Caterpillar Inc (CAT) — Free Cash Flow Generation Index
Caterpillar Inc (CAT) has a Free Cash Flow Generation Index of 0.88x as of December 2025. Free cash flow of $3.15 Billion represents 1% of operating cash flow ($3.59 Billion). See working capital position of Caterpillar Inc to evaluate short-term liquidity relative to the company's equity base.
FCF Generation Index
Free Cash Flow
Operating Cash Flow
Capital Expenditures
Caterpillar Inc Free Cash Flow Generation Index (1989–2025)
Historical FCF Generation Index trend for Caterpillar Inc across 34 annual periods. Explore Caterpillar Inc cash flow to debt ratio to assess how comfortably operating cash covers total debt obligations.
Annual Free Cash Flow Generation for Caterpillar Inc (1989–2025)
Year-by-year Free Cash Flow Generation Index for Caterpillar Inc. For the full company profile including market capitalisation, see CAT stock market capitalisation.
| Year | FCG Index | Free Cash Flow (USD) | Operating CF | Capital Expenditures | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.88x | $10.27 Billion | $11.74 Billion | $1.47 Billion | ▲ +19.4% |
| 2024 | 0.73x | $8.82 Billion | $12.04 Billion | $3.21 Billion | ▼ -3.6% |
| 2023 | 0.76x | $9.79 Billion | $12.88 Billion | $3.09 Billion | ▲ +14.2% |
| 2022 | 0.67x | $5.17 Billion | $7.77 Billion | $2.60 Billion | ▲ +1.3% |
| 2021 | 0.66x | $4.73 Billion | $7.20 Billion | $2.47 Billion | ▼ -1.4% |
| 2020 | 0.67x | $4.21 Billion | $6.33 Billion | $2.12 Billion | ▲ +8.4% |
| 2019 | 0.61x | $4.24 Billion | $6.91 Billion | $2.67 Billion | ▲ +10.5% |
| 2018 | 0.56x | $3.64 Billion | $6.56 Billion | $2.92 Billion | ▼ -6.0% |
| 2017 | 0.59x | $3.37 Billion | $5.71 Billion | $2.34 Billion | ▲ +22.8% |
| 2016 | 0.48x | $2.71 Billion | $5.64 Billion | $2.93 Billion | ▼ -6.3% |
| 2015 | 0.51x | $3.44 Billion | $6.70 Billion | $3.26 Billion | ▼ -11.6% |
| 2014 | 0.58x | $4.68 Billion | $8.06 Billion | $3.38 Billion | ▲ +3.0% |
| 2013 | 0.56x | $5.75 Billion | $10.19 Billion | $4.45 Billion | ▲ +2605.9% |
| 2012 | 0.02x | $108.00 Million | $5.18 Billion | $5.08 Billion | ▼ -95.2% |
| 2011 | 0.44x | $3.03 Billion | $6.96 Billion | $3.92 Billion | ▼ -9.9% |
| 2010 | 0.48x | $2.42 Billion | $5.01 Billion | $2.59 Billion | ▼ -21.9% |
| 2009 | 0.62x | $4.03 Billion | $6.50 Billion | $2.47 Billion | ▲ +268.3% |
| 2008 | 0.17x | $786.00 Million | $4.67 Billion | $3.89 Billion | ▼ -72.8% |
| 2007 | 0.62x | $4.92 Billion | $7.96 Billion | $3.04 Billion | ▲ +14.7% |
| 2006 | 0.54x | $3.12 Billion | $5.80 Billion | $2.67 Billion | ▲ +140.3% |
| 2005 | 0.22x | $698.00 Million | $3.11 Billion | $2.42 Billion | ▲ +2244.9% |
| 2001 | 0.01x | $19.00 Million | $1.99 Billion | $1.97 Billion | ▼ -97.1% |
| 2000 | 0.33x | $671.00 Million | $2.06 Billion | $1.39 Billion | ▼ -35.6% |
| 1999 | 0.51x | $1.31 Billion | $2.59 Billion | $1.28 Billion | ▲ +76.7% |
| 1998 | 0.29x | $509.00 Million | $1.78 Billion | $1.27 Billion | ▼ -39.4% |
| 1997 | 0.47x | $990.00 Million | $2.10 Billion | $1.11 Billion | ▼ -16.7% |
| 1996 | 0.57x | $1.01 Billion | $1.78 Billion | $771.00 Million | ▼ -17.8% |
| 1995 | 0.69x | $1.51 Billion | $2.19 Billion | $679.00 Million | ▲ +14.0% |
| 1994 | 0.61x | $1.06 Billion | $1.76 Billion | $694.00 Million | ▲ +10.0% |
| 1993 | 0.55x | $773.00 Million | $1.41 Billion | $632.00 Million | ▲ +302.0% |
| 1992 | -0.27x | $-137.00 Million | $503.00 Million | $640.00 Million | ▼ -31.3% |
| 1991 | -0.21x | $-133.00 Million | $641.00 Million | $774.00 Million | ▲ +22.3% |
| 1990 | -0.27x | $-219.00 Million | $820.00 Million | $1.04 Billion | ▼ -33.1% |
| 1989 | -0.20x | $-182.00 Million | $907.00 Million | $1.09 Billion | — |