Free cash flow has improved to a 15.3% margin in 2027Q1, though the company continues to face a $40.0 million drag from working capital requirements associated with hardware scaling.
| Cash from Operations | 265.01M | 236.21M | 131.66M | -11.81M | -103.02M | -171.48M | -171.77M | -192.53M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 14.59% | 10.54% | -1.26% | -15.79% | -40.03% | -68.73% | -160.62% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 337.98% | 79.41% | 1214.34% | 88.53% | 39.92% | 0.17% | 10.78% | - |
| Net Income | 57.51M | -9.12M | -154.91M | -286.73M | -247.42M | -355.02M | -210.21M | -225.22M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 26.83M | 24.05M | 20.65M | 15.53M | 11.77M | 10.39M | 10.74M | 4.32M |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 315.38M | 314.98M | 277.87M | 237.08M | 177.47M | 228.72M | 25.56M | 2.87M |
| Deferred Taxes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.45M | 227K |
| Other Non-Cash Items | -12.69M | -7.13M | -10M | 1.11M | 3.18M | 8.16M | 7.34M | 11.38M |
| Working Capital Changes | -122.02M | -86.58M | -1.95M | 21.19M | -48.02M | -63.73M | -14.65M | 13.9M |
| Change in Receivables | -124.87M | -144.68M | -75.53M | -46.42M | -47.46M | -47.05M | -14.14M | -10.91M |
| Change in Inventory | -25.28M | -19.09M | -22.42M | 18.33M | -7.5M | -19.39M | 2.84M | -7.62M |
| Change in Payables | 103.54M | 97.72M | 37.28M | 26.6M | 13.48M | 69.93M | 16.25M | 11.56M |
| Cash from Investing | -320.43M | -189.53M | -66.62M | -78.69M | -631.85M | -20.04M | -32.2M | -29.99M |
| Capital Expenditures | -30.08M | -28.77M | -20.18M | -10.95M | -33.24M | -19.35M | -32.1M | -29.99M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 1.74% | 1.78% | 1.62% | 1.17% | 5.09% | 4.52% | 12.85% | 25.02% |
| Acquisitions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | -1.15M | -1.35M | -200K | -50K | 382K | -682K | -100K | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | -4.15M | 29.93M | 27.1M | 21M | 14.21M | 701.64M | 401.97M | 295.85M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 378K | 0 | -1.69M | -2.21M | -1.3M | -545K | -168K | 0 |
| Equity Issued (Net) | -3.5M | 30.86M | 28.8M | 23.2M | 15.52M | 846.68M | 399.76M | 299.86M |
| Dividends Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | -34.34M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -5K | -61K | -30K |
| Other Financing | -1.02M | -928K | -7K | 0 | 0 | -144.49M | 2.38M | -4M |
| Net Change in Cash | -58.64M | 79.05M | 91.06M | -69.03M | -720.54M | 510M | 198M | 73.34M |
| Free Cash Flow | 234.93M | 207.44M | 111.48M | -22.77M | -136.26M | -190.83M | -203.87M | -222.51M |
| FCF Margin % | 13.58% | 12.82% | 8.92% | -2.43% | -20.88% | -44.55% | -81.58% | -185.64% |
| FCF Growth % | 69.54% | 86.08% | 589.64% | 83.29% | 28.6% | 6.39% | 8.38% | - |
| FCF per Share | 0.40 | 0.36 | 0.20 | -0.04 | -0.26 | -0.38 | -0.41 | -0.44 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 4.08x | -25.91x | -0.85x | 0.04x | 0.42x | 0.48x | 0.82x | 0.85x |
| Interest Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 3.27M | 3.27M | 3.46M | 2.12M | 607K | 467K | 31K | 1K |
High stock-based compensation dilution
As reported in recent financial filings, Samsara's operating cash flow has consistently outpaced GAAP net income, with the 2027Q1 period showing an OCF/NI ratio of 1.83, highlighting a significant disconnect between accounting profitability and the actual cash generation capabilities of the underlying subscription-based business model.
The persistent gap between net income and operating cash flow suggests that non-cash expenses, particularly stock-based compensation, are heavily influencing the reported bottom line. Investors should monitor whether this conversion quality remains sustainable as the company matures and potentially reduces its reliance on equity-based incentives.
Based on the provided quarterly data, Samsara has successfully transitioned from negative free cash flow in 2024Q4 to a robust 15.3% FCF margin by 2027Q1, indicating that the company is rapidly scaling toward a self-funding growth profile within the competitive industrial technology sector.
This trajectory suggests that the company's platform-based revenue model is beginning to generate meaningful excess cash after accounting for necessary capital expenditures. The consistent improvement in FCF margins warrants further investigation into whether this trend can persist without a corresponding increase in customer acquisition costs.
According to historical cash flow statements, Samsara maintains a disciplined capital expenditure profile, with CapEx/Revenue ratios consistently hovering between 1.5% and 1.9%, suggesting that the business model is not overly burdened by the physical hardware deployment required to support its cloud-based operations.
The low capital intensity appears to validate the company's strategy of using hardware as a low-margin customer acquisition tool rather than a primary profit driver. This lean asset requirement may provide the company with greater flexibility to allocate capital toward software innovation and market expansion.
As indicated by the quarterly cash flow data, Samsara has experienced consistent working capital outflows, including a $40.0 million drag in 2027Q1, which appears to be driven by the upfront costs associated with scaling hardware deployments and managing the associated inventory and receivables cycles.
These recurring outflows suggest that the company's growth is currently consuming cash to fund the initial stages of the customer lifecycle. Investors should monitor whether these working capital requirements stabilize as the company shifts toward a larger proportion of recurring software-only renewals.
Based on recent financial statements, Samsara has begun to utilize its improving cash position for share repurchases, with $34.3 million allocated in 2027Q1, signaling a potential shift in management's capital allocation strategy toward mitigating the dilutive impact of its significant stock-based compensation programs.
This move suggests that management is increasingly focused on shareholder return metrics as the business approaches consistent GAAP profitability. However, the effectiveness of these buybacks in offsetting dilution remains a critical area for long-term investors to evaluate given the scale of ongoing equity grants.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying IOT stock.
Samsara Inc. (IOT) generated $236.2M in net cash from operating activities in 2026. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Samsara Inc. (IOT) generated $207.4M in free cash flow in 2026. Free cash flow is the cash left over after capital expenditures, which can be used to pay dividends, repurchase shares, or pay down debt.
Samsara Inc. (IOT) spent $28.8M on capital expenditures in 2026. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.