Operating cash flow of $11.5M in 2026Q3 produced only a 3.0% free cash flow margin after $53.5M of net income, while quarterly OCF/net income ratios swung from -0.18 to 9.34, indicating cash conversion that remains highly uneven and dependent on working capital swings.
ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ACAD) cash flow statement — 25-year operating, investing & financing cash flows
| 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'00 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 131.51M | 109.84M | 157.72M | 16.7M | -114.03M | -125.66M | -136.17M | -151.13M | -167.47M | -217.86M | -210.41M | -121.8M | -66.43M | -31.77M | -21.63M | -19.9M | -10.7M | -13.73M | -64.87M | -54.93M | -41.42M | -20.26M | -20.69M | -9.82M | -9.24M | 0 |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 10.25% | 16.47% | 2.3% | -22.05% | -25.96% | -30.82% | -44.57% | -74.83% | -174.42% | -1214.06% | -199663.93% | -55361.67% | -2774.59% | -440.86% | -962.6% | -25.4% | -214.52% | -4079.81% | -727.02% | -509.26% | -184.94% | -449.44% | -133.04% | -147.29% | - |
| Operating CF Growth % | -127.28% | -30.36% | 844.31% | 114.65% | 9.25% | 7.72% | 9.9% | 9.76% | 23.13% | -3.54% | -72.76% | -83.33% | -109.12% | -46.85% | -8.72% | -85.9% | 22.03% | 78.84% | -18.1% | -32.61% | -104.41% | 2.08% | -110.8% | -6.2% | - | - |
| Net Income | 362.23M | 391M | 226.45M | -61.29M | -215.97M | -167.87M | -281.58M | -235.26M | -245.19M | -289.4M | -271.39M | -164.44M | -92.47M | -37.95M | -20.85M | -22.77M | 15.14M | -45.15M | -64.24M | -56.39M | -45.05M | -34.14M | -25.92M | -14.09M | -12.87M | -10.19M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 12.73M | 11.76M | 15.88M | 5.55M | 2.03M | 3.34M | 2.93M | 2.77M | 3M | 2.71M | 1.83M | 647K | 206K | 79K | 109K | 285K | 607K | 1.11M | 1.04M | 768K | -146K | 1.03M | 1.31M | 1.34M | 1.4M | 0 |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 63.79M | 0 | 67.05M | 66.42M | 68.2M | 63.62M | 84.42M | 82.27M | 81.56M | 75.53M | 55.27M | 40.19M | 16.04M | 5.71M | 1.93M | 1.6M | 1.58M | 2.13M | 2.99M | 3.38M | 3.38M | 1.31B | 2.36B | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | -225.9M | -249.88M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.75M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -596K | -247K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 105K | 0 | 0 | 911K | -3.53M | -3.55M | -1.31B | -2.36B | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 27.83M | 46.71M | -155.82M | -12.12M | -6.28M | 75K | 44.28M | -4.61M | 1.35M | -287K | 94K | -2.06M | 484K | 1.52M | -385K | 806K | -211K | 583K | 5K | 4.29M | 3.38M | 1.46M | 2.36M | 1.39M | 1.16M | -15.14M |
| Working Capital Changes | -112.8M | -89.76M | 4.16M | 18.13M | 37.99M | -24.82M | 11.04M | 3.71M | -8.2M | -6.41M | 4.39M | 4.11M | 9.31M | -1.13M | -2.44M | 74K | -27.82M | 27.59M | -5.57M | -3.44M | 574K | 11.39M | 1.55M | 1.54M | 1.06M | 25.33M |
| Change in Receivables | -37.28M | -43.54M | -2.35M | -39.27M | 2.26M | -16.12M | -12.47M | -9.69M | -8.75M | -11.44M | -5.9M | -674K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | 442K | -18.2M | -49.55M | -28.81M | 2.42M | -4.21M | -3.32M | -1.74M | 1.93M | -1.01M | -3.31M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Payables | -5.4M | -5.29M | -1.35M | 4.8M | 5.87M | -1.62M | 1.27M | 4.05M | -5.62M | 4.87M | 2.24M | -344K | 1.64M | -1M | -585K | -29K | -990K | 656K | -276K | 1.31M | 1.31M | -79.5M | 577.6M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -17.99M | -302.56M | -30.54M | 32M | 73.24M | -71.1M | 192.51M | -165.84M | -71.49M | 92.47M | -261.92M | 147.57M | -87.27M | -126.1M | -25.53M | 5.98M | -1.06M | 9.44M | 69.71M | -41.9M | -22.94M | -6.65M | -7.38M | -14.69M | 3.85M | 0 |
| Capital Expenditures | -20.76M | -103.53M | -523K | -40.05M | 0 | -1.12M | -7.59M | -1.13M | -2.15M | -812K | -9.51M | -2.14M | -180K | -618K | -3K | -3K | 0 | -41K | -226K | -416K | -2.03M | -1.02M | -585.3K | -1.78M | -380.6K | 0 |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 1.73% | 9.66% | 0.05% | 5.51% | - | 0.23% | 1.72% | 0.33% | 0.96% | 0.65% | 54.85% | 3509.84% | 150% | 53.97% | 0.06% | 0.15% | - | 0.64% | 14.21% | 5.51% | 24.91% | 9.33% | 12.71% | 24.09% | 6.06% | - |
| Acquisitions | 0 | 0 | 0 | -32.05M | 0 | 69.98M | -200.1M | 164.71M | 44K | 0 | 8M | -2.06M | 0 | 0 | 3K | 3K | 0 | 0 | 0 | -12.52M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 0 | 0 | 146.51M | 32.05M | 0 | -69.98M | 200.1M | -164.71M | 44K | 93.28M | -8M | 2.06M | -87.09M | 12K | 252K | -3K | 128K | 0 | 0 | 12.52M | 12.52M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | 53.49M | 49.88M | 6.84M | 25.13M | 8.2M | 18.16M | 81M | 371.85M | 306.65M | 31.19M | 533.81M | 14.5M | 203.85M | 111.68M | 98.17M | 13.94M | 470K | 1.16M | -374K | 98.22M | 70M | 28.37M | 30.11M | 26.4M | 4.39M | 0 |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -32K | -78K | -353K | -762K | -909K | -379K | 593K | -779.7K | -1.39M | -1.62M | 4.37M | 0 |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 53.49M | 49.88M | 6.84M | 25.13M | 8.2M | 18.16M | 81M | 371.85M | 306.65M | 31.19M | 518.9M | 14.55M | 203.85M | 111.68M | 98.2M | 14.02M | 823K | 1.92M | 535K | 98.6M | 69.4M | 41.67M | 31.5M | 28.02M | 15K | 0 |
| Dividends 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 |
| 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 |
| Other Financing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14.92M | -45K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -12.52M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Net Change in Cash | 168.89M | -141.89M | 133.93M | 73.81M | -32.59M | -178.59M | 137.33M | 54.88M | 67.69M | -94.2M | 61.48M | 40.28M | 50.15M | -46.19M | 51.01M | 40K | -11.27M | -3.05M | 4.18M | 1.51M | 5.68M | 1.49M | 1.99M | 1.85M | -1.06M | 0 |
| Free Cash Flow | 110.76M | 105.15M | 157.2M | -23.35M | -114.03M | -126.78M | -143.75M | -152.26M | -169.62M | -218.67M | -219.91M | -123.94M | -66.61M | -32.39M | -21.64M | -19.9M | -10.7M | -13.77M | -65.09M | -55.34M | -43.44M | -21.28M | -21.28M | -11.59M | -9.62M | 0 |
| FCF Margin % | 9.21% | 9.81% | 16.41% | -3.21% | -22.05% | -26.19% | -32.54% | -44.9% | -75.79% | -175.07% | -1268.91% | -203173.77% | -55511.67% | -2828.56% | -440.92% | -962.75% | -25.4% | -215.16% | -4094.03% | -732.52% | -534.17% | -194.27% | -462.15% | -157.13% | -153.35% | - |
| FCF Growth % | -44.01% | -33.11% | 773.27% | 79.53% | 10.05% | 11.81% | 5.59% | 10.23% | 22.43% | 0.57% | -77.44% | -86.05% | -105.68% | -49.69% | -8.72% | -85.93% | 22.26% | 78.85% | -17.62% | -27.39% | -104.11% | -0.03% | -83.54% | -20.47% | - | - |
| FCF per Share | 0.63 | 0.61 | 0.94 | -0.14 | -0.71 | -0.79 | -0.91 | -1.03 | -1.34 | -1.78 | -1.90 | -1.23 | -0.68 | -0.38 | -0.39 | -0.38 | -0.28 | -0.37 | -1.75 | -1.57 | -1.56 | -0.97 | -2.06 | -1.02 | -6.63 | - |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 0.31x | 0.28x | 0.70x | -0.27x | 0.53x | 0.75x | 0.48x | 0.64x | 0.68x | 0.75x | 0.78x | 0.74x | 0.72x | 0.84x | 1.04x | 0.87x | -0.71x | 0.30x | 1.01x | 0.97x | 0.92x | 0.59x | 0.80x | 0.70x | 0.72x | - |
| 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 |
| Taxes Paid | 0 | 0 | 19.52M | 5.85M | 2.19M | 1.04M | 1.11M | 1.6M | 1.26M | 1.37M | 365K | -415K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying ACAD stock.
ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ACAD) generated $109.8M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ACAD) generated $105.1M in free cash flow in 2025. Free cash flow is the cash left over after capital expenditures, which can be used to pay dividends, repurchase shares, or pay down debt.
ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ACAD) spent $103.5M on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.
Key Metrics
Top Statement Risk
Quarterly cash flow volatility
Metrics are mathematically derived from official filings.
Net Income Outpaces Operating Cash Flow
Based on reported quarterly figures, ACAD's operating cash flow tracked net income poorly across the ten-quarter window, with the OCF-to-net-income ratio swinging from 9.34 in 2026Q1 to negative 0.18 in 2025Q4, indicating earnings quality that is highly uneven.
The 2025Q4 net income of $273.6M against operating cash flow of negative $48.7M suggests the reported profit was driven by non-cash or non-operating items rather than collected receipts. Conversely, the 2026Q1 ratio above 9 implies that cash collections or working capital releases substantially outran the modest $3.6M in reported earnings. Investors should monitor whether this timing noise averages out over a full cycle or reflects persistent accrual-driven earnings.
Free Cash Flow Turns Erratic Quarter to Quarter
As reported in the quarterly statements, ACAD's free cash flow margin ranged from negative 32.1% in 2025Q1 to positive 61.4% in 2025Q2, a dispersion that makes the underlying run-rate difficult to establish from the reported figures alone.
The most recent quarter, 2026Q3, delivered only a 3.0% FCF margin despite strong reported revenue, implying that working capital absorption of $77.5M consumed most of the operating cash generated. The two-quarter stretch of $124.5M and $10.3M FCF suggests the trajectory is being driven more by timing than by structural margin change. Analysts should weight trailing multi-quarter averages rather than any single period when assessing cash generation durability.
Working Capital Swings Dominate Cash Outcomes
According to the reported cash flow statements, working capital changes ranged from negative $87.9M in 2025Q4 to positive $39.5M in 2026Q2, indicating that receivables, inventory, and payables movements are the dominant variable in ACAD's quarterly cash generation.
A $77.5M working capital outflow in 2026Q3 alongside revenue growth may suggest receivable build-up tied to gross-to-net timing or distributor inventory accumulation, though the filings alone cannot confirm which. The reversal pattern across 2026Q1 and 2026Q2 implies that these balances may be unwinding, but this inference warrants further investigation against receivable aging and specialty pharmacy inventory disclosures.
Capital-Light Model With Minimal Reinvestment
Based on reported figures, ACAD's capital expenditures remained below 4% of revenue in most quarters, excluding a 2025 spike, reflecting an asset-light commercial model in which operating cash is rarely consumed by physical investment.
The 2025Q1 and 2025Q2 CapEx intensities of 40.5% and 37.2% of revenue appear anomalous against the near-zero baseline and may reflect a discrete facility or equipment outlay rather than recurring maintenance spending. Depreciation of roughly $3M per quarter sits well above the typical CapEx run-rate, which suggests the asset base is modest and that reinvestment needs are unlikely to be the binding constraint on free cash flow.
Stock Compensation Narrows the Cash Gap
As reported in the cash flow statements, stock-based compensation of $10.4M to $31.6M per quarter represents a material non-cash add-back that may flatter operating cash flow relative to the economic cost of retaining commercial and R&D talent.
Because SBC is added back in deriving operating cash flow, the cash-based profitability appears stronger than the cash cost of the workforce would imply. Investors should consider whether repurchases or dilution offset this expense over time, since no buybacks appear in the reported ten-quarter period. Treating SBC as a real operating cost would likely lower the normalized free cash flow figure.
Cash Generation May Be Overstated
Based on reported figures, the strongest cash quarters in ACAD's window coincide with working capital releases rather than repeatable operating earnings, which may suggest the headline cash generation overstates the sustainable run-rate.
Quarters such as 2026Q2, with $134.8M in operating cash flow, were driven largely by a $39.5M working capital contribution and a $31.6M SBC add-back, implying that the underlying cash earnings were materially lower. Investors should monitor whether the 2026Q3 working capital outflow of $77.5M reverses in subsequent periods, as persistent absorption would challenge the thesis that recent cash generation reflects durable commercial economics.