Free cash flow generation remains severely constrained, with a negative FCF margin of -21.6% in 2026Q1 and persistent capital expenditure requirements that reached 15.8% of revenue in 2025Q4.
| 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 | Dec'02 | Dec'01 | Dec'00 | Dec'99 | Dec'98 | Dec'97 | Dec'96 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | -64.36M | -81.62M | -40.09M | 76.56M | 324.63M | 443.04M | 563.65M | 805.32M | 836.6M | 36.57M | 22.82M | 51.44M | 120.9M | 116.84M | 101.4M | 76.6M | 144.92M | 170.33M | 248.64M | 130.77M | 64.18M | 7.99M | -131M | -25M | -60M | 17M | 94M | 80M | -29M | 172M | 172M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | -16.19% | -7.44% | 12.34% | 25.34% | 32.92% | 46.04% | 44.97% | 44.13% | 6.64% | 5.21% | 9.65% | 11.14% | 10.01% | 8.12% | 5.8% | 14.39% | 25.84% | 20.89% | 13.01% | 7.5% | 0.9% | -15.45% | -3.51% | -9.79% | 2.6% | 12.11% | 9.63% | -3.06% | 15.68% | 18.14% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 34.24% | -103.57% | -152.37% | -76.42% | -26.73% | -21.4% | -30.01% | -3.74% | 2187.49% | 60.3% | -55.65% | -57.46% | 3.48% | 15.22% | 32.38% | -47.15% | -14.92% | -31.49% | 90.13% | 103.75% | 703.37% | 106.1% | -424% | 58.33% | -452.94% | -81.91% | 17.5% | 375.86% | -116.86% | 0% | 32.31% |
| Net Income | -223.76M | -219.84M | -131.16M | -255.25M | 382.96M | 388.33M | 434.37M | 744.6M | 854.22M | 7.98M | -235.84M | -130.59M | -285.38M | -27.26M | 117.64M | 153.18M | 175.07M | 12.55M | 210.31M | 153.7M | 91.33M | -125.18M | 17M | -26M | -18M | -87M | 23M | 42M | -30M | -160M | 145M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 62.91M | 61.64M | 62.24M | 56.89M | 55.5M | 65.72M | 62.96M | 61.82M | 66.41M | 66.44M | 82.89M | -74.08M | 119.71M | 123.4M | 81.66M | 81.95M | 42.66M | 32.74M | 35.43M | 39.01M | 39.12M | 36.93M | 35M | 31M | 29M | 36M | 43M | 45M | 51M | 49M | 36M |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 6.21M | 4.95M | 6.04M | 4.43M | 2.31M | 16.63M | 2.67M | 2.15M | 1.15M | 0 | 0 | 5.58M | 5.58M | 8.04M | 9.6M | 8.91M | 7.36M | 6.84M | 4.9M | 8.37M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 50.24M | 42.79M | -27.63M | -28.12M | 16.94M | -3.43M | -849K | 20.9M | 49.4M | -15.7M | -12.06M | -16M | -16M | -22.37M | 8.13M | -45.05M | -28.26M | -8.85M | -6.85M | 4.21M | 1.46M | 154.82M | 26M | 2M | -26M | -9M | -25M | -26M | -24M | -38M | 19M |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 192.87M | 34.63M | 29.13M | 197.41M | -33.51M | -7.83M | -21.95M | 23.54M | 43.17M | 264K | 133.84M | 42.16M | 240.15M | 3.05M | -9.41M | 26.13M | -10.12M | 59.44M | 24.76M | -20.49M | 13.84M | 14.13M | -4M | 2M | 7M | 115M | 14M | 76M | 96M | 19M | 1M |
| Working Capital Changes | 1.89M | -5.8M | 21.29M | 101.2M | -99.58M | -16.38M | 86.44M | -47.69M | -177.75M | -20M | 59.26M | 54.19M | 56.85M | 31.98M | -106.22M | -148.52M | -41.79M | 67.61M | -19.92M | -54.03M | -32.64M | -72.71M | -205M | -36M | -52M | -38M | 39M | -57M | -169M | 302M | -29M |
| Change in Receivables | 11.67M | 23.82M | 4.52M | 45.68M | 60.51M | -28.93M | 63.56M | -404K | -139.18M | -29.75M | 3.43M | 51.48M | 28.47M | 37.37M | -5.56M | 0 | -1.11M | -24.27M | 24.3M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -45M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | 20.04M | -8.59M | 68.83M | 107.8M | -153.58M | -28.16M | 44.63M | -21.55M | -126.36M | -15.65M | 53.55M | 49.02M | 77.88M | 14.32M | -67.31M | -111.39M | -13.64M | 69.63M | -29.28M | -27.28M | -5.91M | -45.43M | -6M | -9M | 11M | -20M | 18M | 33M | -27M | 5M | -29M |
| Change in Payables | -12.84M | -18.27M | -39.5M | -23.88M | 7.75M | 66.59M | -12.79M | -11.55M | 15.72M | 36.35M | 15.76M | -40.23M | -25.85M | -38.2M | -32.76M | 0 | 15.03M | -226.32M | 19.94M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -116M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -30.91M | -38.33M | -34.21M | -53.82M | -71.97M | -57.86M | -35.7M | -63.88M | -67.3M | -2.2M | -10.47M | -57.4M | -78.95M | -83.8M | -119.96M | -161.97M | -321.55M | -60.11M | -209.86M | -26.52M | 118.54M | -60.38M | -56M | -22M | -50M | -39M | -50M | -39M | -31M | -221M | -104M |
| Capital Expenditures | -40.75M | -38.88M | -34.31M | -54.04M | -72.17M | -58.26M | -36.08M | -64.1M | -68.22M | -34.66M | -27.86M | -50.74M | -84.98M | -86.34M | -127.73M | -156.62M | -86.05M | -56.22M | -71.95M | -51.48M | -46.91M | -48.07M | -59M | -41M | -50M | -40M | -52M | -56M | -52M | -203M | -107M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 7.88% | 7.71% | 6.37% | 8.71% | 5.63% | 4.33% | 2.95% | 3.58% | 3.6% | 6.29% | 6.36% | 9.52% | 7.83% | 7.4% | 10.23% | 11.86% | 8.55% | 8.53% | 6.05% | 5.12% | 5.48% | 5.42% | 6.96% | 5.76% | 8.16% | 6.12% | 6.7% | 6.74% | 5.49% | 18.5% | 11.29% |
| Acquisitions | 525K | 554K | 0 | 0 | 195K | 397K | 379K | 219K | 926K | 27.25M | 15.89M | 1.28M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -20.51M | -241.2M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.86M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 9.31M | 0 | 100K | 220K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.21M | 1.5M | -7.94M | 6.03M | 2.54M | 7.77M | 71.31M | 6.32M | 2.11M | 294K | 23.8M | 163.53M | -13.68M | 6M | 19M | 0 | 3M | 1M | 9M | 12M | 2M | 3M |
| Cash from Financing | -477K | -341K | 155.72M | 18.71M | -176.27M | -471.79M | -463.68M | -709.63M | -731.04M | -32.99M | -8.32M | -2.25M | -35.08M | -37.65M | 24.11M | 85.46M | 138.24M | -72.88M | -80.22M | -199.89M | -39.57M | 36.18M | 176M | 69M | 79M | 15M | -13M | -80M | 62M | 13M | -26M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | -87K | -111K | 174.78M | 4.67M | -110.12M | -400.14M | -396.36M | -350.14M | 1.07B | -32.99M | -7.39M | -147.33M | -25.21M | -13.55M | 131.54M | 115.79M | 129.09M | -56.85M | -140.6M | -234.19M | -39.82M | 41.42M | 177M | -144.9M | 90M | -84M | 13M | -80M | 70M | 97M | -34M |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 213K | -230K | -118K | -129K | -60M | -50M | -30.1M | -260.87M | -225M | 0 | 0 | 149.97M | 1.92M | -1.82M | -103.44M | -30.94M | -1.43M | 651K | 15.95M | 22.99M | 250K | 0 | 7M | 189.88M | 1M | 94M | 2M | 1M | 4M | -87M | 8M |
| Dividends Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | -5.13M | -10.33M | -10.64M | -30.88M | -98.62M | -1.54B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -122K | -553K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4M | -1M | 0 | 0 | -1M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | 213K | -230K | -118K | -129K | -60M | -50M | -30.1M | -260.87M | -225M | 0 | 0 | -63K | -894K | -1.82M | -103.44M | -30.94M | -1.43M | 0 | -21.22M | 0 | -212K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -92M | 0 |
| Other Financing | -603K | 0 | -18.95M | 19.3M | 4.19M | -11.01M | -6.35M | 0 | -27.33M | 0 | -922K | -4.88M | -11.78M | -22.27M | -3.98M | 607K | 10.58M | -16.56M | 44.44M | 11.31M | 0 | -5.24M | -8M | 27.77M | -11M | 5M | -28M | 0 | -12M | 3M | 0 |
| Net Change in Cash | -94.04M | -117.82M | 79.37M | 42.24M | 77.13M | -87.93M | 64.51M | 31.05M | 36.52M | 1.75M | 4.68M | 14.41M | 5.66M | -5.43M | 4.89M | -667K | -37.09M | 38.52M | -43.08M | -94.78M | 143.55M | -17.52M | -10M | 23M | -27M | -9M | 30M | -41M | 4M | -37M | -26M |
| Free Cash Flow | -105.11M | -120.5M | -74.4M | 22.52M | 252.46M | 384.78M | 527.57M | 741.21M | 768.38M | 1.91M | -5.04M | 695K | 35.92M | 30.49M | -26.33M | -80.02M | 58.87M | 114.11M | 176.68M | 79.3M | 17.27M | -40.08M | -190M | -66M | -110M | -23M | 42M | 24M | -81M | -31M | 65M |
| FCF Margin % | -20.32% | -23.9% | -13.81% | 3.63% | 19.7% | 28.59% | 43.09% | 41.39% | 40.53% | 0.35% | -1.15% | 0.13% | 3.31% | 2.61% | -2.11% | -6.06% | 5.85% | 17.31% | 14.84% | 7.89% | 2.02% | -4.52% | -22.41% | -9.27% | -17.94% | -3.52% | 5.41% | 2.89% | -8.55% | -2.83% | 6.86% |
| FCF Growth % | 0.68% | -61.96% | -430.37% | -91.08% | -34.39% | -27.07% | -28.82% | -3.54% | 40150.5% | 137.85% | -825.61% | -98.07% | 17.8% | 215.82% | 67.1% | -235.92% | -48.41% | -35.42% | 122.81% | 359.13% | 143.09% | 78.9% | -187.88% | 40% | -378.26% | -154.76% | 75% | 129.63% | -161.29% | -147.69% | 0% |
| FCF per Share | -0.40 | -0.46 | -0.29 | 0.09 | 0.98 | 1.44 | 1.97 | 2.56 | 2.58 | 0.01 | -0.02 | 0.00 | 0.26 | 0.23 | -0.19 | -0.55 | 0.48 | 0.95 | 1.48 | 0.71 | 0.16 | -0.41 | -1.90 | -0.99 | -1.73 | -0.46 | 0.92 | 0.52 | -1.82 | -0.68 | 1.34 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 0.47x | 0.37x | 0.31x | -0.30x | 0.85x | 1.14x | 1.30x | 1.08x | 0.98x | 4.58x | -0.10x | -0.33x | -0.42x | -4.29x | 0.86x | 0.50x | 0.83x | 13.57x | 1.18x | 0.85x | 0.70x | -0.06x | -7.71x | 1.04x | 3.33x | -0.20x | 9.40x | 1.90x | 0.78x | -1.08x | 1.13x |
| Interest Paid | 39.46M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 121.08M | 108.01M | 25.28M | 23.58M | 0 | 21.55M | 21.82M | 9.28M | 6.61M | 0 | 5.41M | 18.69M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 2.71M | 0 | 4.91M | 43.33M | 67.12M | 63.79M | 73.97M | 99.28M | 21.44M | 3.47M | 3.33M | 0 | 10.61M | 8.36M | 26.21M | 26.22M | 0 | 32.71M | 39.88M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Persistent negative cash generation
According to quarterly financial disclosures, GrafTech's operating cash flow frequently fails to align with net losses, as evidenced by an OCF/NI ratio that fluctuates wildly, suggesting that non-cash charges and working capital volatility are masking the underlying cash-generative capacity of the core manufacturing business.
The frequent divergence between net income and operating cash flow suggests that accounting adjustments, such as depreciation and inventory valuation, are significantly impacting the reported bottom line. Investors should monitor whether this gap indicates a structural inability to convert sales into actual liquidity, especially given the persistent net losses.
As reported in recent financial statements, the company's free cash flow trajectory has been consistently negative, with FCF margins reaching as low as -43.3% in 2025Q2, highlighting a severe inability to fund operations and capital requirements through internal cash generation during the current industry downturn.
The consistent failure to achieve positive free cash flow suggests that the company is currently reliant on external financing or existing cash reserves to sustain its operations. This trend warrants further investigation into how long the current liquidity position can support such cash burn without requiring dilutive capital raises.
Based on EDBL's reported figures, capital expenditures have remained a significant drain on liquidity, with CapEx/Revenue ratios peaking at 15.8% in 2025Q4, which appears disproportionately high given the company's inability to generate positive operating cash flow to offset these essential maintenance and infrastructure investments.
The high capital intensity relative to revenue suggests that the company is forced to maintain significant investment in its facilities despite the current negative margin environment. This may indicate that the business requires substantial ongoing capital just to keep its specialized graphitization assets operational, regardless of market demand.
Data from recent filings indicates that working capital changes have been highly erratic, swinging from a $39.6M inflow in 2023Q4 to a $43.5M outflow in 2025Q2, which suggests that the company is struggling to manage its inventory and receivables effectively during periods of fluctuating steel market demand.
These sharp swings in working capital suggest that the company may be experiencing difficulty in aligning its production schedules with actual customer demand. Such volatility often implies that inventory levels are not being optimized, potentially leading to cash being trapped in unsold goods during cyclical troughs.
As noted in financial disclosures, the cash flow statement may obscure the true cost of operations by including stock-based compensation and other non-cash adjustments that do not reflect the actual cash burden of maintaining the company's competitive position in the graphite electrode market.
The reliance on non-cash adjustments to reconcile operating cash flow may mask the true extent of the cash burn required to sustain the business. Analysts should look past these adjustments to understand the actual cash cost of production, as the current figures suggest a business model under significant financial strain.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying EAF stock.
GrafTech International Ltd. (EAF) generated $-81.6M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
GrafTech International Ltd. (EAF) reported negative free cash flow of $120.5M in 2025, indicating capital requirements exceeded cash from operations.
GrafTech International Ltd. (EAF) spent $38.9M 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, GrafTech International Ltd. (EAF) spent $0.2M on share repurchases. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.