Free cash flow remains highly erratic, with margins swinging from a low of -6.7% in 2025Q1 to a peak of 5.7% in 2025Q3, reflecting significant instability in operational cash conversion.
| Cash from Operations | 111.19M | 61.53M | 93.09M | 228.49M | 104.7M | 125.99M | 345.73M | 151.34M | 126.35M | 164.41M | 116.94M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 1.74% | 2.61% | 5.86% | 2.87% | 3.5% | 10.96% | 4% | 3.41% | 7.83% | 6.17% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 526.37% | -33.9% | -59.26% | 118.22% | -16.89% | -63.56% | 128.44% | 19.78% | -23.15% | 40.58% | - |
| Net Income | -243.44M | -227.74M | -378.4M | -81.21M | -1.42B | 57.55M | -175.07M | -19.76M | -1.15B | 31.16M | 24.89M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 205.22M | 7.04M | 204.55M | 208.86M | 216.05M | 240.04M | 238.6M | 232.57M | 225.23M | 170.26M | 164.58M |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 20.43M | -1.52M | 723K | 36.41M | 28.17M | 24.38M | 89.77M | 1.31M | -7.88M | 3.18M | 3.19M |
| Deferred Taxes | -46.99M | -57.52M | -57.31M | -80.42M | -190.75M | -10.01M | -14.36M | -68.06M | -213.62M | -36.66M | -37.5M |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 165.44M | 395.73M | 313.71M | -12.72M | 1.52B | 7.55M | 73.2M | 21.93M | 1.28B | 20.9M | -17.98M |
| Working Capital Changes | 10.52M | -54.45M | 9.82M | 157.57M | -47.73M | -193.52M | 133.59M | -16.66M | -8.07M | -24.45M | -20.24M |
| Change in Receivables | 67.7M | 8M | 51.15M | 38.9M | -85.74M | -215.5M | 116.11M | -33.29M | 73.69M | -54.68M | -28.11M |
| Change in Inventory | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -77.15M | -917K | 3.21M |
| Change in Payables | 490K | 5.27M | -12.92M | -23.07M | -14.16M | 46M | 10.88M | 21.64M | -14.36M | 18.51M | 8.3M |
| Cash from Investing | 49.79M | 3.84M | 206.45M | -50.52M | -106.1M | -75.84M | -99M | -61.81M | -231.44M | -148.98M | -240.97M |
| Capital Expenditures | -2.77M | -6.48M | -7.84M | -20.69M | -12.35M | -31.18M | -30.95M | -52.42M | -47.16M | -34.76M | -32.33M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 0.08% | 0.18% | 0.22% | 0.53% | 0.34% | 0.87% | 0.98% | 1.38% | 1.27% | 1.65% | 1.71% |
| Acquisitions | 101.3M | 60.49M | 275.72M | -8.95M | -73.08M | -44.67M | -68.06M | -9.39M | -184.28M | -115.51M | -210.33M |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | -46.56M | -46.43M | -47.5M | -20.87M | -20.66M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.73M | 1.29M | 1.69M |
| Cash from Financing | -147.02M | -36.21M | -211.42M | -178.4M | -31.38M | -86.3M | -230.15M | -38.21M | 70.14M | -42.62M | 112.3M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | -141.23M | -31.47M | -160.25M | -169.42M | -14.17M | -60.44M | -1.08B | -25.44M | 118.17M | -3.36M | 123.32M |
| Equity Issued (Net) | -3.63M | 969K | -31.77M | -4.13M | 3.32M | -11.77M | 925.22M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dividends Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | -5.22M | -869K | -34.07M | -6.38M | 0 | -12.57M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | -2.16M | -5.71M | -19.39M | -4.84M | -20.53M | -14.09M | -79.44M | -12.77M | -48.03M | -39.26M | -11.03M |
| Net Change in Cash | 19.14M | 32.24M | 83.55M | 1.38M | -40.65M | -39.33M | 20.94M | 54.51M | -44.1M | -30.3M | -14.23M |
| Free Cash Flow | 61.98M | 55.05M | 37.76M | 186.93M | 71.69M | 94.82M | 314.78M | 98.92M | 79.19M | 129.65M | 84.62M |
| FCF Margin % | 1.73% | 1.55% | 1.06% | 4.79% | 1.97% | 2.63% | 9.98% | 2.61% | 2.14% | 6.17% | 4.47% |
| FCF Growth % | 792.4% | 45.82% | -79.8% | 160.75% | -24.39% | -69.88% | 218.21% | 24.93% | -38.92% | 53.22% | - |
| FCF per Share | 4.74 | 4.24 | 2.94 | 14.44 | 5.62 | 7.38 | 35.25 | 12.14 | 9.72 | 15.91 | 10.38 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | -0.25x | -0.27x | -0.28x | -3.61x | -0.08x | 2.31x | -1.97x | -7.15x | -0.11x | 5.11x | 4.76x |
| Interest Paid | 0 | 0 | 163.2M | 174.77M | 126.56M | 137.47M | 151.03M | 210.21M | 228.23M | 197.18M | 146.45M |
| Taxes Paid | 0 | 0 | 31.27M | 39.01M | 45.73M | 40.19M | 18.26M | 59.47M | 70.25M | 54.17M | 53.07M |
Structural cash flow volatility
As reported in recent financial filings, the persistent gap between net income and operating cash flow suggests that Advantage Solutions relies heavily on non-cash adjustments, with OCF/NI ratios frequently oscillating between extreme negative and positive values, indicating a lack of reliable cash conversion from reported earnings.
The frequent divergence between accounting losses and operating cash flow suggests that significant non-cash charges, likely related to amortization of intangibles or impairment, are obscuring the underlying cash-generating capability of the business. Investors should monitor whether this volatility reflects genuine operational instability or merely the accounting legacy of past acquisition-heavy strategies.
Based on the provided quarterly data, Advantage Solutions exhibits a highly erratic free cash flow trajectory, with margins swinging from a low of -6.7% in 2025Q1 to a peak of 5.7% in 2025Q3, highlighting the difficulty in maintaining consistent cash generation amidst fluctuating operational demands.
The inability to sustain positive free cash flow suggests that the company's core service model may be struggling to cover both its operating expenses and necessary capital investments. This inconsistency warrants further investigation into whether the business can achieve a self-funding state without recurring reliance on external financing or asset divestitures.
According to the cash flow statements, working capital changes have been a primary driver of quarterly cash flow variance, with swings as large as $38.8 million in 2024Q2, suggesting that the company's cash position is highly sensitive to the timing of client collections and vendor payments.
The erratic nature of these working capital shifts may indicate challenges in managing the cash conversion cycle within the retail brokerage segment. Such fluctuations suggest that the company's liquidity position is vulnerable to even minor delays in client payments or shifts in the timing of large-scale merchandising projects.
As indicated by the cash flow data, Advantage Solutions has consistently utilized cash for net acquisitions, such as the $84.9 million outflow in 2024Q1, even while struggling to generate stable free cash flow, which appears to prioritize inorganic growth over internal balance sheet strengthening.
The continued deployment of capital toward acquisitions, despite persistent net losses and volatile cash flows, suggests a management strategy that may be over-leveraging the company's limited liquidity. Investors should monitor whether this focus on expansion is sustainable or if it risks further straining the company's financial flexibility in a high-interest environment.
Based on the provided figures, the consistent presence of stock-based compensation and significant depreciation and amortization charges suggests that the company's reported cash flows are heavily influenced by non-operational accounting items, potentially masking the true cost of maintaining its massive field labor force.
The reliance on non-cash adjustments to bridge the gap between net income and operating cash flow warrants caution, as these items often hide the true economic cost of the company's business model. Analysts should investigate whether these adjustments are truly non-recurring or if they represent a permanent feature of the company's cost structure.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying ADV stock.
Advantage Solutions Inc. (ADV) generated $61.5M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Advantage Solutions Inc. (ADV) generated $55.1M 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.
Advantage Solutions Inc. (ADV) spent $6.5M on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.
In 2025, Advantage Solutions Inc. (ADV) spent $0.9M on share repurchases. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.