Operational efficiency is severely constrained, as evidenced by the 2026Q1 operating cash outflow of $8.1M despite reporting a net income of $169.7M.
| Metric | TTM | Dec'25 | Dec'24 | Dec'23 | Dec'22 | Dec'21 | Dec'20 | Dec'19 | Dec'18 | Dec'17 | Dec'16 | Dec'15 | Dec'14 | Dec'13 | Dec'12 | Dec'11 | Dec'10 | Dec'09 | Dec'08 | Dec'07 | Dec'06 | Dec'05 | Dec'04 | Dec'03 | Dec'02 | Dec'01 | Dec'00 | Dec'99 | Dec'98 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | -34.36M | -39.64M | -64.85M | -85.94M | -35.36M | -67.53M | -51.44M | -71.01M | -67.9M | -48.6M | -57.88M | -54.78M | -12.42M | -6.74M | 33.27M | -7.52M | -11.25M | -5.24M | -8.48M | -2.72M | -2.62M | -14.57M | -9.98M | -26.96M | -18.16M | -10M | -8.35M | -6.84M | -7.71M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | -281.45% | -1050.88% | -473.71% | -90.61% | -614.6% | -744.01% | -1181.27% | -1150.85% | -454.21% | -3859% | -220.26% | -82.81% | -43.58% | 234.62% | -46.13% | -52.67% | -38.02% | -88.01% | -17.08% | -19.28% | -109.65% | -82.03% | -986.94% | -357.97% | -289.18% | -472.51% | -599.49% | -628.08% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 157.43% | 38.88% | 24.54% | -143.06% | 47.65% | -31.28% | 27.55% | -4.57% | -39.71% | 16.04% | -5.66% | -341.07% | -84.33% | -120.25% | 542.39% | 33.13% | -114.67% | 38.25% | -211.96% | -3.68% | 82% | -45.99% | 62.98% | -48.51% | -81.49% | -19.76% | -22.19% | 11.32% | - |
| Net Income | 160.72M | -33.5M | -69.92M | -72.85M | -69.46M | -76.25M | -63.74M | -153.72M | -57.1M | -84.4M | -384.16M | -61.12M | -38.84M | -14.06M | 29.95M | -9.73M | -12.41M | -9.33M | -11.72M | -2.58M | 18.08M | -8.06M | -28.05M | -34.08M | -26.79M | -14.02M | -9.2M | -8.17M | -8.75M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 1.07M | 363K | 1.38M | 1.4M | 1.43M | 1.75M | 1.98M | 2.03M | 2.18M | 2.03M | 1.09M | 589K | 529K | 612.84K | 869.54K | 955.45K | 1.04M | 1.91M | 1.11M | 411.65K | 599.77K | 2.4M | 1.2M | 6.8M | 5.59M | 3.85M | 1.26M | 1.3M | 989.78K |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 18.43M | 6.95M | 8.99M | 9.3M | 7.18M | 6.42M | 6.16M | 6.8M | 6.24M | 15.12M | 39.16M | 22.09M | 3.28M | 903K | 986.76K | 613.24K | 650.51K | 253.73K | 0 | 380.28K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -8.18M | 0 | -12.66M | -4.28M | -24.32M | -105.06M | -16.18M | -4.3M | -18.12K | 3.87M | 9.79M | -643.33K | 103.18K | 0 | 423.55K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | -20.58M | -3.43M | -2.47M | -5.56M | -3.75M | 7.79M | 3.73M | 88.78M | -10.66M | 39.83M | 391.56M | 14.47M | 10.38M | 3.53M | 47.24K | -10.26M | 650.51K | 253.73K | -560.97K | 244.18K | -20.75M | -5.82M | 15.23M | 2.27M | 216.29K | 388.57K | -513.84K | 11.94K | 0 |
| Working Capital Changes | -194M | -10.02M | -2.83M | -18.23M | 29.24M | 930K | 431K | -2.23M | -4.28M | 3.15M | -467K | -14.63M | 16.52M | 2.3M | -2.45M | 1.11M | -529.32K | 1.56M | 2.68M | -1.6M | -552.78K | -3.09M | 1.64M | -1.96M | 2.84M | -228.32K | 106.07K | 20.04K | 55.19K |
| Change in Receivables | -177.45M | 1.38M | -633K | -424K | -453K | 413K | -108K | 227K | -1.03M | -129K | 735K | 628K | -1.89M | 888.93K | -189.72K | 2.39M | -2.27M | -401.54K | 0 | -1.13M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.91M | 0 | 0 | 762K | -880K | -162K | 320K | -1.19M | 1.2M | -1.77M | 147.63K | -150.71K | 166.67K | 31.63K | -215.11K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Payables | -138.72K | -2.1M | 0 | 0 | 5.22M | 1.91M | 1.67M | -2.41M | -1.27M | 736K | 26K | -2.49M | 6.25M | 130K | -197.28K | -2.18T | 498.1B | 0 | 0 | -45.35K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | 6.43M | 15.58M | 22.95M | 50.77M | -74.94M | -12.68M | -14.91M | 28.34M | -4.1M | 27.8M | -99.12M | 7.68M | -42.96M | -725.1K | -12.4K | -58.45K | -830.82K | 3.85M | 3.25M | -1.36M | -80.72K | 379.86K | -4.21M | 17.02M | 2.95M | -1.85M | -13.2M | -2.99M | 7.14M |
| Capital Expenditures | 9K | 0 | -182K | -1.01M | -512K | -809K | -229K | -589K | -1.14M | -7.26M | -4M | -2.29M | -1.06M | -725.1K | -14.9K | -58.45K | -830.82K | -1.62M | -966.44K | -1.36M | -94.87K | -45.02K | -7.15M | -787.73K | -1.95M | -941.64K | -203.64K | -300.63K | -3.22M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 0% | - | 2.95% | 5.56% | 1.31% | 7.36% | 3.31% | 9.8% | 19.29% | 67.89% | 266.4% | 9.19% | 7.04% | 4.69% | 0.11% | 0.36% | 3.89% | 11.78% | 10.03% | 8.57% | 0.7% | 0.34% | 58.74% | 28.83% | 38.46% | 27.22% | 11.52% | 26.36% | 262.61% |
| Acquisitions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.81M | -2.5M | 0 | 25K | 3K | 25K | 324K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.07M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 157.53M | -152.56M | 0 | 20K | 0 | -1.81M | 0 | 11K | -2.96M | 35.06M | 25K | 9.64M | 80K | -725.1B | 2.5K | -59.67B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.23K | 14.15K | 424.87K | -995.19K | 0 | 4.9M | 97.08K | 0 | 2.65K | 96.47K |
| Cash from Financing | 14.56M | 5.72M | 52M | 30.65M | 31.81M | 137.24M | 86.75M | 37.46M | 55.6M | 49.3M | 12.64M | 143.87M | 60.68M | 32.72M | 4.57M | 4.46M | 34.91K | 7.53K | 8.15M | 20.29M | -2.87M | -1.2M | 829.1K | 20.6M | 9.79M | 35.56M | 13.07M | 19.89M | 48.9K |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -12M | 0 | 12M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -62.19K | -97.84K | -99.55K | -1.2M | -49.59K | 470.08K | -158.46K | -95.52K | -38.53K | 0 | 0 |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 13.21M | 5.72M | 44.12M | 29.85M | 20.32M | 134.66M | 86.3M | 18.6M | 66.27M | 48.87M | 0 | 142.18M | 56.48M | 32.72M | 3.84M | 4.6M | 33.9K | 7.53K | 8.19M | 15.16M | 0 | 0 | 631.16K | 20.13M | 250.66K | 30.51M | 13.11M | 19.89M | 48.9K |
| Dividends Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -12.14M | 0 | 0 | -10.09M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | 1.35M | 0 | 7.87M | 795K | 11.49M | 14.71M | 449K | 18.86M | 11.47M | 453K | 637K | 1.69M | 4.2M | 0 | 703K | 10.79K | 0 | 0 | 24.75K | 5.23M | -2.78M | 0 | 247.53K | 0 | 9.7M | 5.15M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Net Change in Cash | -13.37M | -18.32M | 10.04M | -4.49M | -78.51M | 57.03M | 20.45M | -5.14M | -17.4M | 30.9M | -143.37M | 94.59M | 3.47M | 21.69M | 37.8M | -3.1M | -12.05M | -1.74M | 4.35M | 15.4M | -5.58M | -15.39M | -13.36M | 10.66M | -5.42M | 23.71M | -8.49M | 10.06M | -524.39K |
| Free Cash Flow | -34.36M | -39.64M | -65.03M | -86.94M | -35.87M | -68.34M | -51.67M | -71.59M | -69.04M | -55.86M | -61.88M | -57.07M | -13.48M | -7.46M | 33.26M | -7.58M | -12.08M | -6.86M | -9.45M | -4.08M | -2.72M | -14.62M | -17.13M | -27.75M | -20.11M | -10.95M | -8.56M | -7.14M | -10.93M |
| FCF Margin % | -17.95% | -281.45% | -1053.83% | -479.27% | -91.92% | -621.96% | -747.32% | -1191.07% | -1170.14% | -522.09% | -4125.4% | -229.45% | -89.85% | -48.26% | 234.51% | -46.48% | -56.57% | -49.8% | -98.04% | -25.65% | -19.98% | -109.99% | -140.77% | -1015.77% | -396.43% | -316.4% | -484.03% | -625.85% | -890.69% |
| FCF Growth % | 41.8% | 39.05% | 25.2% | -142.4% | 47.52% | -32.26% | 27.83% | -3.7% | -23.58% | 9.72% | -8.43% | -323.48% | -80.57% | -122.44% | 538.78% | 37.25% | -76% | 27.39% | -131.43% | -50.24% | 81.41% | 14.67% | 38.27% | -38.02% | -83.7% | -27.91% | -19.9% | 34.71% | - |
| FCF per Share | -0.18 | -0.21 | -0.35 | -0.52 | -0.24 | -0.64 | -0.68 | -1.25 | -1.25 | -1.02 | -1.17 | -1.26 | -0.60 | -0.49 | 2.32 | -0.67 | -1.17 | -0.66 | -1.16 | -0.86 | -0.70 | -1.90 | -2.22 | -3.89 | -3.06 | -2.16 | -1.74 | -2.53 | -5.05 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | -0.21x | 1.18x | 0.93x | 1.18x | 0.51x | 0.89x | 0.81x | 0.46x | 1.19x | 0.58x | 0.15x | 0.90x | 0.32x | 0.48x | 1.11x | 0.77x | 0.91x | 0.56x | 0.72x | 1.05x | -0.15x | 1.81x | 0.36x | 0.79x | 0.68x | 0.71x | 0.91x | 0.84x | 0.88x |
| Interest Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Imminent liquidity shortfall
As reported in recent financial statements, Arbutus Biopharma's 2026Q1 net income of $169.7M stands in stark contrast to an operating cash outflow of $8.1M, highlighting a significant divergence between accounting profitability and the underlying cash reality of the business model.
The massive gap between net income and operating cash flow suggests that the reported earnings are driven by non-cash accounting adjustments or non-recurring licensing events rather than operational efficiency. Investors should monitor this disconnect, as it implies that the company's reported profitability does not translate into the self-sustaining cash generation required for long-term clinical development.
Based on the provided quarterly data, Arbutus has consistently recorded negative free cash flow, with the 2025Q2 period showing a particularly severe margin of -146.7%, underscoring the company's ongoing reliance on external financing to fund its research-heavy operational requirements.
The persistent negative FCF trajectory indicates that the company remains in a capital-intensive phase where cash outflows for R&D significantly outpace any sporadic licensing inflows. This trend suggests that the firm's survival is contingent upon either successful clinical milestones or continued capital market access, both of which remain highly uncertain.
According to recent SEC filings, the company experienced a substantial $178.9M working capital outflow in 2026Q1, a sharp reversal from the more stable fluctuations observed in previous quarters that warrants further investigation into the nature of these large-scale balance sheet movements.
Such extreme volatility in working capital suggests that the company's cash position is highly sensitive to the timing of milestone payments and the settlement of contractual obligations. This instability complicates cash flow forecasting and may indicate that the firm's liquidity is subject to the unpredictable timing of partner-driven revenue recognition.
As indicated by the historical data, the company's reliance on stock-based compensation, which reached $14.9M in 2025Q4, serves as a critical non-cash expense that obscures the true extent of the firm's operational cash burn and dilutive impact on shareholders.
While stock-based compensation preserves cash in the short term, it represents a significant hidden cost that effectively subsidizes operations at the expense of equity dilution. Analysts should adjust for these non-cash charges to better understand the actual burn rate and the sustainability of the company's current clinical trial funding strategy.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying ABUS stock.
Arbutus Biopharma Corporation (ABUS) generated $-39.6M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Arbutus Biopharma Corporation (ABUS) reported negative free cash flow of $39.6M in 2025, indicating capital requirements exceeded cash from operations.
Arbutus Biopharma Corporation (ABUS) spent $0.0M on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.