Cash flow generation remains highly erratic, evidenced by an OCF/NI ratio that swung from 2.46 in 2025Q4 to -0.74 in 2026Q1, indicating poor earnings quality.
| 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 | Dec'97 | Dec'96 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 37.55M | 39.25M | -16.08M | -24.77M | -11.3M | -14.73M | -32.29M | -56.95M | -7.42M | -4.19M | -1.14M | -153.24K | -160.6K | -143.65K | -141.96K | -98.74K | -182.52K | -212.79K | -345.1K | -2.68M | -1.39M | -1.16M | 1.08M | 185.65K | -972.38K | -44.25K | -6.01M | -8.38M | -8.67M | -4.42M | -3.43M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 29.11% | -12.77% | -17.25% | -5.12% | -7.79% | -25.22% | -106.77% | -130.13% | -5447.62% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | -53.42% | -33.75% | 45.72% | 3.18% | -18.83% | -0.48% | -101.19% | -134.2% | -141.1% | -89.6% | -150.5% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 1247.5% | 344.13% | 35.1% | -119.14% | 23.25% | 54.39% | 43.3% | -667.82% | -76.85% | -268.6% | -642.55% | 4.58% | -11.8% | -1.19% | -43.78% | 45.9% | 14.22% | 38.34% | 87.11% | -93.26% | -19.69% | -207.28% | 481.22% | 119.09% | -2097.53% | 99.26% | 28.3% | 3.43% | -96.19% | -28.82% | - |
| Net Income | 118.18M | 124.86M | -100.71M | -55.58M | -70.86M | -89.94M | -89.23M | -38.5M | -26.07M | -6.28M | -2.19M | -197.14K | -235.75K | -177.26K | 568.37K | -262.75K | -204.25K | -271.59K | -174.85K | -145.75K | 1.59M | 2M | -556.26K | -3.25M | -2.82M | -3.31M | -8.9M | -10.16M | -10.27M | -4.48M | -3.45M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 8.66M | 8.89M | 12.09M | 27.71M | 27.11M | 25.17M | 24.83M | 10.74M | 2.46M | 524.72K | 390 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.41K | 21.09K | 236.99K | 706.14K | 1.24M | 1.45M | 1.42M | 1.42M | 508.47K | 221.16K |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 303K | 485K | 3.03M | 19.06M | 31.34M | 30.49M | 14.64M | 10.36M | 4.34M | 1.63M | 2.65M | 50K | 65.42K | 56.25K | 62.5K | 68.75K | 50K | 50K | 53.07K | 21.4K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | -242K | -69K | 203K | 134K | -1.2M | -1.67M | 210.83K | -19.54M | -91.63K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 1.49M | 1.37M | 44.84M | 8.55M | 4.35M | 15.45M | 17.32M | 14.03M | 12.14M | -64.61K | 1.01M | 2.95K | 6.93K | -41.11K | -753.6K | 87.02K | 992 | 13.25K | 10.68K | -2.32M | -1.45M | -262.88K | 23.5K | 1.34M | -150.4K | -6.49K | 1.67M | 262.52K | 707.36K | 510.42K | 357.25K |
| Working Capital Changes | -90.85M | -96.28M | 24.47M | -24.64M | -2.05M | 5.77M | -70.12K | -34.05M | -200.74K | 4.13K | -71.33K | -9.05K | 2.81K | 18.47K | -19.23K | 8.24K | -29.26K | -4.44K | -234K | -232.95K | -1.53M | -2.9M | 1.59M | 1.86M | 1.29M | 2.03M | -234.81K | 101.89K | -531.01K | -961.49K | -561.41K |
| Change in Receivables | 12.77M | 8.23M | 10.48M | -11.6M | -2.04M | -3.88M | 362.46K | -1.69M | -1.38M | -53.2K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -39.88M | -546.72K | 32.09K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -6.18K | 243.74K | -159.25K | 663.3K | 372.55K | 1.75M | -850.88K | -996.25K | -1.11M | -894.74K | -283.29K |
| Change in Payables | -2.23M | -4.95M | -3.73M | -2.66M | -6.54M | 3.75M | -1.4M | 3.32M | 1.63M | 7.95K | 116.17K | -8.37K | 0 | 14.88K | -5.45K | 500 | -8.8K | 8.8K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -9.04M | -9.59M | -5.17M | -3.21M | -38.59M | -13.15M | -4.93M | -19.02M | -23.59M | -2.04M | 518.53K | 156.73K | 603.1K | 129.37K | -167.03K | 481.36K | 11.91K | -2.9M | -1.11M | 3.45M | -3.95K | 0 | 6.2K | -10.83K | 32.61K | 41.31K | 25.58K | 1.77M | -4.26M | -924.29K | -44.93K |
| Capital Expenditures | -9.04M | -9.59M | -54K | -3.77M | -530K | -377K | -1.21M | -2.69M | -2.19M | -2.04M | -428.82K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -23.43K | -8.95K | 0 | 0 | -20.17K | -13.68K | -17.25K | -461.18K | -410.38K | -1.75M | -376.57K | -41.35K |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 7.33% | 7.11% | 0.04% | 2.63% | 0.24% | 0.2% | 0.95% | 5.04% | 38.38% | 2649% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.34% | - | - | 0.35% | 0.26% | 0.19% | 7.77% | 6.58% | 28.41% | 7.63% | 1.81% |
| Acquisitions | 0 | 0 | 0 | -500K | -35.33M | -7.95M | -315.29K | -16.33M | -18.04M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 0 | 0 | -5.12M | 1.06M | -5.18M | -4.82M | -3.4M | 0 | -3.37M | -1.98M | 2.23M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1M | 726.31K | 370.9K | 0 | 3.47M | 5K | 0 | 6.2K | 9.34K | 46.28K | 58.55K | 486.75K | 142.86K | -487.72K | -547.72K | -3.58K |
| Cash from Financing | -20.18M | -23.68M | 16.33M | 22.89M | 54.42M | 28.19M | 37.28M | 82.92M | 29.91M | 9.25M | 1.22M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.8M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.69M | 1M | 2.56M | -8K | 96.27K | 3.81K | 190K | 542.23K | 3.38M | 9.19M | 3.93M | 8.44M | 7.14M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | -20.15M | -23.65M | 5.62M | 13.52M | 30.9M | 9.89M | 17.75M | 54.28M | 16.35M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.56M | -8K | 0 | 0 | 0 | -89.77K | -62.02K | -730.12K | 609.31K | -23K | 0 |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 0 | 0 | 12M | 11.5M | 32.06M | 20M | 20.79M | -256.06K | 13.72M | 6.25M | 2.95K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.75M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.76K | 0 | 0 | 632K | 3.44M | 9.92M | 3.32M | 8.46M | 7.14M |
| Dividends Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.8M | 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 | -256.06K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.19M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | -25K | -29K | -1.29M | -2.12M | -8.55M | -1.71M | -1.25M | 28.9M | -159.21K | 3M | 1.21M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -58.26K | 1M | 0 | 0 | 93.51K | 3.81K | 190K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Net Change in Cash | 8.33M | 5.98M | -4.92M | -5.09M | 4.52M | 316K | 61.59K | 6.95M | -1.09M | 3.02M | 598.29K | 3.49K | 442.5K | -14.28K | -308.99K | 382.62K | -170.6K | -3.11M | 223.16K | 1.77M | 1.17M | -1.17M | 1.18M | 60.84K | -718.3K | 524.05K | -2.64M | 2.69M | -8.87M | 3.09M | 3.66M |
| Free Cash Flow | 28.8M | 29.66M | -21.25M | -28.55M | -17.01M | -19.93M | -37.26M | -59.64M | -9.61M | -6.23M | -1.57M | -153.24K | -160.6K | -143.65K | -141.96K | -98.74K | -182.52K | -212.79K | -345.1K | -2.7M | -1.39M | -1.16M | 1.08M | 165.47K | -986.06K | -61.49K | -6.47M | -8.79M | -10.42M | -4.8M | -3.47M |
| FCF Margin % | 23.34% | 22% | -16.88% | -19.87% | -7.7% | -10.53% | -29.1% | -111.81% | -168.51% | -8096.62% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | -53.77% | -33.75% | 45.72% | 2.84% | -19.1% | -0.67% | -108.96% | -140.78% | -169.51% | -97.23% | -152.31% |
| FCF Growth % | 282.8% | 239.55% | 25.55% | -67.78% | 14.61% | 46.52% | 37.53% | -520.93% | -54.08% | -297.9% | -922.38% | 4.58% | -11.8% | -1.19% | -43.78% | 45.9% | 14.22% | 38.34% | 87.22% | -93.7% | -20.47% | -207.28% | 552.08% | 116.78% | -1503.5% | 99.05% | 26.4% | 15.68% | -117.18% | -38.12% | - |
| FCF per Share | 0.61 | 0.62 | -0.60 | -1.28 | -0.97 | -1.74 | -17.83 | -35.39 | -8.09 | -9.19 | -3.64 | -0.37 | -0.40 | -0.37 | -0.33 | -0.27 | -0.52 | -0.62 | -1.16 | -11.25 | -4.81 | -5.21 | 5.28 | 0.68 | -5.61 | -0.38 | -78.48 | -244.78 | -410.45 | -282.41 | -174.70 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 0.24x | 0.31x | 0.16x | 0.45x | 0.16x | 0.16x | 0.36x | 1.48x | 0.28x | 0.67x | 0.52x | 0.78x | 0.68x | 0.81x | -0.25x | 0.38x | 0.89x | 0.78x | 1.97x | -0.54x | -0.87x | -0.58x | -1.94x | -0.06x | 0.35x | 0.01x | 0.67x | 0.82x | 0.84x | 0.99x | 1.00x |
| Interest Paid | 8.58M | 11.55M | 17.84M | 12.1M | 9.53M | 1.39M | 645.68K | 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 | 862K | 862K | 85K | 85K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 800 | 800 | 800 | 800 | 800 | 800 | 800 | 35.34K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Liquidity and licensing instability
As reported in financial statements, the relationship between net income and operating cash flow is highly erratic, with the OCF/NI ratio swinging from 2.46 in 2025Q4 to -0.74 in 2026Q1, indicating that reported earnings frequently fail to translate into actual liquidity for the business.
The extreme divergence between accounting profits and cash generation suggests that non-cash items and accounting adjustments are heavily influencing the bottom line. Investors should interpret this volatility as a sign that the company's reported earnings are not a reliable proxy for its underlying cash-generating capacity.
Based on EDBL's reported figures, free cash flow has demonstrated significant inconsistency, oscillating between a peak of $10.8M in 2025Q4 and a deficit of $10.9M in 2024Q4, which highlights the company's struggle to maintain a self-sustaining cash flow trajectory amidst operational headwinds.
The inability to maintain positive free cash flow across consecutive quarters suggests that the business model is highly sensitive to revenue fluctuations. This inconsistency warrants further investigation into whether the company can achieve sustainable cash flow without relying on external financing or non-recurring events.
According to recent SEC filings, working capital changes have been a primary driver of cash flow volatility, including a massive $100.8M outflow in 2025Q2 followed by a $50.0M inflow in 2024Q1, suggesting that the company's cash position is highly susceptible to timing differences in payables and receivables.
These large swings in working capital indicate that the company's cash flow is heavily dependent on the management of short-term obligations rather than core operational efficiency. Such fluctuations may obscure the true cash-burn rate and suggest that liquidity could tighten rapidly if working capital cycles do not remain favorable.
As evidenced by the historical data, the cumulative gap between net income and operating cash flow remains substantial, with periods of significant accounting losses failing to align with the actual cash outflows experienced by the business, suggesting a persistent disconnect between reported performance and cash reality.
This long-term divergence implies that the company's reported net income may be significantly impacted by non-operational events or accounting treatments that do not reflect the actual cash position. Analysts should monitor this gap closely, as it may indicate that the company is consuming cash at a rate that is not captured by standard profitability metrics.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying AREN stock.
The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. (AREN) generated $39.2M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. (AREN) generated $29.7M 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.
The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. (AREN) spent $9.6M on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.