Operating cash flow conversion remains disconnected from earnings, evidenced by an OCF/NI ratio of 6.48 in 2026Q1 despite a $100.6 million outflow for working capital.
| 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 | 792.74M | 637.96M | 469.4M | 459.32M | 346.13M | 212.37M | 212.73M | 99.96M | 42.86M | -26.47M | 39.02M | 864K | -20.73M | -26.86M | 32.95M | 83.77M | 335.51M | 287.94M | 568.88M | 766.86M | 508.02M | 233.25M | 225.17M | 346.77M | 248.61M | 63.38M | 74.62M | 55.8M | 10.9M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 90.56% | 102.14% | 125.61% | 92.45% | 46.78% | 54.29% | 24.51% | 22.3% | -26.36% | 51.4% | 0.96% | -16.16% | -21.74% | 20.12% | 27.9% | 51.76% | -131.88% | 118.7% | 43.57% | 38.03% | 24.59% | 40.25% | 75.33% | 114.88% | 41.09% | 30.83% | 37.5% | 18.57% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 245.17% | 35.91% | 2.2% | 32.7% | 62.99% | -0.17% | 112.81% | 133.25% | 261.9% | -167.85% | 4415.63% | 104.17% | 22.8% | -181.51% | -60.67% | -75.03% | 16.52% | -49.39% | -25.82% | 50.95% | 117.8% | 3.59% | -35.07% | 39.48% | 292.28% | -15.07% | 33.73% | 411.93% | - |
| Net Income | 134.86M | 120.61M | 111.3M | 102.84M | 134.61M | 177.79M | 93.92M | 26.21M | 7.61M | -40.87M | -6.34M | 1.71M | 7.33M | -17.66M | 24.13M | 135.06M | -94.94M | -551.35M | -141.62M | -51M | 107.47M | 171.35M | 100.72M | 121.72M | 5.87M | 2.87M | 82.37M | 59M | 25.4M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 11.88M | 9.9M | 17.02M | 4.04M | 4.85M | 2.49M | 7.95M | 7.69M | 987K | 1.02M | 7.48M | 40.56M | 68.08M | 17.7M | 2.57M | 6.19M | 14.02M | 21.87M | 36.37M | 52.12M | 37.86M | 21.99M | 17.28M | -10.83M | 32.42M | 18.12M | 9.21M | 3.2M | 1.3M |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 3.42M | 4.29M | 3.9M | 3.78M | 4.17M | 3.24M | 1.35M | 1.71M | 1.32M | 1.53M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6K | 320K | 2.46M | 8.74M | 8.98M | 9.84M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 29M | 38.65M | 30.49M | 37.83M | 20.98M | -95.87M | 37M | 130.42M | 26.92M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 329K | 374K | -1.78M | -71.04M | -51.48M | 34.83M | 33.06M | -388K | -5.19M | 55.28M | 0 | 0 | 3.42M | 16.7M | 6.1M |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 1.1B | 909.18M | 577.39M | 549.27M | 421.21M | 208.72M | 98.86M | -12.24M | -3.31M | 3.52M | 9.73M | -16.55M | -14.22M | -6.24M | -12.48M | -64.5M | 282.6M | 1.04B | 640.59M | 695.27M | 583.84M | 26.59M | 145.59M | 174.15M | 182.76M | 67.79M | -33.58M | 13.4M | -30.7M |
| Working Capital Changes | -489.62M | -444.67M | -270.69M | -238.44M | -239.69M | -84M | -26.34M | -53.83M | 9.32M | 8.33M | 28.15M | -24.85M | -81.92M | -20.65M | 18.07M | 4.19M | 126.89M | -159.72M | 75.18M | 35.64M | -254.22M | 13.7M | -33.24M | 6.46M | 27.55M | -25.41M | 13.2M | -36.5M | 8.8M |
| Change in Receivables | -302.3M | -446.93M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -111.81M | -43.32M | 1.76M | -8.75M | 10.4M | -4.69M | -2.96M | 3.13M | -2.47M | 15.6M | 0 | 0 | -16.65M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20.15M | 5.53M | -8.88M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -50.32M | 804K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Payables | 15.38M | 29.51M | 2.54M | 18.41M | 4.26M | 6M | -3.1M | -52.72M | -5.41M | 22.34M | 41.44M | 12.75M | -4.91M | 9.48M | -3.5M | -4.66M | -14.87M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -1.45B | -1.51B | -747.03M | -672.2M | -680.78M | -475.02M | -292.57M | -433.69M | -134.52M | -80.32M | -75.84M | 14.54M | 29.2M | 49.72M | 199.27M | 433.51M | 173.42M | -114.55M | -524.8M | -1.04B | -786.54M | -523.76M | -301.12M | -374.93M | -162.94M | -131.04M | -163.07M | -119.1M | -21M |
| Capital Expenditures | -452K | -5.02M | -1.79M | -3.99M | -4.85M | -7.09M | -749K | -250K | -1.38M | -395K | -349K | -884K | -4.07M | -3.49M | -2.19M | -1.54M | -3.86M | -3.59M | -9.87M | -65.54M | -28.04M | -30.64M | -10.82M | -7.99M | -9.58M | -30.05M | -11.94M | -5.9M | -500K |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 0.04% | 0.71% | 0.39% | 1.09% | 1.3% | 1.56% | 0.19% | 0.06% | 0.72% | 0.39% | 0.46% | 0.98% | 3.17% | 2.82% | 1.33% | 0.51% | 0.6% | -1.64% | 2.06% | 3.72% | 2.1% | 3.23% | 1.93% | 1.73% | 4.43% | 19.49% | 4.93% | 3.97% | 0.85% |
| Acquisitions | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Investments | 6.53B | 6.73B | 2.71B | 2.27B | 1.91B | 1.41B | 921.65M | 727.92M | 427.02M | 309.32M | 246.16M | 178.78M | 174.89M | 232.55M | 261.35M | 450.58M | 737.94M | 410M | 1.26B | 447.76M | 941.86M | 537.65M | 200.49M | 21.58M | 34.41M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Investing | -1.38B | -1.43B | -745.24M | -668.21M | -675.93M | -469.19M | -292.82M | -434.96M | -135.48M | 383.18M | 300.17M | 277.99M | 21.26M | 37.72M | 80.33M | 14.78M | -16.3M | 14.28M | 0 | -803.87M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 271.84M | -90.36M | -100.98M | -151.13M | -113.2M | -20.5M |
| Cash from Financing | 998.06M | 1.14B | 393.61M | 163.34M | 261.25M | 510.33M | 162.38M | 368.72M | 161.75M | 84.64M | 63.46M | -3.57M | -18.4M | -40.72M | -309.4M | -458.62M | -607.68M | -65.98M | -84.2M | 298.51M | 148.28M | 462.93M | 21.67M | 18.35M | -21M | 54.43M | 145.59M | 62.8M | 20.6M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Equity Issued (Net) | -14.97M | -50.3M | -44.52M | -16.55M | -89.01M | 50.05M | -3.35M | 37.48M | -723K | -389K | -949K | -259K | -257K | -1.4M | -82.7M | -108.39M | -85.95M | -142K | -564K | -54.72M | 716K | -96.94M | -19.03M | 3.5M | -4.34M | 40.08M | 146.41M | 62.8M | 10M |
| Dividends Paid | -9.12M | -12.43M | -25.74M | -24.91M | -24.79M | -21.81M | -13.56M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -23.86M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -22.21M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -144K | -829K | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | -22.15M | -69.57M | -52.67M | -17.67M | -89.01M | -25.22M | -3.35M | -2.52M | -723K | -389K | -949K | -259K | -257K | -1.4M | -82.7M | -108.39M | -85.95M | -142K | -564K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | 347K | 268K | 889K | 3.41M | 4.28M | 2.27M | 51.33M | 50.22M | 50K | 7K | 4K | -2K | -143K | 26K | 0 | -3.4M | -9.11M | -4.25M | -5.61M | -10.7M | -17.77M | -18.16M | -20.61M | 15.34M | -140K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.6M |
| Net Change in Cash | 342.61M | 267.77M | 115.98M | -49.54M | -73.44M | 247.67M | 82.57M | 34.64M | 71.1M | -21.98M | 25.02M | 11.11M | -10.95M | -17.04M | -77M | 59.56M | -99.67M | 110.5M | -43.1M | 27.11M | -130.24M | 172.41M | -54.29M | -9.81M | 64.67M | -13.23M | 57.14M | -500K | 20.6M |
| Free Cash Flow | 790.14M | 632.94M | 467.62M | 455.32M | 341.28M | 205.28M | 211.99M | 99.71M | 41.47M | -26.86M | 38.67M | -20K | -24.8M | -30.34M | 30.76M | 82.23M | 331.65M | 284.35M | 559.01M | 701.32M | 479.98M | 202.61M | 214.35M | 338.78M | 239.03M | 33.32M | 62.69M | 49.9M | 10.4M |
| FCF Margin % | 63.24% | 89.84% | 101.75% | 124.51% | 91.15% | 45.22% | 54.1% | 24.45% | 21.58% | -26.75% | 50.94% | -0.02% | -19.33% | -24.56% | 18.78% | 27.39% | 51.17% | -130.24% | 116.64% | 39.85% | 35.93% | 21.36% | 38.32% | 73.59% | 110.46% | 21.61% | 25.9% | 33.53% | 17.72% |
| FCF Growth % | 65.31% | 35.35% | 2.7% | 33.42% | 66.25% | -3.16% | 112.6% | 140.43% | 254.38% | -169.48% | 193430% | 99.92% | 18.26% | -198.64% | -62.59% | -75.21% | 16.64% | -49.13% | -20.29% | 46.11% | 136.9% | -5.48% | -36.73% | 41.73% | 617.38% | -46.85% | 25.63% | 379.81% | - |
| FCF per Share | 41.18 | 32.99 | 24.87 | 24.11 | 17.61 | 9.82 | 10.55 | 6.53 | 2.96 | -1.93 | 2.77 | -0.00 | -1.77 | -2.20 | 1.59 | 3.18 | 8.29 | 5.96 | 11.94 | 14.40 | 9.56 | 3.95 | 4.30 | 6.75 | 5.61 | 0.73 | 1.36 | 1.36 | 0.29 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 5.86x | 5.22x | 4.22x | 4.47x | 2.55x | 1.19x | 2.26x | 3.78x | 5.46x | 0.65x | -6.16x | 0.50x | -2.89x | 1.51x | 1.35x | 0.63x | -3.44x | -0.53x | -4.08x | -15.04x | 4.73x | 1.36x | 2.24x | 2.85x | 42.34x | 22.10x | 0.91x | 0.95x | 0.43x |
| Interest Paid | 119.89M | 268.39M | 145.67M | 99.45M | 75.36M | 47.61M | 46.53M | 46.3M | 33.47M | 25.48M | 19.48M | 17.92M | 24.42M | 23.21M | 28.96M | 38.08M | 50.44M | 32.76M | 45.16M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 660K | 1.03M | 229K | 1.47M | 4.25M | 19.95M | 327K | 20K | 4.75M | 258K | 437K | 1.12M | 73K | 163K | 49K | 6.48M | 93.76M | 632K | 91.52M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Credit loss provision volatility
Based on the provided financial data, Atlanticus Holdings exhibits a persistent divergence between net income and operating cash flow, with the OCF/NI ratio reaching 6.48 in 2026Q1, suggesting that reported earnings may not fully capture the underlying cash dynamics of the company's credit-intensive business model.
The significant gap between net income and operating cash flow suggests that non-cash accounting adjustments, likely related to fair value accounting for loan portfolios, are heavily influencing the bottom line. Investors should monitor whether this disconnect reflects genuine accrual-based growth or an over-reliance on non-cash gains that may not materialize into liquidity.
As reported in recent financial statements, Atlanticus Holdings' free cash flow has shown significant quarterly fluctuations, peaking at $286.1 million in 2026Q1, which appears to be driven more by working capital movements than by consistent, sustainable growth in core operational profitability.
While the FCF margin of 42.1% in 2026Q1 appears robust, the historical volatility suggests that the company's cash generation is highly sensitive to the timing of loan originations and securitization activities. This trend warrants further investigation into the sustainability of cash flows during periods of credit tightening.
According to the company's cash flow statements, working capital changes have consistently acted as a major drag on cash, with a $100.6 million outflow in 2026Q1, indicating that the rapid expansion of the loan book is consuming significant liquidity to fund new credit originations.
The recurring negative working capital impact suggests that the company is aggressively deploying cash into new receivables to fuel top-line growth. This strategy implies that the company's cash position is inherently tied to its ability to continuously access external funding markets to replenish its lending capacity.
Based on reported figures, Atlanticus Holdings has maintained a consistent pattern of share repurchases and dividend payments despite the capital-intensive nature of its lending operations, with $3.8 million allocated to buybacks and $2.3 million to dividends in 2026Q1 alone.
The decision to return capital to shareholders while simultaneously funding a rapidly growing loan portfolio suggests a management focus on supporting equity valuation. However, this approach may limit the company's financial flexibility if credit losses were to exceed current provisions, necessitating a more conservative capital allocation strategy.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying ATLC stock.
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation (ATLC) generated $638.0M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation (ATLC) generated $632.9M 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.
Atlanticus Holdings Corporation (ATLC) spent $5.0M on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.
In 2025, Atlanticus Holdings Corporation (ATLC) returned $12.4M to shareholders via cash dividends and spent $69.6M on share repurchases. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.