Fresenius SE KGaA (XSWX:FRE) Free Cash Flow: CHF1,319 Mil (TTM As of Mar. 2026)

Author: Vera Yuan Vera Yuan
Vera Yuan
Vera Yuan
Director of Data and Quant Analytics at GuruFocus
Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
Reviewed by: Charlie Tian Charlie Tian
Charlie Tian
Charlie Tian
Founder & CEO of GuruFocus
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.

XSWX:FRE Fresenius SE & Co KGaA XSWX:FRE
72 GF Score
Price CHF39.27
GF Value CHF35.05
! 5 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is Fresenius SE KGaA Free Cash Flow?

Fresenius SE KGaA XSWX:FRE 72 Free Cash Flow is CHF1,319 Mil as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus rates XSWX:FRE with a GF Score™ of 72/100 and a GF Value™ of CHF35.05. The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review.

Fresenius SE KGaA's total free cash flow for the months ended in Mar. 2026 was CHF176 Mil. Its total free cash flow for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 was CHF1,319 Mil.

Fresenius SE KGaA's Free Cash Flow per Share for the months ended in Mar. 2026 was CHF0.31. Its free cash flow per share for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 was CHF2.35.

During the past 12 months, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate of Fresenius SE KGaA was -0.60% per year. During the past 3 years, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was -29.10% per year. During the past 5 years, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was -18.00% per year. Please click Growth Rate Calculation Example (GuruFocus) to see how GuruFocus calculates Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT)'s revenue growth rate. You can apply the same method to get the Free Cash Flow Growth Rate using Free Cash Flow per Share data.

During the past 13 years, Fresenius SE KGaA's highest 3-Year average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was 57.20% per year. The lowest was -61.20% per year. And the median was -12.20% per year.


Fresenius SE KGaA  (XSWX:FRE) Free Cash Flow Explanation

Free Cash Flow is very close to Warren Buffett's definition of Owner's Earnings, except that in Warren Buffett's Owner's Earnings, the spending for Property, Plant, and Equipment is only for maintenance (replacement), while in the Free Cash Flow calculation, the cost of new Property, Plant, and Equipment due to business expansion is also deducted. There, Free Cash Flow is more conservative than Owner's Earnings.

In Don Yacktman's calculation of forward rate of return, he uses Free Cash Flow for the calculation. Yacktman explained the forward rate of return concept in detail in his interview with GuruFocus. Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation.

This is what Yacktman said in his March 2012 interview - when the S&P 500 was at 1400:

If the business is stable, this calculation is fairly straightforward. For instance, on the S&P 500 we would normalize earnings. We would then calculate what percentage of those earnings are not reinvested in the underlying businesses and are therefore free. Historically, for the S&P 500, this has been just under 50% of earnings. Currently, we expect the S&P to earn about 70 on a normalized basis, a number which is far below reported earnings due to our adjusting for record high profit margins. $70 X ½ / 1400 gives you a normalized free cash flow yield of approximately 2.5%.

The historical real growth rate of the S&P 500 (companies) is about 1.5%. Assuming an inflation rate of 2.5%, the forward rate of return on an investment in the S&P 500 is about 6.5% today (2.5% free cash flow yield plus 1.5% real growth plus 2.5% inflation).

For the growth part of the Forward Rate of Return calculation, GuruFocus uses the 5-year average growth rate of EBITDA per share as the growth rate, and the growth rate is always capped at 20%. For the Free Cash Flow we use per share data averaged over five years. The reason we use five years is because research shows that five years is the length of the typical business cycle.

Therefore, as of Mar26, Fresenius SE KGaA's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is

Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % (Mar26)=Normalized Free Cash Flow/Price+5-Year EBITDA Growth Rate
=3.6032381/40.61+-0.1883
=-9.96 %

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.


Be Aware

Free Cash Flow within a report period can be affected by management's decisions of capital spending. Therefore, it is important to look at long term when it comes to Free Cash Flow.


Fresenius SE KGaA Free Cash Flow Related Terms


Fresenius SE KGaA Free Cash Flow Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Fresenius SE KGaA's Free Cash Flow can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Fresenius SE KGaA Free Cash Flow Chart

Fresenius SE KGaA Annual Data
Trend Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24 Dec25
Free Cash Flow
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 2,114.66 2,965.53 2,989.55 1,294.92 1,004.99

Fresenius SE KGaA Quarterly Data
Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26
Free Cash Flow Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -140.42 216.67 349.46 577.61 175.66
XSWX:FRE
72GF Score
Fresenius SE & Co KGaA XSWX:FRE
Free Cash Flow is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Fresenius SE KGaA Free Cash Flow Calculation

Free Cash Flow is considered one of the most important parameters to measure a company's earnings power by value investors because it is not subject to estimates of Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization (DDA). However, when we look at the Free Cash Flow, we should look from a long term perspective, because any year's Free Cash Flow can be drastically affected by the spending on Property, Plant, & Equipment (PPE) of the business in that year. Over the long term, Free Cash Flow should give pretty good picture on the real earnings power of the company.

Fresenius SE KGaA's Free Cash Flow for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as

Free Cash Flow (A: Dec. 2025 )=Cash Flow from Operations+Capital Expenditure
=2401.898+-1396.908
=1,005

Fresenius SE KGaA's Free Cash Flow for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 is calculated as

Free Cash Flow (Q: Mar. 2026 )=Cash Flow from Operations+Capital Expenditure
=354.057+-178.394
=176

Free Cash Flow for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 adds up the quarterly data reported by the company within the most recent 12 months, which was CHF1,319 Mil.

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Free Cash Flow →
What does a Free Cash Flow of CHF1,319 Mil mean?
Fresenius SE KGaA (XSWX:FRE) has a Free Cash Flow of CHF1,319 Mil as of Mar. 2026. Free cash flow represents the total amount of cash a company has on hand following operating and capital expenditures. View historial data for Fresenius SE KGaA and its competitors.
Is Fresenius SE KGaA's Free Cash Flow too high?
Fresenius SE KGaA's current Free Cash Flow is CHF1,319 Mil. Overall, Fresenius SE KGaA has a GF Score™ of 72/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Fresenius SE KGaA's Free Cash Flow compare to HCA and THC?
Fresenius SE KGaA's Free Cash Flow of CHF1,319 Mil can be compared against companies in the Healthcare Providers & Services industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Free Cash Flow for a Healthcare Providers & Services company?
A good Free Cash Flow depends on the Healthcare Providers & Services industry context. However, Free Cash Flow should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Free Cash Flow mean?
A high Free Cash Flow can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Free cash flow represents the total amount of cash a company has on hand following operating and capital expenditures. View historial data for Fresenius SE KGaA and its competitors. Fresenius SE KGaA's current Free Cash Flow is CHF1,319 Mil. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Fresenius SE KGaA stock overvalued right now?
Fresenius SE KGaA (XSWX:FRE) has a current Free Cash Flow of CHF1,319 Mil. The stock's GF Value™ is CHF35.05, compared to a current price of CHF39.27 — trading 12% above its estimated fair value. The current Free Cash Flow is CHF1,319 Mil. Fresenius SE KGaA's overall GF Score™ is 72/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Free Cash Flow calculated?
Free Cash Flow is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Fresenius SE KGaA (XSWX:FRE), the current Free Cash Flow is CHF1,319 Mil as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is Fresenius SE KGaA (XSWX:FRE) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Fresenius SE KGaA stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of CHF39.27 is trading 12% above its estimated GF Value™ of CHF35.05.

Key valuation signals for XSWX:FRE:

  • Free Cash Flow: CHF1,319 Mil
  • GF Value™: CHF35.05 vs. price of CHF39.27 (12% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 72/100 with 5 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the XSWX:FRE stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Fresenius SE KGaA Business Description

Address Else-Kroener-Strasse 1, Bad Homburg, HE, DEU, 61352
Fresenius is a healthcare holding company based in Germany. The company owns a minority stake in dialysis service provider and equipment manufacturer Fresenius Medical Care. The Kabi segment manufactures intravenous drugs, nutrition products, infusion and transfusion therapies, and related pumps. The Helios segment operates private hospitals primarily in Germany and Spain.
72GF Score

Get the complete analysis for XSWX:FRE

Free Cash Flow is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

CHF39.27
Price
CHF35.05
GF Value