLK cash flow by activity
OperatingInvestingFinancingChange in cash
WLK net income vs operating cash flow
Net incomeOperating cash flow
Operating cash flow above net income usually means earnings are backed by cash (depreciation and stock-based pay are non-cash expenses).
WLK cash flow statement
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||
| Net income | −$1.47B | $647.0M | $522.0M | $2.30B | $2.07B | $373.0M | $462.0M | $1.03B | $1.34B | $419.9M |
| Depreciation & amortization | $1.18B | $1.11B | $1.10B | $1.06B | $840.0M | $773.0M | $713.0M | $641.0M | $601.0M | $377.7M |
| Stock-based compensation | $41.0M | $41.0M | $43.0M | $36.0M | $31.0M | $29.0M | $25.0M | $22.0M | $23.0M | $14.2M |
| Change in working capital | −$185.0M | −$469.0M | $332.0M | −$24.0M | −$614.0M | −$78.0M | −$3.0M | −$374.0M | $90.0M | −$38.5M |
| Other non-cash items | $902.0M | −$19.0M | $342.0M | $30.0M | $67.0M | $200.0M | $104.0M | $86.0M | −$515.0M | $60.6M |
| Cash from operating activities | $465.0M | $1.31B | $2.34B | $3.40B | $2.39B | $1.30B | $1.30B | $1.41B | $1.54B | $833.9M |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$995.0M | −$1.01B | −$1.03B | −$1.11B | −$658.0M | −$525.0M | −$787.0M | −$702.0M | −$577.0M | −$628.5M |
| Investments (net) | −$204.0M | −$1.00B | −$1.08B | −$2.48B | −$24.0M | $44.0M | −$1.95B | −$754.0M | −$652.0M | $519.3M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | −$24.0M | $1.01B | $1.08B | $1.11B | −$2.53B | −$28.0M | $787.0M | $702.0M | $577.0M | −$2.45B |
| Cash from investing activities | −$1.22B | −$1.00B | −$1.04B | −$2.48B | −$3.21B | −$509.0M | −$1.95B | −$754.0M | −$652.0M | −$2.56B |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$272.0M | −$264.0M | −$221.0M | −$169.0M | −$145.0M | −$137.0M | −$132.0M | −$120.0M | −$103.0M | −$96.6M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$63.0M | −$60.0M | −$23.0M | −$101.0M | −$30.0M | −$54.0M | −$30.0M | −$106.0M | $978.0M | −$67.4M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | $933.0M | −$300.0M | $0 | −$250.0M | $1.66B | $28.0M | $786.0M | −$1.17B | $169.0M | $35.8M |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $63.0M | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | −$68.0M | −$26.0M | −$1.0M | −$67.0M | −$49.0M | −$53.0M | −$57.0M | −$36.0M | −$884.0M | $1.66B |
| Cash from financing activities | $530.0M | −$650.0M | −$245.0M | −$587.0M | $1.44B | −$216.0M | $630.0M | −$1.43B | $160.0M | $1.53B |
| Summary | ||||||||||
| Net change in cash | −$195.0M | −$384.0M | $1.07B | $305.0M | $604.0M | $587.0M | −$25.0M | −$779.0M | $1.07B | −$203.1M |
| Cash at end of period | $2.74B | $2.94B | $3.32B | $2.25B | $1.94B | $1.34B | $750.0M | $775.0M | $1.53B | $459.5M |
| Free cash flow | −$530.0M | $306.0M | $1.30B | $2.29B | $1.74B | $772.0M | $514.0M | $707.0M | $961.0M | $205.4M |
| Free cash flow margin | −4.7% | 2.5% | 10.4% | 14.5% | 14.7% | 10.3% | 6.3% | 8.2% | 12.0% | 4.0% |
| Capex / revenue | 8.9% | 8.3% | 8.2% | 7.0% | 5.6% | 7.0% | 9.7% | 8.1% | 7.2% | 12.4% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | — | 2.03 | 4.48 | 1.48 | 1.16 | 3.48 | 2.82 | 1.36 | 1.15 | 1.99 |
| 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 | $271.0M | −$157.0M | −$533.0M | −$772.0M | −$131.0M | −$35.0M | $19.0M | $120.0M | $323.0M | $185.0M | −$487.0M | $295.0M |
| Depreciation & amortization | $286.0M | $284.0M | $297.0M | $303.0M | $295.0M | $283.0M | $281.0M | $281.0M | $279.0M | $273.0M | $282.0M | $277.0M |
| Stock-based compensation | $13.0M | $7.0M | $11.0M | $11.0M | $12.0M | $7.0M | $10.0M | $11.0M | $11.0M | $9.0M | $12.0M | −$87.0M |
| Change in working capital | $147.0M | −$264.0M | $361.0M | −$156.0M | −$54.0M | −$336.0M | $105.0M | $46.0M | −$342.0M | −$278.0M | $369.0M | $119.0M |
| Other non-cash items | −$399.0M | $36.0M | $89.0M | $796.0M | $13.0M | $4.0M | $19.0M | $16.0M | −$34.0M | −$20.0M | $397.0M | $92.0M |
| Cash from operating activities | $318.0M | −$94.0M | $225.0M | $182.0M | $135.0M | −$77.0M | $434.0M | $474.0M | $237.0M | $169.0M | $573.0M | $696.0M |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$207.0M | −$209.0M | −$241.0M | −$239.0M | −$267.0M | −$248.0M | −$285.0M | −$220.0M | −$231.0M | −$272.0M | −$282.0M | −$245.0M |
| Investments (net) | −$4.0M | −$2.0M | −$6.0M | −$242.0M | −$292.0M | −$434.0M | −$265.0M | −$241.0M | −$223.0M | −$272.0M | −$287.0M | −$251.0M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | −$109.0M | −$60.0M | −$8.0M | $239.0M | $267.0M | $248.0M | $285.0M | $220.0M | $231.0M | $272.0M | $282.0M | −$254.0M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$320.0M | −$271.0M | −$255.0M | −$242.0M | −$292.0M | −$434.0M | −$265.0M | −$241.0M | −$223.0M | −$272.0M | −$287.0M | −$750.0M |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$69.0M | −$68.0M | −$68.0M | −$68.0M | −$68.0M | −$68.0M | −$67.0M | −$67.0M | −$65.0M | −$65.0M | −$65.0M | −$64.0M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$30.0M | $0 | −$33.0M | −$30.0M | −$30.0M | −$30.0M | −$60.0M | $13.0M | $0 | $0 | $0 | $16.0M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | — | — | $933.0M | $0 | — | — | $0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | −$523.0M | −$14.0M | −$17.0M | $10.0M | $16.0M | −$17.0M | −$6.0M | −$317.0M | −$7.0M | −$9.0M | −$5.0M | $4.0M |
| Cash from financing activities | −$622.0M | −$82.0M | $815.0M | −$88.0M | −$82.0M | −$115.0M | −$133.0M | −$371.0M | −$72.0M | −$74.0M | −$70.0M | −$44.0M |
| Summary | ||||||||||||
| Net change in cash | −$628.0M | −$452.0M | $797.0M | −$157.0M | −$213.0M | −$622.0M | $4.0M | −$127.0M | −$66.0M | −$195.0M | $247.0M | $380.0M |
| Cash at end of period | $1.66B | $2.29B | $2.74B | $1.94B | $2.10B | $2.31B | $2.94B | $2.93B | $3.04B | $3.11B | $3.30B | $3.07B |
| Free cash flow | $111.0M | −$303.0M | −$16.0M | −$57.0M | −$132.0M | −$325.0M | $149.0M | $254.0M | $6.0M | −$103.0M | $291.0M | $451.0M |
| Free cash flow margin | 3.4% | −11.4% | −0.6% | −2.0% | −4.5% | −11.4% | 5.2% | 8.1% | 0.2% | −3.5% | 10.3% | 14.5% |
| Capex / revenue | 6.3% | 7.9% | 9.5% | 8.4% | 9.0% | 8.7% | 10.0% | 7.1% | 7.2% | 9.1% | 10.0% | 7.9% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.17 | — | — | — | — | — | 22.84 | 3.95 | 0.73 | 0.91 | — | 2.36 |
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.
WLK cash generation
In fiscal 2025 (ended December 31, 2025), Westlake generated $465.0 million of cash from operations (down 64.6%) and spent $995.0 million on capital expenditures, leaving free cash flow of -$530.0 million, −4.7% of revenue. It returned $335.0 million to shareholders through dividends ($272.0 million) and net share buybacks ($63.0 million). Cash and equivalents fell by $195.0 million over the year.
Related: WLK income statement, WLK balance sheet, WLK dividend history. See the WLK stock overview for the latest quote and news.
WLK cash flow FAQ
What is Westlake's free cash flow?
Westlake's free cash flow was -$530.0 million in fiscal 2025: $465.0 million of operating cash flow minus $995.0 million of capital expenditures It was $306.0 million a year earlier..
How much cash does Westlake generate from operations?
Westlake generated $465.0 million of cash from operating activities in fiscal 2025.
How much does Westlake spend on capital expenditures?
Westlake spent $995.0 million on capital expenditures in fiscal 2025, 8.9% of revenue, compared with $1.0 billion the year before.
How much stock does Westlake buy back?
Westlake spent $63.0 million on net share repurchases in fiscal 2025.
How much does Westlake pay in dividends?
Westlake paid $272.0 million in dividends in fiscal 2025.