Free cash flow margins have compressed from a peak of 39.5% in 2024Q3 to a negative 10.3% in 2026Q1, reflecting a disconnect between accounting earnings and actual 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 | Dec'12 | Dec'11 | Dec'10 | Dec'09 | Dec'08 | Dec'07 | Dec'06 | Dec'05 | Dec'04 | Dec'03 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 120.1M | 142M | 198.07M | 127.04M | 120.32M | 167.89M | 151.97M | 136.12M | 115.67M | 60.94M | 18.39M | 3.13M | -27.38M | -37.06M | -36.02M | -27.4M | -22.29M | -17.97M | -18.36M | -10.96M | -23.24M | -17.23M | -13.72M | -10M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 18.65% | 29.34% | 26.34% | 29.94% | 45.87% | 42.94% | 44.41% | 46.04% | 38.28% | 22.62% | 6.22% | -103.11% | -357.81% | -1089.2% | - | - | -61958.62% | -8785.65% | -2274.69% | -7904.08% | - | - | - |
| Operating CF Growth % | -481.74% | -28.31% | 55.91% | 5.58% | -28.33% | 10.48% | 11.65% | 17.68% | 89.82% | 231.33% | 487.57% | 111.43% | 26.13% | -2.88% | -31.46% | -22.95% | -24.03% | 2.15% | -67.48% | 52.82% | -34.84% | -25.63% | -37.14% | - |
| Net Income | 47.9M | 98.17M | 141.21M | 106.14M | 101.42M | 112.51M | 106.01M | 94.18M | 75.41M | 129.12M | 8.14M | -6.41M | -31.38M | -46.01M | -38.05M | -32.35M | -25.97M | -20.17M | -20.06M | -11.57M | -24.87M | -20.09M | -15.53M | -9.81M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 2.03M | 1.89M | 1.34M | 2.36M | 3.45M | 3.07M | 2.24M | 2.17M | 236K | 106K | 87K | 155K | 141K | 74K | 27K | 3K | 6K | 10K | 12K | 13K | 14K | 704K | 1.61M | 22.55K |
| Stock-Based Compensation | -21.67M | 84.5M | 61.35M | 48.94M | 42.44M | 42.93M | 33.54M | 29.31M | 23.75M | 13.36M | 7.06M | 6.01M | 5.2M | 5.2M | 5.31M | 3.44M | 2.12M | 1.8M | 1.62M | 1.06M | 0 | 697K | 1.61B | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | -21.76M | 0 | -40.19M | -29.49M | -33.91M | 4.35M | 14.09M | 16.88M | 14.07M | -76.7M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.06M | 0 | -697K | -1.61B | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 18.3M | -15M | -10.94M | -9.13M | 1.38M | 5.09M | 1.45M | -1.74M | -1.72M | 763K | 1.95M | 2.87M | 3.71M | 4.45M | 1.7M | 0 | 0 | 16K | 1.28M | 1.06M | 1.55M | 70K | 78.42K | 264.24K |
| Working Capital Changes | 22.27M | -27.57M | 45.3M | 8.22M | 5.54M | -57K | -5.36M | -4.69M | 3.93M | -5.71M | 1.16M | 500K | -5.04M | -762K | -5.01M | 1.52M | 1.56M | 373K | -1.22M | -464K | 68K | 2.08M | 128.23K | -477.31K |
| Change in Receivables | 22.75M | -5.81M | 1.15M | -10.07M | -17.43M | -1.43M | -6.27M | -2.34M | -2.29M | -5.44M | -3.64M | -2.89M | -1.91M | -871K | -557K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | -11.36M | -7.48M | 305K | 1.26M | 1.2M | 3.44M | -3.51M | -1.04M | -7.78M | -2.26M | -682K | 815K | 249K | -883K | -4.66M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Payables | 4.5M | 25.07M | -2.25M | 5.78M | 4.76M | -3.6M | 3.16M | -735K | -389K | 6.29M | 965K | -561K | -495K | -1.42M | 193K | 2.79M | -453K | -34K | 189K | 199K | 0 | -1K | 227.71M | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | 77.47M | 69.76M | -177.6M | 90.91M | -114.33M | 136.13M | -119.26M | -117.83M | -90.77M | -73.46M | -194K | -17K | -174K | -127K | -151K | -25K | 0 | 3.59M | 2.33M | -5.38M | 25.36M | 15.11M | -39.51M | 1.64M |
| Capital Expenditures | -308K | -211K | -2.17M | -139K | -413K | -469K | -1.24M | -1.09M | -298K | -419K | -194K | -17K | -174K | -127K | -151K | -25K | 0 | -7K | -7K | 0 | -1.31M | -25.86M | -103.9M | 0 |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 0.04% | 0.03% | 0.32% | 0.03% | 0.1% | 0.13% | 0.35% | 0.36% | 0.12% | 0.26% | 0.24% | 0.03% | 0.66% | 1.23% | 4.57% | - | - | 24.14% | 3.35% | - | 447.28% | - | - | - |
| Acquisitions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -136.59M | 118.03M | 116.74M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25.92M | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 136.59M | -118.03M | -116.74M | -90.47M | -73.04M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.6M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -59K | 103.9B | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | -179.8M | -220.37M | -28.35M | -148.72M | -17.28M | -302.59M | 12.21M | -28.64M | -14.34M | -7.95M | -7.1M | 13.07M | -3.08M | -970K | 89.57M | 42.48M | 23M | 23.52M | 19.32M | 18.87M | 2.97M | 12K | 49.09M | 37.57K |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -15.13M | -14.78M | -9.21M | -4.86M | 0 | 29.86M | 0 | -6K | -10K | -13K | -13K | -12K | -5K | 0 | 0 |
| Equity Issued (Net) | -164.56M | -245.86M | -6.05M | -145.43M | 0 | -295.99M | -9.95M | -30.98M | -23.66M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55K | 0 | 42.48M | 23M | 23.54M | 19.33M | 18.87M | 2.94M | 1K | 49.03M | 274 |
| Dividends Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | -187.78M | -245.86M | -15.66M | -145.43M | 0 | -295.99M | -9.95M | -30.98M | -23.66M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | -15.25M | 25.49M | -22.3M | -3.29M | -17.28M | -6.61M | 22.16M | 2.33M | 9.32M | 7.18M | 7.68M | 22.28M | 1.78M | -1.02M | 59.71M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18K | 43K | 16K | 62.42K | 37.3K |
| Net Change in Cash | 18.92M | -7.17M | -7.89M | 69.22M | -11.29M | 1.43M | 44.92M | -10.36M | 10.56M | -20.47M | 11.1M | 16.19M | -30.63M | -38.16M | 53.4M | 15.06M | 711K | 9.15M | 3.28M | 2.53M | 5.09M | -2.11M | -4.14M | -8.33M |
| Free Cash Flow | 119.79M | 141.78M | 195.9M | 126.9M | 119.91M | 167.42M | 150.73M | 135.03M | 115.37M | 60.52M | 18.2M | 3.11M | -27.55M | -37.19M | -36.17M | -27.43M | -22.29M | -17.98M | -18.37M | -10.96M | -24.55M | -43.1M | -117.62M | -10M |
| FCF Margin % | 15.58% | 18.62% | 29.02% | 26.31% | 29.84% | 45.75% | 42.59% | 44.06% | 45.92% | 38.01% | 22.38% | 6.19% | -103.76% | -359.03% | -1093.77% | - | - | -61982.76% | -8789% | -2274.69% | -8351.36% | - | - | - |
| FCF Growth % | -32.39% | -27.62% | 54.37% | 5.83% | -28.38% | 11.07% | 11.63% | 17.04% | 90.64% | 232.56% | 484.55% | 111.3% | 25.91% | -2.8% | -31.89% | -23.06% | -23.98% | 2.14% | -67.54% | 55.35% | 43.03% | 63.36% | -1075.82% | - |
| FCF per Share | 1.15 | 1.18 | 1.73 | 1.14 | 1.03 | 1.33 | 1.21 | 1.10 | 0.91 | 0.49 | 0.16 | 0.03 | -0.27 | -0.37 | -0.39 | -0.33 | -0.33 | -0.34 | -0.39 | -0.32 | -1.07 | -1.91 | -6.38 | -1.16 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 2.50x | 1.42x | 1.42x | 1.20x | 1.19x | 1.49x | 1.43x | 1.45x | 1.53x | 0.47x | 2.26x | -0.49x | 0.87x | 0.81x | 0.95x | 0.85x | 0.86x | 0.89x | 0.92x | 0.95x | 0.93x | 0.86x | 0.88x | 1.02x |
| Interest Paid | 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 | 60.27M | 47.6M | 39.75M | 9.1M | 10.86M | 6.74M | 1.35M | 377K | 40K | 57K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Generic entry patent litigation
As reported in recent financial filings, Corcept’s operating cash flow to net income ratio has experienced extreme volatility, dropping to 0.54 in 2026Q1 from a peak of 2.77 in 2025Q3, which suggests that accounting earnings are increasingly decoupled from the actual cash generation of the business.
The significant divergence between net income and operating cash flow indicates that non-cash items and working capital fluctuations are heavily influencing reported profitability. Investors should monitor whether this trend reflects a structural decline in cash conversion efficiency or merely temporary timing differences in revenue recognition and expense accruals.
Based on the company's quarterly cash flow statements, free cash flow margins have deteriorated sharply, swinging from a high of 39.5% in 2024Q3 to a negative 10.3% in 2026Q1, signaling a rapid erosion of the company's ability to self-fund its operations through core product sales.
This trajectory suggests that the rising costs associated with legal defense and pipeline development are outpacing the cash-generative capacity of the Korlym franchise. The transition to negative free cash flow warrants further investigation into whether this is a permanent shift in the cost structure or a transient investment phase.
According to historical cash flow data, working capital changes have been highly erratic, ranging from a $32.3M outflow in 2023Q4 to a $28.1M inflow in 2024Q3, which highlights the sensitivity of Corcept’s cash position to fluctuations in inventory management and accounts receivable collection cycles.
The inconsistency in working capital movements suggests that the company's cash flow is susceptible to operational bottlenecks or shifts in specialty pharmacy distribution dynamics. Such volatility complicates the predictability of cash inflows and may necessitate a more conservative approach to modeling future liquidity requirements.
As disclosed in recent financial statements, Corcept has prioritized significant share repurchases, including $103.0M in 2025Q2, even as operating cash flow has become increasingly inconsistent, suggesting a management strategy that favors returning capital over building a larger cash buffer against potential generic-driven revenue shocks.
While share repurchases may signal management's confidence in the long-term value of the franchise, the timing of these outflows relative to the current cash flow deterioration appears aggressive. Investors should consider whether this capital allocation strategy leaves the company sufficiently prepared for the financial impact of potential patent litigation outcomes.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying CORT stock.
Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (CORT) generated $142.0M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (CORT) generated $141.8M 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.
Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (CORT) spent $0.2M 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, Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (CORT) spent $245.9M on share repurchases. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.