Liquidity is severely constrained as evidenced by a cash balance of only $114.6K in 2026Q1 and a negative free cash flow margin of -5.1% during the same period.
| 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 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | -3.84M | -3.16M | 1.74M | 3.87M | 663.8K | -360.69K | 1.11M | 799.67K | 541.3K | 478.68K | 57.14K | 88.97K | -132.8K | 68.81K | -806.74K | -519.49K | -22.55K | -772.05K | -340K | -124.14K |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | -228.67% | 6.86% | 15.52% | 2.78% | -2.42% | 11.92% | 9.43% | 6.09% | 5.8% | 1.3% | 2.23% | -3.31% | 1.5% | -20.08% | -13.18% | -0.9% | -131.91% | -54% | -18.58% |
| Operating CF Growth % | -439.09% | -281.74% | -55.07% | 483.47% | 284.04% | -132.47% | 38.89% | 47.73% | 13.08% | 737.67% | -35.78% | 167% | -293% | 108.53% | -55.29% | -2203.94% | 97.08% | -127.07% | -173.88% | - |
| Net Income | 18.4M | 19.21M | 513.07K | 381.57K | -4.41M | 267.84K | 173.36K | 29.32K | 236.67K | -188.49K | -893.39K | -694.34K | -660.25K | -984.76K | -2.31M | -2.8M | -1.8M | -1.05M | -537.96K | -244.51K |
| Depreciation & Amortization | -357.59K | 5.24K | 1.35M | 1.44M | 1.23M | 1.28M | 1.03M | 896.7K | 602.53K | 614.45K | 189.29K | 504.5K | 669.36K | 784.51K | 728K | 694.39K | 412.98K | 131.36K | 119.79K | 120.13K |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 1.34M | 1.01M | 794.69K | 506.2K | 734.48K | 171.8K | 158.73K | 41.34K | 32K | 183.7K | 48.56K | 126.52K | 139.25K | 490.39K | 300.27K | 78.84K | 439.42K | 51.9K | 51.82K | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | -225.89K | 273.3K | 39.03K | 0 | 0 | -399.63K | 0 | -2.11M | 0 | 0 | -44.27K | 2.28K | -1.91K | 42.57K | -21.2K | 751.36K | 282.51K | -69.96K | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | -21.12M | -20.11M | 7.96K | -223.27K | 2.45M | -754.11K | -350K | 2.11M | 1.44M | 1.27M | 134.36K | 209.14K | 65.93K | 70.87K | 65.37K | 200.6K | 68.05K | 51.9K | 43.8K | 0 |
| Working Capital Changes | -3.22M | -3.55M | -964.9K | 1.77M | 662.93K | -923.01K | 96.03K | -167.69K | -329.9K | -130.98K | 622.59K | -59.12K | -345.19K | -334.76K | 428.87K | 558.96K | 573.48K | 112.96K | -17.45K | 233 |
| Change in Receivables | 3.2M | 17.9K | -1.01M | 2.24M | -1.12M | -440.52K | 136.85K | -160.19K | -124.85K | 401.12K | -254.93K | -4.06K | 144.01K | -45.28K | 114.02K | 62.39K | -91.1K | 41.05K | -62.28K | -15.9K |
| Change in Inventory | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 142.23K | -44.62K | 81.86M | 98.64M | 87.38K | 22.44K | -122.83K | 22.45K | 13.27K | 61.97K | -132.46K | -105.28K | 6.82K | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Payables | -1.42M | 238.24K | 567.93K | -598.64K | 1.86M | -142.23K | 44.62K | -81.86M | -98.77M | -266.27K | 701.75K | 100.82K | -271.38K | -292.07K | 245.45K | 459.23K | 768.83K | 10.66K | 24.23K | 15.67K |
| Cash from Investing | 35.57M | 6.92M | -1.74M | -3.85M | -9.14M | -6.42M | -181.07K | -40.35K | -69.78K | 0 | 241.58K | 0 | 0 | -40.88K | -106.05K | -96.58K | -1.27M | -135.72K | -180.89K | -159.19K |
| Capital Expenditures | 51.49K | -16.02K | -1.8M | -1.55M | -127.26K | -455.83K | -181.07K | -40.35K | -69.78K | 0 | 25.29K | 0 | 0 | -8.43K | -106.05K | -96.58K | -36.25K | -135.72K | -63.87K | -159.19K |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 0.83% | 1.16% | 7.1% | 6.19% | 0.53% | 3.06% | 1.94% | 0.48% | 0.79% | - | 0.58% | - | - | 0.18% | 2.64% | 2.45% | 1.44% | 23.19% | 10.14% | 23.82% |
| Acquisitions | 0 | -100K | 0 | 0 | 0 | -5.94M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 241.58K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.23M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 34.68M | 34.78M | 0 | 0 | -9.01M | -25K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -25.29K | 0 | 0 | -32.45K | 0 | 0 | -36.25K | 0 | -117.02K | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | -30.83M | -1.35M | -352.96K | -878.79K | -1.37M | 18.02M | -362.57K | -661.54K | -347.87K | -629.36K | -109.95K | -132.38K | 155.57K | 32.03K | 817.06K | 734.16K | 1.31M | 646.88K | 772.15K | 297.51K |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 51.52K | 0 | -485.96K | -880.49K | -1.25M | -1.13M | -367.97K | -666.94K | -347.87K | -578.95K | -109.95K | -132.38K | 124.02K | -31.3K | 372.17K | -461.82K | 775.38K | 0 | 99.97K | 0 |
| Equity Issued (Net) | -29.38M | -1.09M | 133K | 0 | 0 | 16.94M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27.6K | 500K | 1.75M | 300K | 275K | 1.3M | 0 |
| Dividends Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.18M | -144.68K | -124.31M | -113.01M | -114.54K | -106.06K | -96.01K | -86.25K | -118.31K | -50K | -12.5K | -50K | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | -29.53M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -5.4K | -5.4K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -635.07K | 0 |
| Other Financing | -1.49M | -257.13K | 0 | 1.7K | -120.41K | 20.33M | 150.08K | 5.4K | 0 | -50.41K | 0 | 0 | 117.8K | 35.73K | -55.12K | -546.52K | 235.6K | 421.88K | -627.82K | 297.51K |
| Net Change in Cash | 909.07K | 2.42M | -358.63K | -857.99K | -9.85M | 11.24M | 567.04K | 97.77K | 123.65K | -150.68K | 188.77K | -43.4K | 22.77K | 14.92K | -95.73K | 118.09K | 22.23K | -260.9K | 251.26K | 14.18K |
| Free Cash Flow | -3.79M | -3.18M | -60.27K | 2.33M | 536.54K | -816.52K | 929.61K | 759.31K | 471.52K | 478.68K | 82.44K | 88.97K | -132.8K | 60.38K | -912.79K | -616.07K | -58.79K | -907.78K | -403.87K | -283.33K |
| FCF Margin % | -60.76% | -229.83% | -0.24% | 9.33% | 2.25% | -5.49% | 9.97% | 8.95% | 5.31% | 5.8% | 1.88% | 2.23% | -3.31% | 1.32% | -22.72% | -15.63% | -2.34% | -155.1% | -64.14% | -42.4% |
| FCF Growth % | -588.51% | -5173.14% | -102.59% | 333.89% | 165.71% | -187.84% | 22.43% | 61.03% | -1.5% | 480.67% | -7.35% | 167% | -319.93% | 106.62% | -48.16% | -947.84% | 93.52% | -124.77% | -42.54% | - |
| FCF per Share | -0.52 | -0.44 | -0.01 | 0.32 | 0.08 | -0.13 | 0.28 | 0.24 | 0.14 | 0.15 | 0.06 | 0.10 | -0.15 | 0.07 | -1.21 | -1.14 | -0.15 | -2.81 | -3.54 | -8.78 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | -0.21x | -0.16x | 3.33x | 10.15x | -0.15x | -1.35x | 5.55x | 11.45x | 2.08x | -2.60x | -0.06x | -0.13x | 0.20x | -0.07x | 0.35x | 0.19x | 0.01x | 0.74x | 0.63x | 0.51x |
| Interest Paid | 16.75K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 98.79K | 106.91K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39.06K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 4.99M | 3.97M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.6K | 1.88K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.82K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Terminal revenue base collapse
As reported in recent financial statements, the relationship between net income and operating cash flow is profoundly erratic, evidenced by a 2026Q1 OCF/NI ratio of 2.28, which suggests that reported accounting profits bear little resemblance to the actual cash-generating capacity of the underlying business operations.
The persistent divergence between net income and operating cash flow indicates that accruals and non-cash adjustments are heavily influencing the bottom line. Investors should monitor this gap closely, as it suggests that the company's reported earnings are not being converted into liquidity, potentially masking a deeper structural deterioration in core business performance.
Based on quarterly cash flow data, DTST's free cash flow has remained largely negative, culminating in a -5.1% FCF margin in 2026Q1, which highlights the firm's inability to sustain positive cash generation following the significant contraction in its top-line revenue and operational scale.
The inability to maintain consistent positive free cash flow suggests that the company's current cost structure is misaligned with its diminished revenue base. This trajectory warrants further investigation into whether the firm can achieve a self-sustaining cash flow profile without further capital infusions or additional asset divestitures.
According to historical cash flow filings, working capital changes have been highly volatile, including a significant $1.4M outflow in 2026Q1, which indicates that the company is struggling to manage its cash conversion cycle effectively amidst a rapidly shrinking and unpredictable revenue environment.
The erratic nature of these working capital swings suggests potential inefficiencies in accounts receivable collections or inventory management. Such instability often precedes liquidity constraints, particularly when the company is already operating with a negative cash flow profile and limited operational scale.
As evidenced by the $29.5M share repurchase in 2026Q1, DTST has prioritized capital returns despite a clear trend of negative operating cash flow, a decision that appears disconnected from the firm's underlying financial health and its immediate need for liquidity to fund ongoing operations.
This aggressive capital deployment, occurring simultaneously with operational cash burn, raises significant questions regarding management's capital allocation priorities. Investors should consider whether these repurchases are sustainable or if they represent a depletion of the company's remaining cash reserves at the expense of long-term operational stability.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying DTST stock.
Data Storage Corporation (DTST) generated $-3.2M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Data Storage Corporation (DTST) reported negative free cash flow of $3.2M in 2025, indicating capital requirements exceeded cash from operations.
Data Storage Corporation (DTST) spent $0.0M on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.