Operating cash flow remains decoupled from earnings, as evidenced by a 2026Q1 OCF/NI ratio of -2.40 and a heavy reliance on working capital adjustments to sustain liquidity.
| Metric | TTM | Dec'25 | Dec'24 | Dec'23 | Dec'22 | Dec'21 | Dec'20 | Dec'19 | Dec'18 | Dec'17 | Dec'16 | Sep'15 | Sep'14 | Sep'13 | Sep'12 | Sep'11 | Sep'10 | Sep'09 | Sep'08 | Sep'07 | Sep'06 | Sep'05 | Dec'04 | Dec'03 | Dec'02 | Dec'01 | Dec'00 | Dec'97 | Dec'96 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 80.46M | 48.55B | 39.7M | 46.51M | 15.11M | -4.27M | -5.1M | -21.22M | 8.73M | 6.22M | -18.88M | -2.04M | -29.3M | 23.63M | 5.09M | 35.32M | -6.21M | 38.39M | 2.7M | 2.99M | -5.68M | -6.78M | 12.91K | -4.01K | -7.15K | -295 | 2.48K | -1.3M | -1.7M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 24875.58% | 22.48% | 22.75% | 6.08% | -8.11% | -13.57% | -95.62% | 35.72% | 10.65% | -225.56% | -14.65% | -23.82% | 12.73% | 2.47% | 16.13% | -2.89% | 18.18% | 1.1% | 2.05% | -3.95% | -6.65% | - | -9.8% | -151.5% | - | - | -15.29% | -40.48% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 883.44% | 122189.74% | -14.63% | 207.69% | 453.97% | 16.23% | 75.98% | -343.19% | 40.37% | 132.93% | -826.71% | 93.05% | -224.02% | 364.51% | -85.6% | 668.91% | -116.17% | 1319.6% | -9.42% | 152.52% | 16.15% | -52609.76% | 421.91% | 43.91% | -2324.07% | -111.87% | 100.19% | 23.53% | - |
| Net Income | -17.09M | -9.38M | 9.59M | -8.54M | -11.33M | 61.56M | -7.85M | -10.85M | -1.96M | -21.47M | -12.71M | 14.04M | -26.72M | -116.03M | -65.81M | -24.54M | -32.78M | -13.99M | -7.94M | 483.33K | 20.16M | 12.37M | -14.68K | -42.16K | -6.32K | -3.27K | -3.48K | -2.6M | -5M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 12.98M | 10.58B | 9.17M | 10.34M | 8.56M | 4.06M | 2.7M | 2.75M | 2.47M | 1.59M | 1.07M | 508.94K | 8.26M | 19.32M | 18.52M | 18.63M | 18.41M | 12.83M | 13.25M | 8.91M | 5.82M | 3.51M | 0 | 380 | 380 | 0 | 0 | -300K | -300K |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 12.99K | 76.8M | 376.65K | 1.23M | 64.19K | 1.05M | 803.93K | 770.11K | 221.18K | 759.29K | 1.43M | 750.17K | 88.75K | 359.01K | 804K | 1.58M | 3.78M | 3.73M | 0 | 2.56M | 4.34M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -168.86K | 101.62K | 11.98M | 5.83M | 2.12M | 1.23M | -4.04M | -2.02M | -1.15M | -609.68K | 72.81K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 8.02M | 37.87B | 5.54M | 14.7M | 7.63M | -62.4M | 4.47M | 4.42M | -10.89M | 7.56M | 3.72M | -22.95M | 8.35M | 114.24M | 18.62M | 7.33M | 23.29M | 8.38M | 6.33M | 3.46M | -555.59K | 769.81K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.97K | 1.2M | 3.1M |
| Working Capital Changes | 76.77M | 42.35M | 15.03M | 28.79M | 10.19M | -8.54M | -5.22M | -18.31M | 18.88M | 17.78M | -12.21M | 5.51M | -31.26M | -84.86K | 30.83M | 31.08M | -14.86M | 29.47M | -9.02M | -11.82M | -35.52M | -23.44M | 27.59K | 37.77K | -1.21K | 2.98K | 1K | 400K | 500K |
| Change in Receivables | 1.97M | -4.08M | -4.83M | -2.8M | 21.02M | 18.71M | -20.77M | 10.31M | 33.72M | -53.55B | -2.45M | -5.15M | -14.83M | 37.73M | 5.94M | -157K | -11.07M | -8.38M | 0 | 2.62M | -19.94M | -22.38M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100K | -100K |
| Change in Inventory | -51.89M | -33.89M | 6.3M | 11.21M | -23.98M | -11.81M | 2.31M | 11.04K | -475.66K | 2.32M | -14.39M | -107.51K | 8.63M | -49.85M | -2.39M | 2.09M | -1.93M | 1.04M | -2.22M | -11.31M | -25.69M | 7.31M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100K | 0 |
| Change in Payables | 102.72M | 63.66M | 4.65M | 16.79M | 7.56M | -1.81M | 11.09M | -30.53M | -9.76M | 47.15M | -2M | 5.02M | -22.71M | -22.73M | 22.05M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3.04M | 4.27M | -5.73M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -100K | 400K |
| Cash from Investing | -47.6M | -45.71B | -23.43M | -42.31M | -7.93M | -38.08M | -5.71M | -2.42M | -7.33M | -16.42M | -5.46M | -5.5M | -17.54M | -19.11M | -20.37M | -31.05M | -23.25M | -41.64M | -50.55M | -65.9M | -41.42M | -26.43M | 3.04K | 0 | -3.8K | 0 | 0 | -1.1M | -400K |
| Capital Expenditures | -43.75M | -44.65B | -17.19M | -31.14M | -12.37M | -19.21M | -5.71M | -2.45M | -7.36M | -12.05M | -3M | -12.88M | -18.95M | -13.31M | -20.47M | -31.7M | -23.25M | -40.57M | -45.88M | -48.85M | -41.42M | -32.29M | 0 | 0 | -3.8K | 0 | 0 | -300K | -400K |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 19.03% | 22876.58% | 9.73% | 15.23% | 4.97% | 36.48% | 15.2% | 11.05% | 30.12% | 20.64% | 35.84% | 92.64% | 15.41% | 7.17% | 9.95% | 14.48% | 10.82% | 19.21% | 18.7% | 33.49% | 28.8% | 31.68% | - | - | 80.51% | - | - | 3.53% | 9.52% |
| Acquisitions | -2.78M | 0 | 278.11K | -4.04M | 4.16M | -17.48M | 0 | 0 | 58.42K | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4.16M | -489.9K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | -1.06M | -1.06B | 2.57M | 1.14K | 282.16K | 0 | 0 | 32.72K | 31.59K | -4.37M | -2.46M | 7.38M | 5.57M | -5.31M | 103K | 656K | -23.25M | -1.07M | -4.67M | -17.04M | 0 | 5.85M | 3.04K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -800K | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | 13.39M | 8B | -11.69M | 18.62M | 5.61M | 48.27M | 25.83M | 13.55M | 6.4M | 11.41M | 24.92M | 13.34M | 33.78M | -57.49K | -455K | -2.8M | 22.47M | -1.62M | 67.16M | 55.24M | 35.05M | 62.94M | 0 | 0 | 15.05K | 0 | 0 | 2.7M | 100K |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 9.39M | 5.27M | -7.39M | 18.62M | 4.12M | -17.22M | -19.52M | 14.39M | 6.37M | -269.68K | 19.4M | 3.5M | 33.78M | -57.49K | -455.46K | -6.93M | -19.03M | 24.87M | 37.34M | 46.42M | 28.35M | 11.07M | 25.64M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equity Issued (Net) | -1.5M | -1.5M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65.5M | 45.35M | 0 | 0 | 9.61M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19.62M | 150.33K | 29.24M | 0 | 0 | 55.38M | 10.88M | 0 | 15.05K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dividends Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -11.5M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | -1.5M | -1.5M | 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 | 0 |
| Other Financing | 5.51M | 8B | -4.3M | 0 | 1.49M | 0 | 0 | -839.24K | 26.82K | 2.07M | 5.52M | 9.85M | 0 | 0 | -302.55K | 4.13M | 21.88M | -26.64M | 588.06K | 8.83M | 6.69M | -14.08M | -9.26M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.7M | 100K |
| Net Change in Cash | 51.06M | 14.89B | 1.96M | 21.47M | 11M | 5.68M | 13.54M | -10.56M | 6.94M | 1.24M | 328K | 5.77M | -13.01M | 4.73M | -15.59M | 2.27M | -8.09M | -5.03M | 21.51M | -6.9M | -11.96M | 29.84M | 15.95K | -4.01K | 4.1K | -295 | -2.48K | -300K | -2.2M |
| Free Cash Flow | 36.71M | 3.9B | 22.52M | 15.37M | 2.74M | -23.48M | -10.81M | -23.68M | 1.37M | -5.83M | -21.88M | -14.92M | -48.25M | 10.32M | -15.38M | 3.62M | -29.46M | -2.18M | -43.18M | -45.87M | -47.1M | -39.07M | 12.91K | -4.01K | -10.95K | -295 | 2.48K | -1.6M | -2.1M |
| FCF Margin % | 15.97% | 1999% | 12.75% | 7.52% | 1.1% | -44.58% | -28.77% | -106.67% | 5.6% | -9.99% | -261.4% | -107.29% | -39.22% | 5.56% | -7.48% | 1.65% | -13.71% | -1.03% | -17.6% | -31.45% | -32.75% | -38.33% | - | -9.8% | -232.01% | - | - | -18.82% | -50% |
| FCF Growth % | 5452.57% | 17227.95% | 46.54% | 460.47% | 111.68% | -117.27% | 54.35% | -1831.25% | 123.45% | 73.35% | -46.66% | 69.08% | -567.57% | 167.07% | -525.35% | 112.28% | -1251.38% | 94.95% | 5.86% | 2.62% | -20.56% | -302660.96% | 421.91% | 63.37% | -3612.2% | -111.87% | 100.16% | 23.81% | - |
| FCF per Share | 0.41 | 43.72 | 0.25 | 0.17 | 0.03 | -0.27 | -0.17 | -0.61 | 0.05 | -0.25 | -1.23 | -1.16 | -3.82 | 0.82 | -1.22 | 0.29 | -2.38 | -0.19 | -4.13 | -4.64 | -4.81 | -5.09 | 0.00 | -0.00 | -0.00 | -0.00 | 0.00 | -2.09 | -3.46 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | -2.15x | -5177.42x | 3.37x | -18.99x | -1.60x | -0.07x | 0.65x | 1.97x | -4.49x | -0.29x | 1.48x | -0.13x | -0.78x | -0.20x | -0.08x | -1.44x | 0.19x | -2.74x | -0.34x | 6.18x | -0.28x | -0.55x | -0.88x | 0.10x | 1.13x | 0.09x | -0.71x | 0.50x | 0.34x |
| Interest Paid | 0 | 0 | 408.03K | 181.61K | 571.12K | 177.54K | 989.53K | 1.38M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11.09M | 9.93M | 8.97M | 9.05M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 0 | 0 | 2.19M | 0 | 59.51K | 3.05K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 459.26K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 279.41K | 131.56K | 843.78K | 625.82K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Structural cash flow volatility
As reported in recent financial filings, CBAT exhibits a persistent disconnect between net income and operating cash flow, with the OCF/NI ratio frequently reaching extreme negative values, such as -2.40 in 2026Q1, indicating that reported earnings are not representative of the company's actual cash-generating capacity.
The consistent divergence between accounting losses and positive operating cash flow suggests that non-cash items or aggressive working capital management are heavily influencing the bottom line. Investors should interpret this as a sign that the company's reported profitability metrics are likely masking a more challenging underlying cash reality.
Based on the company's reported figures, free cash flow remains highly volatile, swinging from a peak of $19.6 million in 2023Q4 to a deficit of $22.3 million in 2025Q1, which underscores the difficulty in achieving a sustainable and predictable cash flow trajectory for the business.
The lack of a stable FCF margin suggests that the company's operational model is highly sensitive to external shocks and cyclical demand. This instability warrants further investigation into whether the business can ever achieve the consistent cash generation required to fund its own growth without external capital.
According to quarterly data, the company's capital intensity remains elevated, with CapEx/Revenue ratios reaching as high as 36.3% in 2025Q1, reflecting a significant ongoing investment requirement that appears to be outpacing the company's ability to generate sufficient revenue to cover these essential infrastructure costs.
The high level of capital expenditure relative to revenue suggests that the company is in a constant state of asset replacement or expansion, which may be necessary to remain competitive but currently serves as a major drain on liquidity. This intensity appears to be a structural hurdle to achieving positive free cash flow.
As evidenced by the provided financial statements, working capital changes have frequently served as the primary driver of positive operating cash flow, with a $23.6 million contribution in 2026Q1, suggesting that the company relies heavily on timing differences in payables and receivables to maintain liquidity.
This reliance on working capital fluctuations to bolster cash flow is often unsustainable and may indicate that the company is stretching payment terms or aggressively collecting receivables to mask operational weaknesses. Analysts should monitor whether these working capital benefits are temporary or indicative of a permanent shift in cash management.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying CBAT stock.
CBAK Energy Technology, Inc. (CBAT) generated $48.55B in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
CBAK Energy Technology, Inc. (CBAT) generated $3.90B 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.
CBAK Energy Technology, Inc. (CBAT) spent $44.65B 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, CBAK Energy Technology, Inc. (CBAT) spent $1.5M on share repurchases. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.