Free cash flow remains volatile, ranging from a negative 4.4% margin in 2024Q1 to a peak of 18.7% in 2025Q2, reflecting inconsistent cash conversion efficiency.
| Cash from Operations | 274.5M | 281.1M | 219.5M | 132.6M | 48.8M | -30.2M | 50.6M | 9.5M | -39.8M | -75.5M | -18.3M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 15.97% | 14.5% | 10.64% | 4.76% | -3.58% | 6.14% | 1.28% | -5.3% | -12.11% | -2.64% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 382.75% | 28.06% | 65.54% | 171.72% | 261.59% | -159.68% | 432.63% | 123.87% | 47.28% | -312.57% | - |
| Net Income | -149.8M | 18.1M | 54.8M | -73.4M | -75.4M | -4M | 78.7M | -61.1M | -10.5M | -92.8M | -104.7M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 209.7M | 209.8M | 132.5M | 89M | 77.5M | 51.8M | 57.1M | 56.6M | 57.9M | 53.2M | 56M |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 176.2M | 155.5M | 136.7M | 144.8M | 113.4M | 65.8M | 36.5M | 23.2M | 17.2M | 12.5M | 12.8M |
| Deferred Taxes | -38.8M | -34.1M | 4.1M | -1.7M | -38.5M | -7M | -69.4M | -16.1M | -65M | -8.3M | -7.9M |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 208.6M | 37.8M | 16.2M | 16M | 12.8M | 24.3M | 9.2M | 55.4M | 4.2M | 9.2M | 66.1M |
| Working Capital Changes | -131.4M | -106M | -124.8M | -42.1M | -41M | -161.1M | -61.5M | -48.5M | -43.6M | -49.3M | -40.6M |
| Change in Receivables | -94M | -48M | -48.3M | -39.5M | -34.8M | -12M | -16.4M | -3.6M | 5.3M | -7.2M | -8.5M |
| Change in Inventory | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Payables | 18.9M | 15.7M | 9.3M | -200K | 9.3M | -1.4M | 3.8M | -6.4M | -4.3M | -4.4M | -3.2M |
| Cash from Investing | -306.4M | -471.9M | -202.8M | -342.5M | -711.1M | 38.8M | -119.3M | -51.1M | -407.4M | 763M | 323.9M |
| Capital Expenditures | -108.7M | -109.6M | -114.4M | -94.5M | -63.7M | -18.1M | -16.3M | -8M | -17.5M | -7.4M | -9.2M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 5.74% | 6.23% | 7.56% | 7.58% | 6.22% | 2.15% | 1.98% | 1.08% | 2.33% | 1.19% | 1.33% |
| Acquisitions | -5.5M | -173.1M | 0 | 0 | -409.5M | -58.3M | -30.2M | 0 | -500K | 101.6M | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 0 | 0 | -1M | 0 | 37.9M | -41.7M | -38.9M | -32.2M | -33.3M | 690.9M | 386.7M |
| Cash from Financing | 404.5M | 59.6M | 242M | 764.6M | 491.9M | 565.3M | 609.7M | -1.25B | 406.8M | -630.7M | -368.2M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | -7.3M | 1.7M | -7.9M | -8.4M | 554M | -10M | -7.2M | -454M | -25.9M | -11.8M | -7M |
| Equity Issued (Net) | -2M | -1000K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 0 |
| Dividends Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | -67.2M | -36.1M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.8M | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | 465.4M | 94M | 249.9M | 773M | -62.1M | 575.3M | 616.9M | -1.39B | 356.1M | -693.9M | -361.2M |
| Net Change in Cash | 367.1M | -167.5M | 270.2M | 507.9M | -191.7M | 569.9M | 552.3M | -1.31B | 343.6M | 57.6M | -72.9M |
| Free Cash Flow | 165.8M | 171.5M | 105.1M | 38.1M | -14.9M | -90M | -4.6M | -30.7M | -90.6M | -108.4M | -52.8M |
| FCF Margin % | 8.76% | 9.74% | 6.94% | 3.06% | -1.45% | -10.68% | -0.56% | -4.14% | -12.07% | -17.39% | -7.61% |
| FCF Growth % | -8.45% | 63.18% | 175.85% | 355.7% | 83.44% | -1856.52% | 85.02% | 66.11% | 16.42% | -105.3% | - |
| FCF per Share | 1.04 | 1.07 | 0.66 | 0.25 | -0.10 | -0.61 | -0.03 | -0.27 | -0.68 | -0.81 | -0.40 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | -1.11x | 15.53x | 4.01x | -1.81x | -0.65x | 7.55x | 0.64x | -0.16x | 4.33x | 0.81x | 0.17x |
| Interest Paid | 0 | 45.3M | 52.4M | 30.1M | 19.1M | 26.7M | 37.4M | 74.5M | 89.7M | 84.9M | 83.9M |
| Taxes Paid | 0 | 56.4M | 43M | 17.6M | 33.4M | 4.2M | 36.2M | 21.1M | 21.3M | 14.8M | -15.7M |
Persistent operating margin pressure
According to the provided cash flow statements, Dayforce exhibits a significant disconnect between net income and operating cash flow, with the OCF/NI ratio frequently reaching extreme levels, such as the 5.29x multiple observed in 2025Q2, indicating that reported earnings are not currently reflective of cash generation.
The wide variance between net income and operating cash flow suggests that non-cash charges and working capital fluctuations are heavily distorting the bottom line. Investors should monitor this divergence, as it implies that the company's profitability is currently more an accounting construct than a reflection of actual cash-generating capacity.
As reported in financial statements, Dayforce's free cash flow margins have fluctuated wildly over the last ten quarters, ranging from a negative 4.4% in 2024Q1 to a peak of 18.7% in 2025Q2, highlighting the inconsistent nature of the company's cash conversion during its platform transition.
This volatility suggests that the company's ability to generate sustainable free cash flow remains sensitive to timing differences in client fund movements and operational expenditures. The lack of a stable upward trajectory in FCF margins warrants further investigation into whether the business model can achieve the scale-driven efficiency seen in its peers.
Based on reported figures, Dayforce maintains a consistent capital intensity, with CapEx as a percentage of revenue averaging between 5.4% and 8.4% over the last ten quarters, suggesting that the company must continue heavy reinvestment to support its single-database architecture and ongoing platform development.
The persistent level of capital expenditure indicates that the company is still in a phase of heavy infrastructure maintenance and growth, rather than a mature harvest phase. This ongoing capital requirement may continue to act as a drag on free cash flow, limiting the capital available for shareholder returns.
Analysis of recent quarterly data reveals that working capital changes have frequently been a net drain on cash, including a significant $55.8 million outflow in 2025Q1, which suggests that the company's cash cycle is currently being pressured by its operational requirements and client fund management.
These recurring outflows appear to indicate that the company is struggling to optimize its cash conversion cycle, potentially due to the complexities of managing payroll disbursements and client impound accounts. Investors should monitor whether these working capital swings stabilize as the company matures its operational processes.
As disclosed in the cash flow data, stock-based compensation consistently exceeds $35 million per quarter, which serves to artificially inflate reported cash flow metrics while diluting shareholders and obscuring the true cost of talent required to maintain the company's competitive technical moat.
The reliance on stock-based compensation as a primary tool for talent retention suggests that the company's cash-based operating performance is weaker than it appears on the surface. This practice warrants further investigation into the long-term sustainability of the company's compensation structure and its impact on future earnings quality.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying DAY stock.
Dayforce Inc (DAY) generated $281.1M in net cash from operating activities in 2024. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Dayforce Inc (DAY) generated $171.5M in free cash flow in 2024. Free cash flow is the cash left over after capital expenditures, which can be used to pay dividends, repurchase shares, or pay down debt.
Dayforce Inc (DAY) spent $109.6M on capital expenditures in 2024. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.
In 2024, Dayforce Inc (DAY) spent $36.1M on share repurchases. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.