Free cash flow remains highly volatile and erratic, swinging from a $4.9M inflow in 2024Q1 to a $13.5M outflow in 2024Q2, reflecting the high capital intensity of its content-heavy business model.
| 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 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 5.87M | 5.67M | 6.92M | 5.87M | 11.52M | 20.87M | 11.65M | -2.57M | -21.39M | -20.79M | -15.38M | 8.16M | -8.97M | -23.12M | 16.48M | 5.24M | -4.95M | 28.13M | -20.41M | 13.45M | 1.74M | 6.73M | 3.13M | 3.71M | 1.03M | -6.56M | -1.73M | -4.44M | 800K |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 5.73% | 7.66% | 7.3% | 14.04% | 26.22% | 17.43% | -4.77% | -48.78% | -73.5% | -89.19% | 4.34% | -5.38% | -14.87% | 8.14% | 1.91% | -1.81% | 10.1% | -7.94% | 5.11% | 0.79% | 4.73% | 3.23% | 3.64% | 0.92% | -6.65% | -2.86% | -9.71% | 2.61% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 170.9% | -18.04% | 17.94% | -49.05% | -44.79% | 79.12% | 552.6% | 87.96% | -2.85% | -35.17% | -288.6% | 190.94% | 61.21% | -240.35% | 214.43% | 205.82% | -117.6% | 237.82% | -251.83% | 670.93% | -74.1% | 115.49% | -15.84% | 261.74% | 115.64% | -278.63% | 60.94% | -654.8% | - |
| Net Income | -4.74M | -4.49M | -5.4M | -5.8M | -2.73M | 3.73M | 519K | -17.89M | -33.79M | -23.7M | -10.78M | 1.09M | -5.63M | -20.1M | -12.58M | -25.27M | 5.07M | -217K | -35.62M | 8.52M | 5.64M | 1.34M | -4.64M | -971.75K | 5.45M | 4.06M | 2.65M | 1.72M | 900K |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 9.22M | 10.42M | 18.62M | 17.04M | 15.94M | 13.14M | 12.04M | 9.6M | 6.99M | 4.9M | 3.68M | 5.17M | 4.21M | 3.96M | 9.49M | 6.58M | 7.64M | 7.68M | 8.63M | 12.29M | 7.81M | 4.7M | 4.9M | 3.08M | 2.31M | 2.86M | 1.66M | 1.06M | 300K |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 0 | 1.67M | 1.28M | 1.06M | 1.82M | 1.71M | 2.34M | 1.81M | 1.65M | 1.83M | 674K | 895K | 839K | 809K | 1.01M | 1.54M | 1.61M | 1.88M | 1.51M | 1.02M | 623K | 0 | 72K | 72M | 324.67M | 390.91M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 0 | 192K | -50K | 60K | 202K | -2.01M | 180K | 0 | 0 | 77K | 763K | -12.8M | 28K | 23.86M | -6.12M | -11.46M | 1.86M | -400K | -15.36M | -701K | 3.21M | 472K | -564K | 94.63K | 162.09K | 32.16K | 384.97K | -53.72K | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 4.14M | -3.07M | -9.14M | -6.84M | -360K | 0 | -6.3M | 76K | 13.08M | -77K | -10.09M | 9.86M | -1M | -25.73M | 18.33M | 27.06M | -977K | 190K | 47.34M | 448K | -552K | 1.25M | 714K | -71.81M | -324.49M | -388.77M | 87.79K | -2.55M | -100K |
| Working Capital Changes | 1.17M | 964K | 1.6M | 356K | -3.35M | 4.29M | 2.88M | 3.83M | 3.77M | -3.83M | 368K | 3.93M | -7.42M | -5.93M | 6.34M | 6.79M | -20.15M | 19M | -26.92M | -8.14M | -14.99M | -1.02M | 2.64M | 1.32M | -7.07M | -15.66M | -6.52M | -4.62M | -300K |
| Change in Receivables | 2.12M | 2.05M | -1.77M | -1.16M | -227K | -682K | 130K | -976K | -279K | -501K | -161K | 3.25M | -3.87M | -2.07M | -1.3M | 2.19M | -4.15M | -12.59M | -922K | -3.33M | 3.32M | -11.07M | 2.62M | 5.92B | -5.57B | -8.36B | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4.19M | 2.21M | -2.04M | 0 | 0 | -279K | 2.78M | 56K | 1.1M | -2.64M | -3.23M | -5.51M | 13.91M | -3.63M | -5.55M | -5.37M | 3.14M | 304K | -573.74K | 679.39K | -6.72M | -1.74M | -1.16M | -600K |
| Change in Payables | 2.34M | 2.12M | 288K | 4.66M | -1.73M | 4.19M | -2.21M | 2.04M | 3.15M | -1.78M | -172K | -2.46M | 5.54M | -4.41M | 5.66M | 9.93M | -5.65M | 6.76M | -856K | 345K | -6.86M | 11.4M | 192K | -57.88M | 2.22B | -2.3B | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -10.87M | -10.05M | -15M | -5.28M | -19.1M | -23.86M | -176K | -20.27M | -18.86M | -13.01M | 145.21M | -9.34M | -8.44M | 64.98M | -18.19M | -10.79M | -8.7M | -9.04M | -43.86M | -22.79M | -9.74M | -40.39M | -1.62M | -6.7M | -11.45M | -5.69M | 2.92M | -2.59M | -1.1M |
| Capital Expenditures | -5.02M | -6.05M | -4.98M | -5.27M | -8.42M | -17.34M | -13.33M | -18.7M | -18.86M | -13.01M | -6.59M | -9.34M | -5.59M | -3.39M | -3.81M | -5.83M | -8.7M | -7.54M | -28.59M | -9.54M | -3.41M | -1.59M | -1.65M | -2.86M | -3.66M | -1.23M | -8.74M | -2.21M | -1.8M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 5.05% | 6.12% | 5.51% | 6.56% | 10.26% | 21.79% | 19.94% | 34.64% | 43.01% | 45.99% | 38.23% | 4.96% | 3.35% | 2.18% | 1.88% | 2.12% | 3.17% | 2.71% | 11.12% | 3.63% | 1.55% | 1.12% | 1.71% | 2.81% | 3.28% | 1.25% | 14.42% | 4.84% | 5.86% |
| Acquisitions | -2M | -4M | 0 | -8K | -847K | -6.52M | 13.15M | -1.57M | 0 | 0 | 162.13M | 0 | -5.49M | 41.17M | -13.55M | -8.4M | 0 | -1.5M | -13.89M | -17.12M | -7M | -38.8M | 0 | -3.73M | -672.68K | -4.46M | -305.77K | -2.74M | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | -1.85M | 0 | -10.02M | 0 | -9.84M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -500K | -6.59M | -2.96M | 5.49M | 2.1M | -830K | 3.43M | -8.7M | 0 | -1.38M | 0 | 668K | -38.8M | -26K | -115K | 2.75M | 0 | 11.96M | -180.35K | 200K |
| Cash from Financing | 5.01M | 12.05M | 6.17M | -4.38M | 8.88M | 655K | -10.36M | 4.38M | 37.43M | 12.55M | -77.07M | -326K | 1.66M | -19.19M | -3.06M | -8.63M | -5.93M | -2.73M | 30M | -29.43M | 97.02M | 38.71M | 372K | -217.86K | -399.69K | 25.92M | 3.52M | 9.49M | 200K |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 5.71M | 5.68M | -179K | -9.17M | 8.83M | -160K | -10.61M | 4.09M | 0 | 12.5M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2.47M | -5.37M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -55K | -348K | -577.73K | -5.66M | 3.5M | 474.48K | -400K |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 5.19M | 12.2M | 6.35M | 4.79M | 43K | 815K | 249K | 287K | 37.43M | 54K | -76.17M | 160K | 1.81M | 777K | 0 | -3.33M | 1.04M | -2.54M | 31.3M | -29.43M | 97.02M | 38.71M | 427K | 130K | 178.04K | 31.58M | 15.87K | 9.02M | 600K |
| Dividends Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.94M | 0 | -150K | 0 | -583K | 0 | -6.97M | -194K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | 0 | 0 | 0 | -169K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -76.17M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3.33M | 0 | -2.81M | -18.41M | -32.91M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | -5.88M | -5.82M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.04M | -486K | 0 | -19.97M | 0 | 77K | 0 | 0 | -1.3M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Net Change in Cash | 8K | 7.68M | -1.91M | -3.8M | 1.29M | -2.34M | 1.11M | -18.47M | -2.81M | -21.25M | 52.76M | -2M | -16.46M | 22.37M | -4.69M | -14.23M | -19.55M | 16.36M | -34.29M | -38.62M | 89.85M | 4.59M | 2.06M | -3.04M | -10.82M | 13.66M | 4.7M | 2.47M | -200K |
| Free Cash Flow | -776K | -377K | 1.94M | 596K | -6.74M | 3.53M | -1.68M | -21.27M | -40.24M | -33.8M | -21.98M | -1.18M | -14.56M | -26.51M | 12.66M | -587K | -13.65M | 20.6M | -49M | 3.91M | -1.67M | 5.14M | 1.48M | 851.08K | -2.63M | -7.8M | -10.47M | -6.65M | -1M |
| FCF Margin % | -0.78% | -0.38% | 2.15% | 0.74% | -8.21% | 4.43% | -2.51% | -39.41% | -91.79% | -119.49% | -127.42% | -0.63% | -8.73% | -17.05% | 6.25% | -0.21% | -4.98% | 7.4% | -19.05% | 1.49% | -0.76% | 3.61% | 1.53% | 0.83% | -2.36% | -7.9% | -17.28% | -14.55% | -3.26% |
| FCF Growth % | 93.88% | -119.42% | 225.67% | 108.85% | -291.01% | 310.44% | 92.12% | 47.14% | -19.05% | -53.82% | -1763.95% | 91.9% | 45.08% | -309.37% | 2257.07% | 95.7% | -166.28% | 142.04% | -1353.49% | 334.35% | -132.42% | 248.58% | 73.43% | 132.34% | 66.24% | 25.52% | -57.4% | -565.14% | - |
| FCF per Share | -0.03 | -0.02 | 0.08 | 0.03 | -0.33 | 0.18 | -0.09 | -1.17 | -2.33 | -2.23 | -1.11 | -0.05 | -0.60 | -1.15 | 0.56 | -0.03 | -0.58 | 0.88 | -2.00 | 0.16 | -0.07 | 0.30 | 0.10 | 0.06 | -0.18 | -0.61 | -0.91 | -0.73 | -0.12 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 0.16x | -1.26x | -1.32x | -1.01x | -2.96x | 5.59x | 22.45x | 0.14x | 0.63x | 0.89x | -0.18x | -0.70x | 0.90x | -57.67x | -1.28x | -0.21x | -1.16x | 95.05x | 0.57x | 1.58x | 0.31x | 5.04x | -0.67x | -3.82x | 0.19x | -1.62x | -0.65x | -2.58x | 0.89x |
| Interest Paid | 0 | 371K | 0 | 0 | 301K | 1.14M | 732K | 690K | 59K | 0 | 0 | 4K | 14K | 442K | 468K | 195K | 1K | 57K | 41K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 0 | 77K | 0 | 0 | 12K | 129K | 129K | 9K | 10K | 69K | 2.43M | 1.32M | 1.11M | 577K | 673K | 535K | 414K | 985K | 3.01M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Persistent Operating Margin Deficit
As reported in recent financial statements, Gaia consistently generates positive operating cash flow despite recurring net losses, with the OCF/NI ratio frequently showing extreme volatility, such as the -1.19 multiple observed in 2026Q1, which suggests that non-cash charges are the primary driver of reported cash flow stability.
The persistent gap between net income and operating cash flow indicates that Gaia relies heavily on non-cash expenses, such as depreciation and amortization, to mask the underlying cash burn of its operations. Investors should monitor whether this reliance on accounting adjustments can continue to bridge the gap as the company attempts to scale its niche content library.
Based on the provided cash flow data, Gaia's free cash flow trajectory remains highly erratic, swinging from a peak of $4.9M in 2024Q1 to a significant outflow of $13.5M in 2024Q2, reflecting an inability to maintain consistent cash generation despite the company's high-margin subscription business model.
The inconsistency in free cash flow suggests that capital expenditures are not being managed in lockstep with revenue growth, leading to periods of significant cash depletion. This volatility warrants further investigation into whether the company's content production cycles are creating lumpy cash requirements that threaten long-term liquidity.
According to historical cash flow filings, Gaia's capital intensity, measured by the CapEx/Revenue ratio, has fluctuated significantly, reaching as high as 52.4% in 2024Q2, which indicates that the company's content-heavy strategy requires substantial and unpredictable reinvestment to maintain its competitive position in the streaming market.
The high variability in capital expenditures suggests that Gaia is struggling to balance the need for new content with the reality of its limited cash reserves. If the company cannot optimize its content production costs, the current level of capital intensity may continue to pressure its ability to reach self-sustaining cash flow.
Data from the last ten quarters reveals that working capital changes have been a major source of cash flow variance, with a notable $3.5M inflow in 2024Q1 followed by a $2.9M outflow in 2024Q2, suggesting that the company's cash position is highly sensitive to timing differences in collections.
These fluctuations in working capital appear to be masking the underlying operational cash burn, making it difficult to assess the true efficiency of the company's subscription collection process. Investors should be cautious of relying on short-term cash flow improvements that may be driven by temporary shifts in payables or receivables rather than core business growth.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying GAIA stock.
Gaia, Inc. (GAIA) generated $5.7M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Gaia, Inc. (GAIA) reported negative free cash flow of $0.4M in 2025, indicating capital requirements exceeded cash from operations.
Gaia, Inc. (GAIA) spent $6.1M on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.