Free cash flow margins have collapsed to negative 6.2% in 2026Q1, driven by a $51.3 million working capital outflow that highlights significant liquidity pressure.
| Cash from Operations | 246.6M | 241.5M | 214.1M | 276.3M | 306M | 498.5M | 309.5M | 393.9M | 413.8M | 314.9M | 318.1M | 229.3M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 14.58% | 14.4% | 19.86% | 22.84% | 37.06% | 10.54% | 12% | 12.37% | 11.3% | 11.58% | 8.37% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 105.65% | 12.8% | -22.51% | -9.71% | -38.62% | 61.07% | -21.43% | -4.81% | 31.41% | -1.01% | 38.73% | - |
| Net Income | 129.8M | 145.1M | 184.1M | 188.3M | 204.9M | 435.4M | 181.1M | 133.6M | 335.6M | 171.8M | 122.8M | 228.9M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 114.7M | 106.6M | 86.8M | 77.6M | 78.7M | 121.1M | 127.5M | 113.5M | 120M | 72.7M | 70.9M | -67M |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 9.8M | 12.7M | 10.6M | 10.3M | 9.3M | 0 | 22.3M | 22.3M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | -13.1M | -14.8M | -17.6M | 7.6M | -28.4M | -9.6M | 18.1M | -25.1M | 47.7M | 102.3M | -25.1M | 39.7M |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 11.8M | 8.9M | 800K | -1.1M | 2.2M | -86.4M | -78.6M | 189.6M | 131.2M | 45.7M | 240.1M | -90.2M |
| Working Capital Changes | -6.9M | -17M | -50.6M | -6.4M | 39.3M | 38M | 39.1M | -40M | 16.3M | 54M | 27M | -16.1M |
| Change in Receivables | -57.3M | -46.8M | -44.4M | -6.3M | 300K | -58.8M | 138.5M | 3.8M | 4.8M | -10.1M | -6.2M | -2.4M |
| Change in Inventory | -8.2M | 5.2M | 21.3M | -1M | -12.7M | -18.2M | 35.4M | -8.3M | -38.8M | 6.4M | 24.9M | -23M |
| Change in Payables | 6.4M | 5.9M | 5.7M | -6.8M | 13.9M | 59.3M | -102.6M | -23.4M | 37M | 17.5M | 5.5M | 3.3M |
| Cash from Investing | -766.6M | -549M | -318M | -31.1M | -21.3M | -300K | -229.1M | -221M | -752.3M | -86.7M | -50.6M | -35.2M |
| Capital Expenditures | -40.2M | -43.2M | -45.4M | -31.1M | -21.3M | -53.9M | -34.1M | -68.8M | -108.8M | -49M | -51.5M | -39.6M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 2.35% | 2.61% | 3.05% | 2.24% | 1.59% | 4.01% | 1.16% | 2.1% | 3.25% | 1.76% | 1.87% | 1.44% |
| Acquisitions | -217.9M | -391.1M | -269.9M | 0 | 0 | 23.6M | -169.5M | -156.4M | -646.1M | -32.5M | 900K | 4.4M |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | -392M | 1.8M | -2.7M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.5M | 3.1M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | 565.4M | 363.6M | 62.1M | -252.5M | -135M | -557.9M | 55.1M | -124.6M | -7.9M | -78.2M | -100.4M | -143.8M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 588.5M | 384.8M | 105M | -200.7M | 0 | -375.2M | 221.7M | 45.6M | 109.6M | 0 | -49.6M | -51.2M |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 22.7M | 24M | 3.3M | 4.4M | -203.7M | -82.1M | -70M | -79.9M | -34M | 200K | 26.4M | -16.1M |
| Dividends Paid | -39.6M | -39M | -36.6M | -23.7M | 0 | -100.6M | -100.4M | -93.2M | -83.5M | -78.4M | -77.2M | -76.6M |
| Share Repurchases | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -203.7M | -96.3M | -70M | -79.9M | -50.1M | -25M | 0 | -25M |
| Other Financing | -6.2M | -6.2M | -9.6M | -32.5M | 68.7M | 0 | 3.8M | 2.9M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100K |
| Net Change in Cash | 51.1M | 67.2M | -53.8M | -3.5M | 129.5M | -72.4M | 157.1M | 50.5M | -362.8M | 196.5M | 167.1M | 50.3M |
| Free Cash Flow | 206.4M | 198.3M | 168.7M | 245.2M | 284.7M | 444.6M | 275.4M | 325.1M | 305M | 265.9M | 266.6M | 189.7M |
| FCF Margin % | 12.04% | 11.97% | 11.35% | 17.62% | 21.25% | 33.05% | 9.38% | 9.9% | 9.12% | 9.54% | 9.7% | 6.92% |
| FCF Growth % | 47.96% | 17.55% | -31.2% | -13.87% | -35.96% | 61.44% | -15.29% | 6.59% | 14.7% | -0.26% | 40.54% | - |
| FCF per Share | 3.56 | 3.42 | 2.92 | 4.26 | 5.02 | 7.84 | 4.86 | 5.73 | 5.00 | 4.40 | 4.50 | 3.23 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 1.59x | 1.66x | 1.16x | 1.47x | 1.49x | 2.80x | 1.71x | 2.95x | 1.23x | 1.83x | 2.59x | 1.00x |
| Interest Paid | 29.9M | 0 | 44.1M | 45.1M | 41.2M | 0 | 53.8M | 47.4M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 32.2M | 0 | 63.8M | 46M | 63.5M | 0 | 46.5M | 37.9M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Working capital volatility
As reported in recent financial filings, CXT's operating cash flow to net income ratio has experienced extreme swings, reaching a negative 2.19 in 2026Q1, which suggests that reported earnings are currently failing to translate into meaningful cash generation due to significant working capital outflows.
The wide divergence between net income and operating cash flow indicates that accounting profits are heavily influenced by non-cash items or timing differences in revenue recognition. Investors should monitor whether this disconnect is a temporary byproduct of post-spin-off integration or a structural issue with the company's cash conversion cycle.
Based on the company's quarterly statements, free cash flow margins have deteriorated sharply from a peak of 20.1% in 2025Q4 to negative 6.2% in 2026Q1, highlighting a concerning trend where capital requirements are increasingly outpacing the cash generated from core industrial operations.
The rapid shift into negative free cash flow territory suggests that the company's current business model may be struggling to self-fund its operations and capital expenditures simultaneously. This trajectory warrants further investigation into whether the recent decline is driven by seasonal working capital needs or a fundamental weakening of the underlying cash-generating capacity.
According to the provided cash flow data, working capital changes have been highly erratic, including a significant $51.3 million outflow in 2026Q1, which appears to be the primary driver behind the company's recent inability to maintain consistent positive operating cash flow across its reporting periods.
The volatility in working capital suggests potential inefficiencies in inventory management or delays in collecting receivables from government and industrial clients. Such fluctuations may indicate that the company is carrying excessive inventory or facing extended payment terms that are currently suppressing its liquidity position.
As indicated by financial statements, CXT has continued to prioritize capital deployment through dividends and significant acquisitions, such as the $220.8 million net outflow in 2026Q1, even as its internal cash generation has become increasingly inconsistent and prone to quarterly deficits.
While the company's low debt-to-equity ratio provides a buffer, the decision to pursue large-scale acquisitions while operating cash flow is negative suggests a high-conviction strategy that carries significant execution risk. Investors should evaluate whether these capital outlays will yield sufficient returns to offset the current pressure on the company's cash reserves.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying CXT stock.
Crane NXT, Co. (CXT) generated $241.5M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Crane NXT, Co. (CXT) generated $198.3M 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.
Crane NXT, Co. (CXT) spent $43.2M 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, Crane NXT, Co. (CXT) returned $39.0M to shareholders via cash dividends. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.