Cash burn persists as evidenced by a 2026Q1 free cash flow margin of -10.9% and an OCF/NI ratio of 0.32, indicating limited internal cash generation.
| 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 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | -70.73M | -93.41M | -128.41M | -145.08M | -116.51M | -108.23M | -78.46M | -46.38M | -30.05M | -26.47M | -21.28M | -7.44M | -4.6M | -1.63M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | -14.63% | -33.29% | -53.61% | -232.85% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Operating CF Growth % | 179.02% | 27.26% | 11.49% | -24.52% | -7.66% | -37.94% | -69.18% | -54.31% | -13.53% | -24.39% | -186.08% | -61.84% | -181.8% | - |
| Net Income | -188.3M | -183.17M | -287.22M | -239.24M | -187.13M | -130.4M | -102.9M | -68.35M | -30.97M | -28.94M | -27.2M | -10.56M | -6M | -2.17M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 8.76M | 9.06M | 7.96M | 6.83M | 4.4M | 76K | 77.72K | 37.33K | 48.94K | 42.56K | 20.48K | 3.54K | 0 | 0 |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 70.44M | 93.75M | 0 | 62.62M | 37.73M | 20.8M | 14.76M | 6.12M | 1.75M | 2.07M | 2.03M | 803.28K | 376.81K | 55.28K |
| Deferred Taxes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.25M | 0 | -2.79M | 646K | 0 | 2.28M | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 34.3M | 9.48M | 116.95M | 53.1M | 4.83M | 974K | 7.95M | 649.99K | 375.63K | 470.52K | 68.93K | -902.22K | 512.67K | 327.19K |
| Working Capital Changes | 4.07M | -22.52M | 33.9M | -28.39M | 23.67M | 324K | 412.04K | 15.17M | 1.52M | -759.55K | 3.8M | 937.73K | 514.69K | 153.09K |
| Change in Receivables | -89.67M | -82.46M | -47.18M | -57.12M | -37.7M | 0 | 177.5K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | -13.37M | -15.67M | 744K | -8.16M | -5.28M | -6K | -177.5K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Payables | 21.04M | -6.46M | 31.32M | 2.07M | 25.46M | -355K | 2.56M | 7.26M | 251.79K | -645.72K | 2.19M | 1.13M | 598.84K | 158.14K |
| Cash from Investing | -263K | -480K | -270K | -582K | -53.7M | -308K | -45.89K | -16.12K | -32.7K | -9.9K | -104.56K | -20.2K | 0 | 0 |
| Capital Expenditures | -263K | -480K | -270K | -582K | -702K | -308K | -45.89K | -16.12K | -32.7K | -9.9K | -104.56K | -20.2K | 0 | 0 |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 0.04% | 0.08% | 0.07% | 0.22% | 1.4% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Acquisitions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -53M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | 75.19M | 101.47M | 57.84M | 331.01M | 284.58M | 11.13M | 42.41M | 252.39M | 10.03M | 23.88M | 9.97M | 52.88M | 5.13M | 3.72M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | -8.02M | -7.75M | -990K | 85M | 45M | 0 | 28.34M | 12.76M | -3.33M | -277.78K | 10M | 7.34M | 5.19M | 3.78M |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 106.2M | 126.27M | 40.78M | 258.75M | 243.76M | 7.44M | 14.13M | 238.23M | 12.88M | 23.68M | 33.03K | 45.55M | 0 | 0 |
| Dividends Paid | 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 |
| Other Financing | -22.99M | -17.05M | 18.05M | -12.74M | -4.18M | 3.69M | -52.76K | 1.39M | 486.03K | 484.61K | -64.93K | -12.49K | -62.52K | -57.98K |
| Net Change in Cash | 4.2M | 7.58M | -70.84M | 185.35M | 114.37M | -97.4M | -36.09M | 206M | -20.05M | -2.6M | -11.42M | 45.42M | 529.97K | 2.09M |
| Free Cash Flow | -70.99M | -93.89M | -128.68M | -145.66M | -117.21M | -108.53M | -78.5M | -46.39M | -30.09M | -26.48M | -21.39M | -7.46M | -4.6M | -1.63M |
| FCF Margin % | -10.02% | -14.7% | -33.36% | -53.83% | -234.25% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| FCF Growth % | 40.13% | 27.04% | 11.66% | -24.27% | -8% | -38.26% | -69.22% | -54.19% | -13.61% | -23.83% | -186.71% | -62.28% | -181.8% | - |
| FCF per Share | -1.39 | -1.89 | -2.69 | -3.21 | -2.88 | -2.89 | -2.11 | -1.36 | -1.12 | -1.16 | -1.12 | -0.62 | -0.36 | -0.21 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 0.38x | 0.51x | 0.45x | 0.61x | 0.62x | 0.83x | 0.76x | 0.68x | 0.97x | 0.91x | 0.78x | 0.61x | 0.77x | 0.75x |
| Interest Paid | 10.04M | 14.63M | 19.69M | 16.73M | 7.69M | 4.63M | 2.1M | 1.29M | 771.97K | 865.28K | 46.67K | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Commercial ramp execution risk
Based on reported financial statements, Axsome's operating cash flow consistently trails net losses, with the 2026Q1 OCF/NI ratio of 0.32 highlighting that the company's cash burn is not merely a function of accounting accruals but reflects a fundamental requirement for ongoing external capital to fund operations.
The persistent divergence between net income and operating cash flow suggests that the company's path to self-sustainability remains obstructed by high cash-based operating expenses. Investors should monitor whether the narrowing of this gap in certain quarters represents a structural improvement in cash conversion or merely temporary fluctuations in working capital timing.
As indicated by quarterly cash flow data, Axsome's free cash flow remains deeply negative, with a 2026Q1 FCF margin of -10.9%, underscoring the significant capital intensity required to support the commercial infrastructure of its CNS portfolio while the company attempts to reach a sustainable break-even point.
The erratic nature of FCF, which briefly touched positive territory in 2025Q3, suggests that the company is still in a high-burn phase where commercial success is frequently offset by the heavy fixed costs of its specialized sales force. This trajectory implies that the company remains highly sensitive to the timing of revenue recognition versus the rigid, recurring nature of its SG&A expenditures.
According to recent SEC filings, Axsome's operating cash flow is frequently impacted by volatile working capital changes, such as the $16.4 million inflow in 2026Q1, which may temporarily mask the underlying cash burn associated with the company's aggressive commercial expansion and inventory management strategies.
The significant swings in working capital suggest that the company's cash position is highly susceptible to the timing of payments and receivables, which can create misleading snapshots of operational health. Analysts should look past these quarterly shifts to determine if the core business is generating sufficient cash to cover its operational overhead without relying on favorable timing of payables.
Based on the provided cash flow data, stock-based compensation remains a substantial non-cash expense, averaging over $20 million per quarter, which effectively obscures the true economic cost of talent acquisition and retention necessary to maintain the company's specialized CNS commercial and clinical operations.
While SBC is a non-cash item, it represents a significant dilution risk that is not captured in the headline cash burn figures. Investors should consider the impact of this ongoing dilution on long-term shareholder value, as the company continues to rely on equity-based incentives to manage its cost structure while operating in a cash-negative state.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying AXSM stock.
Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. (AXSM) generated $-93.4M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. (AXSM) reported negative free cash flow of $93.9M in 2025, indicating capital requirements exceeded cash from operations.
Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. (AXSM) spent $0.5M on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.