Free cash flow has recovered to $148.5 million in 2026Q2 (13.0% margin) from a negative $174.5 million in 2025Q1, but this rebound is partially inflated by large non-cash depreciation charges of $166.8 million, indicating variable cash conversion quality.
Core Natural Resources, Inc. (CNR) cash flow statement — 30-year operating, investing & financing cash flows
| Metric | TTM | Dec'25 | Dec'24 | Dec'23 | Dec'22 | Dec'21 | Dec'20 | Dec'19 | Oct'18 | Oct'17 | Oct'16 | Nov'15 | Nov'14 | Nov'13 | Oct'12 | Oct'11 | Oct'10 | Nov'09 | Nov'08 | Oct'07 | Oct'06 | Oct'05 | Oct'04 | Nov'03 | Nov'02 | Oct'01 | Oct'00 | Oct'99 | Oct'98 | Oct'97 | Oct'96 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 565.08M | 305.75M | 476.39M | 857.95M | 650.99M | 305.57M | 129.33M | 244.57M | 413.52M | 248.11M | 329.11M | 291.69M | 543.52M | 64.14M | 47.72M | 41.44M | 6.31M | 95.37M | 40.19M | 137.63M | 121.51M | 118.27M | 23.73M | 69.27M | 59.76M | 81.69M | 72.84M | 94.2M | 110M | 28.6M | 24.5M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 7.34% | 22.17% | 34.23% | 28.55% | 24.23% | 14.71% | 17.78% | 28.08% | 18.78% | 28.78% | 21.76% | 32.33% | 4.9% | 4.14% | 4.32% | 0.72% | 9.85% | 2.28% | 8.47% | 7.74% | 10.47% | 2.19% | 7.71% | 6.27% | 8.56% | 7.15% | 10.06% | 16.29% | 7.01% | 7.36% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 165.62% | -35.82% | -44.47% | 31.79% | 113.04% | 136.27% | -47.12% | -40.86% | 66.67% | -24.61% | 12.83% | -46.33% | 747.37% | 34.41% | 15.17% | 557.1% | -93.39% | 137.27% | -70.79% | 13.26% | 2.75% | 398.39% | -65.74% | 15.92% | -26.85% | 12.16% | -22.68% | -14.36% | 284.62% | 16.73% | 36.11% |
| Net Income | 100.13M | -153.22M | 286.4M | 655.89M | 466.98M | 34.11M | -13.21M | 93.56M | 178.78M | 82.57M | 50.45M | 317.42M | 290.95M | -12.9M | 4.9M | -10M | -26.88M | -747M | 78.9M | 63.7M | 73.8M | 56M | 44.9M | 22.8M | -33.8M | 16.54M | 51.94M | 45.9M | 37.3M | 27.9M | 24.8M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 643.3M | 621.07M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36.01M | 33.84M | 33.21M | 34.5M | 32.78M | 35.59M | 35.53M | 31.09M | 24.49M | 22.97M | 23.01M | 24.93M | 36.65M | 33.49M | 28.5M | 17.8M | 7.9M | 5.8M |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 9.53M | 32.92M | 6.17M | 10.05M | 7.89M | 6.63M | 11.58M | 12.76M | 10.23M | 22.09M | 12.89M | 8.41M | 19.86M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | -67.38M | -80.97M | 8.82M | 14.12M | 49.39M | -14.76M | 11.69M | -17.42M | -16.48M | 16.61M | 91.53M | 72.62M | 40.66M | -10.59M | 2.18M | -6.4M | 43K | -24.45M | 266K | -7.09M | -3.18M | 2.36M | -4.76M | -705K | -895K | -799K | 1.49M | 3M | 8M | 300K | -800K |
| Other Non-Cash Items | -26.51M | -11.66M | 222.72M | 237.11M | 210.11M | 221.4M | 182.81M | 235.97M | 213.48M | 158.97M | 181.49M | 210.61M | 181.4M | 37.44M | 15.05M | 9.95M | 5.27M | 781.56M | 14.43M | 8.85M | 9.11M | 960K | 12.84M | 4.82M | 67.88M | 5.38M | 2.44M | 2.4M | 2.5M | 1.2M | 700K |
| Working Capital Changes | -94M | -102.38M | -47.73M | -59.22M | -83.37M | 58.19M | -63.53M | -80.31M | 27.51M | -32.13M | -7.25M | -317.36M | 10.64M | 14.18M | -8.25M | 14.67M | -6.63M | 52.48M | -88.99M | 36.63M | 10.7M | 34.46M | -52.23M | 19.35M | 1.64M | 23.93M | -16.52M | 14.4M | 44.4M | -8.7M | -6M |
| Change in Receivables | -96.33M | -64.05M | 49.24M | 36.92M | -52.58M | 44.71M | 11.13M | -38.96M | 39.16M | -44.42M | -17.61M | 63.76M | -36.76M | -3.57M | -16.72M | -15.33M | 915K | 78.89M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | -3.03M | 28.66M | 12.77M | -21.54M | -3.02M | -6.68M | -2.07M | -5.49M | 4.77M | -3.26M | 3.35M | 4.95M | 22.44M | -16.09M | -9.11M | -7.14M | -9.85M | 79.36M | -57.02M | 28.02M | -5.94M | 26.23M | -79.03M | 10.06M | 4.02M | 16.18M | -13.36M | -6M | 10M | -5.6M | -4.5M |
| Change in Payables | 42.68M | -24.27M | 4.57M | 11.45M | 39.23M | 11.47M | -30.76M | -21.71M | 37.49M | 7.04M | -4.15M | -575K | 48.19M | 34.56M | 12.05M | 17.57M | 150K | -30.75M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -322.37M | 47.66M | -165.03M | -259.43M | -142.18M | -127.36M | -76.33M | -172.54M | -153.65M | -56.83M | -45.76M | -130.27M | -127.81M | -23.33M | -166.15M | -20.46M | -13.26M | -19.1M | -18.69M | -56.36M | -393.35M | -45.8M | -6.01M | -18.33M | -3.91M | -16.3M | -50.13M | -41.3M | -614.2M | -18.7M | -46.7M |
| Capital Expenditures | -305.57M | -284.58M | -177.99M | -167.79M | -171.51M | -132.75M | -86M | -169.74M | -145.75M | -81.41M | -53.6M | -143.05M | -348.85M | -24.43M | -28.15M | -21.04M | -14.03M | -21.66M | -24.8M | -42.04M | -27.06M | -19.52M | -9.33M | -17.91M | -9.18M | -15.03M | -28.89M | -33.3M | -589.8M | -6.2M | -34.5M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 7.16% | 6.83% | 8.28% | 6.69% | 7.52% | 10.53% | 9.78% | 12.34% | 9.9% | 6.16% | 4.69% | 10.67% | 20.75% | 1.87% | 2.44% | 2.19% | 1.61% | 2.24% | 1.41% | 2.59% | 1.72% | 1.73% | 0.86% | 1.99% | 0.96% | 1.57% | 2.84% | 3.56% | 87.34% | 1.52% | 10.36% |
| Acquisitions | 7.05M | 7.51M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -140.99M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -20.09M | -366.6M | -27.4M | 0 | -4.31M | 0 | -5.52M | -24.41M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | -16.19M | 324.73M | -21.06M | -13.43M | 29.33M | 5.39M | 9.67M | -2.8M | -7.9M | 24.58M | 7.84M | 12.78M | 221.04M | 1.1M | 2.99M | 583K | 767K | 2.56M | 6.11M | 5.76M | 308K | 1.12M | 3.32M | 3.89M | 5.27M | 4.25M | 3.16M | -8M | -24.4M | -12.5M | -12.2M |
| Cash from Financing | -204.56M | -199.79M | -107.08M | -682.2M | -380.07M | -30.85M | -82.44M | -256.67M | -148.92M | -50.61M | -276.68M | -154.92M | -415.84M | -18.4M | 94.55M | -19.4M | -6.04M | -53.95M | -28.76M | -31.63M | 96.02M | 120.03M | -23.7M | -46.26M | -67.44M | -47.27M | -35.8M | -41.5M | 476.5M | 1.3M | 25.4M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | -54.14M | 87.77M | -11.47M | -191.74M | -294.36M | -26.18M | -67M | -183.89M | -73.92M | 587.24M | 16.43M | 327.53M | 5.83M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equity Issued (Net) | -146.06M | -224.26M | -70.88M | -399.38M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -32.73M | -25.84M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dividends Paid | -20.48M | -26.26M | -15.86M | -75.47M | -71.49M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -18.23M | -581.5M | -270.97M | -461.05M | -421.67M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | -146.06M | -224.26M | -70.88M | -399.38M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -32.73M | -25.84M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2.46M | -1.53M | -1.48M | -381K | -451K | -2.23M | -36.12M | -37.57M | -40.68M | 0 | -114K | -175K | -909K | -20.42M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | 16.12M | -37.03M | -8.87M | -15.61M | -14.22M | -4.67M | -15.44M | -40.04M | -30.93M | -56.35M | -22.14M | -21.4M | 0 | -18.4M | 94.55M | -19.4M | -6.04M | -53.95M | -28.76M | -31.63M | 96.02M | 120.03M | -23.7M | -46.26M | -67.44M | -47.27M | -35.8M | -41.5M | 476.5M | 1.3M | 25.4M |
| Net Change in Cash | 21M | -15.37M | 204.27M | -83.68M | 128.75M | 147.36M | -29.44M | -184.64M | 110.96M | 140.67M | 6.67M | 6.5M | -130K | 22.28M | -23.82M | 1.56M | -13M | 22.22M | -6.85M | 50.02M | -175.68M | 192.49M | -5.98M | 4.67M | -11.6M | 18.13M | -13.09M | 11.5M | -27.7M | 11.2M | 3.2M |
| Free Cash Flow | 259.5M | 21.17M | 298.4M | 690.16M | 479.48M | 172.82M | 43.33M | 74.83M | 267.78M | 166.7M | 275.51M | 148.64M | 194.67M | 39.72M | 19.57M | 20.4M | -7.72M | 73.71M | 15.39M | 95.58M | 94.46M | 98.74M | 14.4M | 51.36M | 50.58M | 66.67M | 43.95M | 60.9M | -479.8M | 22.4M | -10M |
| FCF Margin % | 6.08% | 0.51% | 13.89% | 27.53% | 21.03% | 13.7% | 4.93% | 5.44% | 18.18% | 12.62% | 24.09% | 11.09% | 11.58% | 3.04% | 1.7% | 2.13% | -0.89% | 7.62% | 0.87% | 5.88% | 6.01% | 8.74% | 1.33% | 5.72% | 5.31% | 6.98% | 4.32% | 6.5% | -71.05% | 5.49% | -3% |
| FCF Growth % | 63.28% | -92.91% | -56.76% | 43.94% | 177.45% | 298.87% | -42.1% | -72.06% | 60.64% | -39.49% | 85.35% | -23.65% | 390.16% | 102.93% | -4.05% | 364.07% | -110.48% | 378.94% | -83.9% | 1.19% | -4.34% | 585.57% | -71.95% | 1.53% | -24.13% | 51.67% | -27.82% | 112.69% | -2241.96% | 324% | -181.97% |
| FCF per Share | 5.14 | 0.41 | 10.01 | 20.82 | 13.42 | 4.86 | 1.64 | 2.76 | 9.42 | 5.92 | 9.82 | 5.31 | 4.15 | 0.85 | 1.03 | 1.11 | -0.42 | 16.48 | 3.95 | 22.98 | 22.07 | 23.67 | 3.60 | 13.54 | 13.53 | 18.35 | 12.02 | 15.99 | -131.85 | 6.55 | -3.05 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 2.59x | -2.00x | 1.66x | 1.31x | 1.39x | 8.96x | -13.26x | 3.22x | 2.70x | 3.67x | 7.93x | 0.95x | 1.87x | -4.99x | 3.10x | -4.19x | -0.23x | -0.13x | 0.51x | 2.16x | 1.65x | 2.11x | 0.53x | 3.04x | 1.91x | 4.94x | 1.40x | 2.01x | 2.95x | 1.03x | 0.99x |
| Interest Paid | 0 | 0 | 23.79M | 29.25M | 50.84M | 54.4M | 63M | 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 | 0 | 0 | 39.25M | 111.3M | 55.75M | 3.2M | 1.48M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying CNR stock.
Core Natural Resources, Inc. (CNR) generated $305.8M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Core Natural Resources, Inc. (CNR) generated $21.2M 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.
Core Natural Resources, Inc. (CNR) spent $284.6M on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.
In 2025, Core Natural Resources, Inc. (CNR) returned $26.3M to shareholders via cash dividends and spent $224.3M on share repurchases. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.
Key Metrics
Top Statement Risk
Margin collapse despite revenue surge
Metrics are mathematically derived from official filings.
Quality of Earnings Diverges Widely
The quality of earnings appears erratic, with operating cash flow consistently exceeding net income in recent quarters, but with the gap narrowing significantly as profitability returns, suggesting a shift in non-cash adjustments.
Based on recent financial statements, the OCF/NI ratio has swung from a massive -6.02 in 2025Q2 to a more normalized 1.98 in 2026Q2, indicating that the cash flow generation was previously driven by large non-cash charges that are now receding. This extreme volatility suggests that reported net income is a poor proxy for underlying cash generation, and investors should not extrapolate the recent positive trend without understanding the drivers behind the prior periods of negative OCF/NI ratios.
FCF Momentum Returns, but Profitability Lags
Free cash flow has rebounded strongly to $148.5M in 2026Q2, but the FCF margin of 13.0% remains well below its 2024 peak, indicating that the revenue surge has not fully translated into proportional cash profitability.
According to the reported data, the company achieved a 22.2% FCF margin in 2024Q3, which has since collapsed during the 2025 operational disruption before recovering. The current FCF trajectory suggests that the business is moving past a cash flow trough, but the significant gap between revenue growth and margin recovery implies that cost pressures or lower realized prices are absorbing much of the top-line benefit.
Working Capital Swings Create Cash Flow Noise
Working capital changes have been a major source of cash flow volatility, with swings from a $196.6M cash outflow in 2025Q1 to a $77.4M inflow in 2025Q2, largely obscuring the underlying operational cash flow trend.
As reported in the cash flow statements, the working capital dynamics suggest significant shifts in the timing of receivables, inventory, or payables, likely linked to the logistical disruptions at the Port of Baltimore and the ramp-up of the Itmann complex. The most recent $60.0M working capital outflow in 2026Q2, despite strong revenue, may indicate an inventory build or slower collections, warranting investigation into the sustainability of the current operating cash flow levels.
Cash Flow Obscures True Economic Reality
The cash flow statement may overstate the company's operational health due to large depreciation charges and the potential classification of certain maintenance costs as growth investments during the Itmann ramp-up.
The significant depreciation and amortization, reaching $266.9M in 2025Q2, heavily flatters the operating cash flow figure relative to net income. Furthermore, the transition of the Itmann Mining Complex from development to production likely involves accounting judgments that could capitalize costs that should be expensed, thereby inflating operating cash flow. Investors should monitor the ratio of capital expenditures to revenue, which fell to a minimal 0.3% in 2025Q2 before rising again, as it may indicate a period of underinvestment that could affect future maintenance requirements.