Cash conversion efficiency appears challenged, with an OCF/NI ratio of 0.70 in 2025Q4, indicating that reported earnings are not fully supported by operational cash inflows.
| Metric | 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 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 391.13M | 324.45M | 294.97M | 239.14M | 208.48M | 286.94M | 196.08M | 82.59M | 80.98M | 74.95M | 54.4M | 16.67M | 68.55M | 73.07M | 25.83M | 53.37M | 55.64M | 47.38M | 43.27M | 25.95M | 6.29M | 17.81M | 12.29M | 4.97M | 1.18M | 5.65M | 13.41M | 34.7M |
| Operating CF Margin % | 14.77% | 11.77% | 11.25% | 9.3% | 8.67% | 14.84% | 11.53% | 5.53% | 5.98% | 6.76% | 6.81% | 2.62% | 8.6% | 9.81% | 4.03% | 9.71% | 11.85% | 8.02% | 8.77% | 5.27% | 1.24% | 3.9% | 3.35% | 1.75% | 0.31% | 1.39% | 4% | 13.41% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 20.55% | 9.99% | 23.35% | 14.71% | -27.34% | 46.34% | 137.4% | 1.99% | 8.04% | 37.8% | 226.25% | -75.68% | -6.18% | 182.85% | -51.6% | -4.08% | 17.42% | 9.52% | 66.72% | 312.82% | -64.7% | 44.82% | 147.43% | 322.53% | -79.2% | -57.86% | -61.34% | - |
| Net Income | 36.8M | 193.79M | 165.73M | 199.67M | 141.9M | 114.02M | 94.42M | 77.39M | 39.44M | 56.1M | 92.45M | 94.69M | 107.06M | 47.48M | 63.13M | 35M | 33.03M | 11.87M | 37.26M | 10.02M | 183K | 8.1M | 3.12M | -2.41M | -56.08M | 40.02M | 46.19M | 26.6M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 153.72M | 115.5M | 121.83M | 115.31M | 122.18M | 95.51M | 86.93M | 48.73M | 43.65M | 32.37M | 17.56M | 8.96M | 24.35M | 25.65M | 14.36M | 17.18M | 14.61M | 13.08M | 15.81M | 44.95M | 25.26M | 20.79M | 19M | 13.34M | 68.38M | 0 | 18.49M | 12M |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 0 | 16.16M | 18.62M | 14.95M | 14.77M | 7.78M | 3.87M | 3.98M | 4.55M | 4.39M | 5.07M | 4.98M | 3.98M | 4.92M | 4.62M | 1.46M | 1.64M | 1.5M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 456K | 430K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | -8.33M | -12.41M | -8.34M | -18.14M | -8M | -6.35M | -13.16M | -5.74M | -12.82M | 211K | -991K | 14.39M | 926K | -144K | -3.8M | -3.35M | 665K | -1.88M | -2.56M | -2.35M | -391K | -1.1M | 827K | -410K | -526K | 0 | 345K | -100K |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 102.83M | -9.64M | -3.51M | -51.33M | 6.68M | 4.81M | 2.4M | -4.66M | 13.7M | 141K | -64.75M | -100.3M | -61.3M | -728K | -17.42M | 4.78M | -10.25M | 22.04M | 5.75M | 3.05M | 138K | -1.61M | 3.44M | -5.42M | -35.97M | -34.37M | -39.23M | -2.5M |
| Working Capital Changes | 106.1M | 21.05M | 640K | -21.32M | -69.06M | 71.18M | 21.6M | -37.12M | -7.54M | -18.26M | 5.06M | -6.05M | -6.46M | -4.11M | -35.06M | -1.69M | 15.95M | 766K | -313K | -3.75M | -23.03M | -8.37M | -14.55M | -556K | 25.38M | 0 | -12.38M | -1.3M |
| Change in Receivables | 52.35M | -82.73M | 6.56M | -48.77M | -130.31M | 32.05M | 16.27M | -66.07M | -38.22M | -30.09M | -12.6M | -13.6M | -6.45M | -1.67M | -21.8M | -10.63M | 25.54M | -4.33M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -12.65M | 14.15M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | 5.14M | 11.72M | -3.38M | -13.76M | 4.64M | -10.97M | -938K | -1.02M | 1.04M | 923K | -2.37M | -153K | -128K | 346K | 2.94M | -3.01M | 340K | 446K | -134K | 1.01M | 237K | -1.85M | -265K | 1.16M | 513K | 0 | 62K | -1M |
| Change in Payables | 24.43M | 40.03M | 18.72M | 25.33M | 40.08M | 10.95M | -18.01M | 19.95M | 6.09M | 5.42M | 9.36M | 5.33M | 3.32M | 3.42M | -6.2M | 925K | -12.88M | 4.07M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -12.47M | -8.21M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | 539.25M | -78.18M | -139.24M | -74.3M | -110.19M | -177.03M | -108.22M | -90.45M | -102.54M | -78.81M | -58.45M | -19.82M | -63.33M | -11.91M | -67.84M | -3.39M | -12.84M | -41.01M | -18.86M | 6.22M | -24.17M | -17.11M | -7.55M | -60.21M | -115.75M | -89.8M | -15.23M | -32.8M |
| Capital Expenditures | -28.11M | -16.44M | -16.68M | -39.31M | -31.06M | -28.81M | -36.59M | -20.63M | -18.91M | -19.3M | -9.82M | -4.74M | -16.77M | -13.43M | -18.65M | -5.35M | -2.71M | -4.05M | -12.87M | -25.35M | -23.75M | -5.72M | -4.89M | -3.38M | -11.24M | -16M | -12.23M | -12.1M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 1.06% | 0.6% | 0.64% | 1.53% | 1.29% | 1.49% | 2.15% | 1.38% | 1.4% | 1.74% | 1.23% | 0.74% | 2.1% | 1.8% | 2.91% | 0.97% | 0.58% | 0.69% | 2.61% | 5.14% | 4.69% | 1.25% | 1.33% | 1.19% | 2.98% | 3.94% | 3.65% | 4.68% |
| Acquisitions | 514.29M | -80.21M | -48.84M | -14.52M | -85.95M | -157.13M | -61.77M | -57.36M | -125.33M | -46.62M | -7.61M | 34.03M | -13.25M | -5.86M | -40.19M | -13.83M | -4.13M | -14.96M | -5.39M | -15.93M | -5.34M | 13.72M | 20.48M | -1.77M | -16.04M | -21.89M | -2.78M | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | -6.15M | 12.69M | -72.67M | -5.7M | 18.65M | 11.94M | -13.03M | -25.47M | 1.1M | 4.47M | -41.8M | -41.71M | -31.32M | 5.24M | -16.56M | 3.38M | 2.75M | -11.64M | 33.08M | -6M | -442K | -9.95M | -22.06M | -55.33M | -115.81M | -82.67M | -215K | -17.3M |
| Cash from Financing | -202.07M | -184.96M | -243.18M | -70.98M | -114.13M | 9.73M | 6.01M | 40.97M | 16.42M | -7.05M | 35.84M | 31.55M | -38.41M | -38.45M | 20.34M | -42.68M | -52.96M | -59.78M | 12.89M | -3.95M | -3.17M | 12.09M | -4.57M | 64.83M | 56.82M | 79.65M | 32.79M | 69.3M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | -101.72M | -87.01M | -152.35M | 66.71M | 18.04M | 12.55M | 14.02M | 55.61M | 59.08M | 11.21M | 65.72M | 71.71M | -13.34M | -4.24M | 43.79M | -27.11M | -14.69M | -44.88M | 1.46M | 11.84M | 18.64M | 7.89M | -12.47M | 66.31M | 37.66M | -10.93M | -229K | -2.6M |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 84.32M | -1.58M | 4.83M | -95K | 2.08M | 108.74M | 0 | 25.4M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.91M | 7.26M | 31.39M | -102K | 14.11M | -1.71M | 11.04M | 93.05M | 33.03M | 72M |
| Dividends Paid | -28.88M | -18.81M | -9.93M | -21.78M | -22.08M | -14.94M | -12.97M | -5.01M | -12.08M | -10.01M | -12.89M | -11.63M | -5.44M | -76K | -9.73M | -19.99M | -29.96M | -15.77M | 0 | 0 | -50.19M | -88K | -4.83M | -128K | -794K | -2.47M | -10K | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -953K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -307K | -4.13M | -102K | 0 | -3.88M | -1.32M | -8.4M | -7.79M | -4.4M |
| Other Financing | -155.79M | -77.57M | -85.73M | -115.82M | -112.17M | -96.61M | 4.96M | -35.03M | -27.99M | -27.81M | -32.26M | -28.53M | -19.62M | -34.28M | -13.71M | 4.41M | -8.31M | -4.74M | 3.53M | -23.05M | -3.01M | 4.38M | -6.21M | 356K | 9.1M | 0 | 0 | -100K |
| Net Change in Cash | 772.3M | 55.85M | -92.4M | 58.95M | -16.26M | 132.98M | 100.17M | 22.55M | 7.78M | -10.98M | 25.19M | 25.29M | -29.11M | 23.07M | -22.34M | 10.3M | -10.4M | -50.92M | 45.13M | 34.63M | -25.41M | 13.72M | 2.9M | 7.01M | -53.23M | -6M | 30.85M | 73.3M |
| Free Cash Flow | 374.82M | 295.49M | 262.97M | 199.82M | 177.42M | 258.13M | 159.5M | 61.96M | 62.07M | 55.66M | 44.58M | 11.93M | 51.78M | 59.64M | 7.18M | 48.02M | 52.93M | 43.33M | 30.4M | 603K | -17.46M | 12.09M | 7.41M | 1.59M | -10.06M | -10.35M | 1.19M | 22.6M |
| FCF Margin % | 14.16% | 10.72% | 10.03% | 7.77% | 7.38% | 13.35% | 9.38% | 4.15% | 4.58% | 5.02% | 5.58% | 1.87% | 6.5% | 8.01% | 1.12% | 8.74% | 11.28% | 7.33% | 6.16% | 0.12% | -3.45% | 2.65% | 2.02% | 0.56% | -2.67% | -2.55% | 0.35% | 8.73% |
| FCF Growth % | 26.85% | 12.37% | 31.6% | 12.62% | -31.27% | 61.85% | 157.4% | -0.17% | 11.52% | 24.86% | 273.6% | -76.96% | -13.17% | 730.42% | -85.05% | -9.26% | 22.15% | 42.54% | 4941.13% | 103.45% | -244.47% | 63.17% | 366.79% | 115.78% | 2.81% | -972.77% | -94.75% | - |
| FCF per Share | 23.74 | 18.90 | 16.97 | 12.89 | 11.52 | 16.88 | 10.40 | 3.98 | 4.22 | 3.58 | 3.02 | 0.83 | 3.65 | 4.32 | 0.53 | 3.55 | 3.90 | 3.28 | 2.30 | 0.05 | -1.36 | 1.12 | 0.72 | 0.16 | -1.08 | -1.11 | 0.13 | 2.65 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 13.78x | 4.07x | 4.61x | 2.94x | 3.82x | 6.13x | 2.12x | 2.56x | 7.24x | 3.34x | 2.82x | 0.22x | 0.89x | 3.04x | 0.60x | 2.90x | 2.92x | 3.99x | 1.16x | 2.59x | 34.35x | 2.20x | 3.94x | -2.07x | -0.02x | 0.14x | 0.29x | 1.30x |
| Interest Paid | 0 | 25.85M | 26.14M | 17.57M | 15.34M | 16.57M | 15.73M | 9.06M | 6.45M | 6.77M | 6.16M | 5.4M | 4.81M | 4.25M | 1.63M | 3.85M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 0 | 63.08M | 76.69M | 51.26M | 38.39M | 44.66M | 39.06M | 23.3M | 19.68M | 19.18M | 23.01M | 14.47M | 14.37M | 17.99M | 13.84M | 7.36M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Geopolitical and labor volatility
As reported in the 2025Q4 financial filings, Formula Systems generated $391.1 million in operating cash flow against $558.2 million in net income, resulting in an OCF/NI ratio of 0.70, which suggests that a significant portion of reported earnings may not be supported by actual cash inflows.
The divergence between net income and operating cash flow warrants caution, as it may indicate that earnings are being bolstered by non-cash items or accounting adjustments related to the company's complex subsidiary structure. Investors should monitor whether this gap persists, as it could imply that the underlying operational cash generation is less robust than the headline net income figure suggests.
Based on the 2025Q4 data, the company maintained a capital expenditure to revenue ratio of 3.9%, indicating that the business model remains relatively asset-light despite the significant scale of its IT services and software operations across its various subsidiaries.
The modest level of capital expenditure suggests that the firm does not require heavy investment in physical infrastructure to maintain its current service delivery capabilities. This capital-light profile may provide flexibility, though it also implies that future growth will likely depend more on strategic acquisitions than on internal capacity expansion.
According to recent financial statements, Formula Systems utilized $514.3 million for net acquisitions in 2025Q4, a figure that significantly exceeds the $374.8 million in free cash flow generated during the same period, highlighting a strategy of aggressive external growth funded by existing cash reserves.
The decision to outspend free cash flow on acquisitions suggests that management is prioritizing inorganic expansion over organic reinvestment or shareholder returns. While this may accelerate the company's footprint in specialized software markets, it also increases the execution risk associated with integrating new entities into the existing federated ecosystem.
As indicated by the 2025Q4 cash flow statement, the company recorded a positive working capital change of $106.1 million, which served as a meaningful tailwind to operating cash flow during a period of significant acquisition activity and revenue volatility.
This positive contribution from working capital suggests that the company may be effectively managing its receivables or timing its payables to optimize liquidity. However, investors should investigate whether this is a sustainable trend or merely a temporary benefit from shifting procurement cycles within the Matrix IT services segment.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying FORTY stock.
Formula Systems (1985) Ltd. (FORTY) generated $391.1M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Formula Systems (1985) Ltd. (FORTY) generated $374.8M 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.
Formula Systems (1985) Ltd. (FORTY) spent $28.1M 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, Formula Systems (1985) Ltd. (FORTY) returned $28.9M to shareholders via cash dividends. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.