Noodles & Free Cash Flow (FCF) History (NDLS)
Noodles & reported −$5.1M in free cash flow for fiscal 2025, an increase of $16.1M from the previous fiscal year, with a free cash flow margin of −1.03%.
View full Noodles & company overviewNoodles & free cash flow by year
| Fiscal year | Period ended | Free cash flow | Change | Growth | FCF margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2025-12-30 | −$5.1M | $16.1M | — | −1.03% |
| 2024 | 2024-12-31 | −$21.2M | $3.3M | — | −4.30% |
| 2023 | 2024-01-02 | −$24.5M | −$219,000 | — | −4.88% |
| 2022 | 2023-01-03 | −$24.3M | −$41.7M | — | −4.78% |
| 2021 | 2021-12-28 | $17.4M | $20.0M | — | +3.66% |
| 2020 | 2020-12-29 | −$2.7M | −$15.3M | — | −0.68% |
| 2019 | 2019-12-31 | $12.7M | $21.6M | — | +2.74% |
| 2018 | 2019-01-01 | −$9.0M | $7.7M | — | −1.96% |
| 2017 | 2018-01-02 | −$16.7M | $1.9M | — | −3.66% |
| 2016 | 2017-01-03 | −$18.6M | −$13.0M | — | −3.82% |
| 2015 | 2015-12-29 | −$5.6M | $1.7M | — | −1.23% |
| 2014 | 2014-12-30 | −$7.3M | $3.5M | — | −1.81% |
| 2013 | 2013-12-31 | −$10.8M | $4.5M | — | −3.08% |
| 2012 | 2013-01-01 | −$15.3M | −$13.2M | — | −5.10% |
| 2011 | 2012-01-03 | −$2.1M | — | — | −0.83% |
Noodles & quarterly free cash flow
| Fiscal quarter | Period ended | Free cash flow | Change | YoY growth | FCF margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 2026 | 2026-06-30 | $1.8M | $6.0M | — | +1.41% |
| Q1 2026 | 2026-03-31 | $3.9M | $2.8M | +253.27% | +3.18% |
| Q4 2025 | 2025-12-30 | −$3.4M | $10.4M | — | −2.78% |
| Q3 2025 | 2025-09-30 | $1.4M | $2.8M | — | +1.18% |
| Q2 2025 | 2025-07-01 | −$4.3M | $205,000 | — | −3.36% |
| Q1 2025 | 2025-04-01 | $1.1M | $2.8M | — | +0.90% |
| Q4 2024 | 2024-12-31 | −$13.8M | $1.4M | — | −11.31% |
| Q3 2024 | 2024-10-01 | −$1.3M | −$5.5M | — | −1.08% |
| Q2 2024 | 2024-07-02 | −$4.5M | $5.9M | — | −3.50% |
| Q1 2024 | 2024-04-02 | −$1.6M | $1.6M | — | −1.35% |
| Q4 2023 | 2024-01-02 | −$15.2M | −$5.6M | — | −12.19% |
| Q3 2023 | 2023-10-03 | $4.1M | $8.2M | — | +3.23% |
| Q2 2023 | 2023-07-04 | −$10.3M | −$14.1M | — | −8.24% |
| Q1 2023 | 2023-04-04 | −$3.2M | $11.3M | — | −2.55% |
| Q4 2022 | 2023-01-03 | −$9.6M | −$10.1M | — | −7.03% |
| Q3 2022 | 2022-09-27 | −$4.0M | −$5.2M | — | −3.13% |
| Q2 2022 | 2022-06-28 | $3.8M | −$10.9M | −74.25% | +2.89% |
| Q1 2022 | 2022-03-29 | −$14.5M | −$15.5M | — | −12.86% |
| Q4 2021 | 2021-12-28 | $458,000 | $1.5M | — | +0.40% |
| Q3 2021 | 2021-09-28 | $1.2M | $2.6M | — | +0.93% |
| Q2 2021 | 2021-06-29 | $14.7M | $10.3M | +229.10% | +11.72% |
| Q1 2021 | 2021-03-30 | $1.0M | $5.6M | — | +0.95% |
| Q4 2020 | 2020-12-29 | −$1.1M | −$11.3M | — | −1.01% |
| Q3 2020 | 2020-09-29 | −$1.5M | −$3.2M | — | −1.39% |
| Q2 2020 | 2020-06-30 | $4.5M | −$367,000 | −7.58% | +5.58% |
| Q1 2020 | 2020-03-31 | −$4.6M | −$527,000 | — | −4.56% |
| Q4 2019 | 2019-12-31 | $10.2M | $4.4M | +75.04% | +8.94% |
| Q3 2019 | 2019-10-01 | $1.7M | $12.3M | — | +1.43% |
| Q2 2019 | 2019-07-02 | $4.8M | $3.2M | +203.51% | +4.03% |
| Q1 2019 | 2019-04-02 | −$4.0M | $1.8M | — | −3.68% |
| Q4 2018 | 2019-01-01 | $5.8M | −$1.9M | −24.22% | +5.14% |
| Q3 2018 | 2018-10-02 | −$10.6M | −$6.6M | — | −9.07% |
| Q2 2018 | 2018-07-03 | $1.6M | $7.4M | — | +1.36% |
| Q1 2018 | 2018-04-03 | −$5.8M | $8.9M | — | −5.26% |
| Q4 2017 | 2018-01-02 | $7.7M | $8.5M | — | +6.80% |
| Q3 2017 | 2017-10-03 | −$4.0M | $2.0M | — | −3.46% |
| Q2 2017 | 2017-07-04 | −$5.8M | −$672,000 | — | −5.11% |
| Q1 2017 | 2017-04-04 | −$14.7M | −$8.0M | — | −12.58% |
| Q4 2016 | 2017-01-03 | −$878,000 | $5.8M | — | −0.68% |
| Q3 2016 | 2016-09-27 | −$6.0M | $1.9M | — | −4.88% |
| Q2 2016 | 2016-06-28 | −$5.1M | −$6.6M | — | −4.20% |
| Q1 2016 · Mar 31 | 2016-03-31 | −$6.6M | −$3.9M | — | −5.83% |
| Q1 2016 · Mar 29 | 2016-03-29 | −$6.6M | −$10.2M | — | −5.83% |
| Q4 2015 | 2015-12-29 | −$7.9M | −$3.0M | — | −6.71% |
| Q3 2015 | 2015-09-29 | $1.5M | −$1.4M | −48.39% | +1.26% |
| Q2 2015 | 2015-06-30 | −$2.7M | $1.3M | — | −2.38% |
| Q1 2015 | 2015-03-31 | $3.5M | $4.8M | — | +3.35% |
| Q4 2014 | 2014-12-30 | −$4.8M | −$1.4M | — | −4.45% |
| Q3 2014 | 2014-09-30 | $2.9M | $4.3M | — | +2.69% |
| Q2 2014 | 2014-07-01 | −$4.1M | −$3.5M | — | −4.12% |
| Q1 2014 | 2014-04-01 | −$1.3M | $4.1M | — | −1.40% |
| Q4 2013 | 2013-12-31 | −$3.5M | −$3.9M | — | −3.79% |
| Q3 2013 | 2013-10-01 | −$1.4M | — | — | −1.57% |
| Q2 2013 | 2013-07-02 | −$545,000 | — | — | −0.61% |
| Q1 2013 | 2013-04-02 | −$5.4M | — | — | −6.62% |
| Q3 2012 | 2012-10-02 | $465,000 | — | — | +0.60% |
Noodles & free cash flow growth trends
Over the last five reported fiscal years, free cash flow declined from −$2.7M to −$5.1M, a net decrease of $2.5M. Noodles &'s latest reported quarter, Q2 2026, generated $1.8M in free cash flow, an increase of $6.0M year over year.
What free cash flow means
Free cash flow is the cash a company generates from operations after capital expenditures. Positive FCF can fund dividends, buybacks, debt repayment, or reinvestment; negative FCF means capital spending exceeded operating cash flow for that period.
How free cash flow is calculated
TickerStat calculates free cash flow as SEC-reported operating cash flow minus capital expenditures. FCF margin equals free cash flow divided by revenue. Fiscal periods can differ from calendar years, so the tables include exact period-end dates.
Review Noodles & filings at SEC.gov ↗