Cash generation is currently pressured by working capital requirements, evidenced by a $3.3 million outflow in 2026Q2 and a trailing twelve-month free cash flow margin that has struggled to maintain consistency.
| Metric | TTM | Sep'25 | Sep'24 | Sep'23 | Sep'22 | Sep'21 | Sep'20 | Sep'19 | Sep'18 | Sep'17 | Sep'16 | Sep'15 | Sep'14 | Sep'13 | Sep'12 | Sep'11 | Sep'10 | Sep'09 | Sep'08 | Sep'07 | Sep'06 | Sep'05 | Sep'04 | Sep'03 | Sep'02 | Sep'01 | Sep'00 | Sep'99 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 20.62M | 13.3M | 5.8M | 2.1M | 6.09M | 4.59M | 2.19M | 2.11M | -1.74M | 6.07M | 3.56M | 1.4M | -712.21K | -2.15M | 1.38M | 2.28M | 5.6M | 5.32M | 13.6M | -10.58M | -1.63M | 16M | 16.09M | 6.06M | 13.35M | 3.58M | 2.48M | 5.96M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 15.78% | 12.28% | 6.02% | 21.97% | 19.93% | 10.15% | 11.99% | -12.57% | 36.13% | 12.74% | 6.98% | -1.62% | -6.82% | 5.62% | 8.84% | 22.17% | 14.48% | 44.55% | -57.64% | -9.75% | 25.28% | 34.91% | 21.52% | 47.09% | 10.4% | 7.44% | 26.51% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 1658.86% | 129.52% | 176.51% | -65.61% | 32.7% | 109.5% | 4.02% | 221.05% | -128.7% | 70.29% | 154.14% | 296.8% | 66.91% | -255.87% | -39.34% | -59.36% | 5.28% | -60.89% | 228.62% | -548.55% | -110.19% | -0.61% | 165.48% | -54.59% | 273.18% | 44.44% | -58.46% | - |
| Net Income | 17.05M | 15.63M | 7M | 6.03M | 5.52M | 5.06M | 3.27M | 1.85M | -3.65M | 4.57M | 1.99M | -5.87M | 200.27K | 1.89M | 2.98M | 716.59K | 748.38K | 5.01M | 1.51M | -8.85M | -2.88M | 18.58M | 11.93M | 5.54M | 5.41M | 7.53M | 6.75M | 4.18M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 3.72M | 3.73M | 2.1M | 697.94K | 368.5K | 432.18K | 433.51K | 451.28K | 436.21K | 449.19K | 493.36K | 570.31K | 576.48K | 545.62K | 529.33K | 672.2K | 826.75K | 1.09M | 1.05M | 946.22K | 858.64K | 797.99K | 729.99K | 714.21K | 860.94K | 554.94K | 391.26K | 264.79K |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 2.45M | 2.34M | 1M | 1.45M | 339.94K | 341.33K | 177.34K | 173.49K | 200K | 191.75K | 251.39K | 466.32K | 810.19K | 912.4K | 644.5K | 370.3K | 369.51K | 691.11K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 385.85K | -1.25M | -1.14M | 9.5K | 1.02M | -1.19M | 38 | 57 | 61.85K | 41 | 486.12K | 2.69M | -901.14K | -248.72K | -2.44M | 7.56K | -11.08K | -89.36K | 1.23M | -635.1K | -272.76K | 252.15K | 83.68K | 99.6K | 164.86K | 58.94K | -440.82K | 1.79M |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 1.29M | 40.27K | -160.58K | 88.71K | -1.19M | -100.45K | 66.51K | 98.73K | 0 | 92.83K | 3.6K | 1.4M | 3.88M | 36.91K | 112.08K | 491.13K | 123.58K | 752.28K | 9.53M | 837.4K | 1.13M | 2.04M | 724.79K | 209.14K | 920.3K | 1.01M | 393.42K | 190K |
| Working Capital Changes | -4.27M | -7.18M | -3.01M | -6.18M | 36.63K | 48.05K | -1.76M | -466.45K | 1.21M | 763.24K | 340.77K | 2.14M | -5.27M | -5.29M | -444.27K | 18.38K | 3.54M | -2.13M | 283.2K | -2.88M | -465.4K | -5.68M | 2.62M | -502.23K | 5.99M | -5.58M | -4.62M | -460.77K |
| Change in Receivables | 748.57K | -3.98M | -4.06M | -5.77M | -413.86K | 322.77K | -1.94M | 1.02M | 779.53K | 1.88M | 205.6K | 4.29M | -4.5M | -5.45M | -2.06M | -575.57K | 3.66M | -2.16M | -2.05M | -2.92M | 2.15M | -476.84K | 1.95M | -1.65M | 3.03M | 39.18K | -5.06M | 161.56K |
| Change in Inventory | -4.78M | -9.67M | -2.34M | -834.92K | -708.86K | -153.61K | 112.85K | -289.31K | -100.45K | -626.65K | 951.49K | 647.73K | -1.29M | -624.42K | -406.41K | 676.3K | 650.59K | 3.55M | -1.85M | -3M | -2.59M | 1.22M | -2.4M | 590.5K | 2.35M | -1.61M | -1.09M | -688.69K |
| Change in Payables | -223.06K | 1.26M | 978.2K | 628.43K | 85.22K | -167.27K | -288.18K | -450.72K | 208.54K | -182.52K | 67.79K | -966.67K | 30.52K | 1.23M | 695.95K | -100.36K | -664.11K | -1.14M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -40.43M | -6.51M | -16.88M | -36.16M | 2.59M | -340.68K | -118.8K | -81.28K | -2.55M | -153.04K | -351.65K | -118.96K | -718.92K | -586.8K | -217.53K | -255.45K | -189.79K | -331.89K | -570.36K | -3.89M | -696.53K | -528.06K | -791.39K | -156.26K | -2.63M | -692.43K | -7.91M | -592.19K |
| Capital Expenditures | -7.43M | -6.51M | -657.79K | -298.37K | -161.23K | -340.68K | -118.8K | -81.28K | -2.55M | -153.04K | -352.76K | -188.51K | -719.52K | -605.3K | -217.53K | -255.45K | -189.79K | -332.51K | -573.36K | -1.28M | -456.53K | -528.06K | -791.39K | -156.26K | -2.95M | -4.52M | -3.77M | -592.19K |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 8.2% | 7.73% | 1.39% | 0.86% | 0.58% | 1.48% | 0.55% | 0.46% | 18.4% | 0.91% | 1.26% | 0.94% | 1.63% | 1.92% | 0.89% | 0.99% | 0.75% | 0.91% | 1.88% | 6.96% | 2.73% | 0.83% | 1.72% | 0.55% | 10.4% | 13.14% | 11.33% | 2.63% |
| Acquisitions | -33M | 0 | -14.2M | -35.86M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.11K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 0 | 0 | -2.02M | 0 | 2.75M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.11K | 69.55K | 600 | 18.5K | -217.53K | 0 | 620 | 620 | 3K | -2.62M | -240K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 317.46K | 3.82M | -4.14M | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | 25.34M | -4.64M | 8.53M | 19.91M | 301.15K | -19.77M | -705.33K | 0 | 0 | 0 | -724.78K | -215.17K | 259.5K | -23.85M | -811.65K | -311.2K | -60.02K | -4.45M | -17.74M | 635.12K | -17.86M | 1.84M | 1.78M | -9.36M | -1.24M | 1.23M | 39.45M | -832.26K |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 27.72M | -3.65M | 8.53M | 19.5M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -13.19K | -12.28K | -11.43K | -10.64K | -9.91K | -12.48K | -7.89K | -7.57K | -11.18K | -17.11K | -16.22K | -16.91K | 4.32M | -832.26K |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 408.85K | 301.15K | 0 | 175.14K | 0 | 0 | 0 | -724.78K | -254.17K | 0 | -696 | -798.46K | -298.93K | -48.63K | -108.25K | -1.01M | 492.72K | -17.9M | 1.85M | 1.79M | -9.34M | -1.23M | 1.24M | 35.14M | 0 |
| Dividends Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -19.79M | -11.18M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -25.01M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -16.73M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -880.48K | 0 | 0 | 0 | -724.78K | -254.17K | 0 | -696 | -798.46K | -298.93K | -48.63K | -108.25K | -1.05M | 0 | -18.09M | 0 | 0 | -9.36M | -1.25M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | -2.38M | -984.59K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17.01K | 10.3M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39K | 259.5K | 1.16M | 0 | 0 | 36 | -4.33M | 11.42K | 154.87K | 44.5K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Net Change in Cash | 5.54M | 2.15M | -2.56M | -14.15M | 8.98M | -15.52M | 1.37M | 2.03M | -4.29M | 5.91M | 2.49M | 1.07M | -1.17M | -26.59M | 351.65K | 1.71M | 5.35M | 533.76K | -4.71M | -13.83M | -20.19M | 17.31M | 17.08M | -3.46M | 9.48M | 4.11M | 34.02M | 4.54M |
| Free Cash Flow | 13.2M | 6.79M | 5.14M | 1.8M | 5.93M | 4.25M | 2.07M | 2.03M | -4.29M | 5.91M | 3.21M | 1.21M | -1.43M | -2.76M | 1.16M | 2.02M | 5.41M | 4.99M | 13.03M | -11.85M | -2.09M | 15.47M | 15.3M | 5.91M | 10.4M | -939.68K | -1.29M | 5.37M |
| FCF Margin % | 14.57% | 8.06% | 10.89% | 5.16% | 21.39% | 18.45% | 9.6% | 11.53% | -30.97% | 35.22% | 11.47% | 6.05% | -3.25% | -8.74% | 4.73% | 7.85% | 21.42% | 13.58% | 42.67% | -64.6% | -12.48% | 24.45% | 33.19% | 20.97% | 36.69% | -2.73% | -3.89% | 23.87% |
| FCF Growth % | 463.28% | 32.17% | 185.82% | -69.7% | 39.55% | 105.07% | 2.33% | 147.23% | -172.55% | 84.24% | 164.56% | 184.73% | 48.08% | -337.05% | -42.43% | -62.65% | 8.49% | -61.72% | 209.93% | -467.85% | -113.49% | 1.08% | 159.1% | -43.22% | 1206.83% | 27.31% | -124.08% | - |
| FCF per Share | 0.72 | 0.38 | 0.29 | 0.10 | 0.34 | 0.25 | 0.12 | 0.12 | -0.26 | 0.35 | 0.19 | 0.07 | -0.08 | -0.16 | 0.07 | 0.12 | 0.32 | 0.30 | 0.77 | -0.70 | -0.12 | 0.85 | 0.86 | 0.32 | 0.53 | -0.05 | -0.08 | 0.26 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 0.77x | 0.85x | 0.83x | 0.35x | 1.10x | 0.91x | 0.67x | 1.14x | 0.48x | 1.33x | 1.79x | -0.24x | -3.56x | -1.14x | 0.46x | 3.18x | 7.48x | 1.06x | -1.72x | 1.20x | 0.57x | 0.86x | 1.35x | 1.09x | 2.47x | 0.47x | 0.37x | 1.43x |
| Interest Paid | 1.22M | 1.54M | 847.09K | 260.89K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 599 | 1.51K | 2.36K | 48.3K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 1.81M | 4.73M | 1.91M | 1.86M | 531.48K | 1.09K | 2.46K | 456 | 8.46K | 400K | 175K | 0 | 770K | 250K | 153.33K | 11.5K | 121.47K | 804.49K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Working capital liquidity mismatch
According to the reported quarterly data, ISSC's operating cash flow to net income ratio has fluctuated wildly, reaching a low of 0.14 in 2024Q4, which suggests that reported accounting profits are frequently decoupled from the actual cash generated by the company's core aerospace operations.
The significant variance in the OCF/NI ratio indicates that earnings quality is highly sensitive to non-cash adjustments and timing differences in revenue recognition. Investors should monitor whether this persistent gap reflects aggressive accrual accounting or simply the inherent lumpiness of long-cycle aerospace project milestones.
As evidenced by the company's financial statements, FCF margins have swung from a high of 43.3% in 2024Q1 to a negative 1.2% in 2025Q2, highlighting a lack of consistent cash generation despite the company's reported revenue growth and specialized market positioning.
This erratic trajectory suggests that ISSC struggles to maintain a predictable cash conversion cycle as it scales. The inability to sustain positive free cash flow during periods of expansion warrants further investigation into whether the company's business model is inherently capital-intensive or if operational inefficiencies are eroding cash margins.
Based on the provided cash flow statements, negative working capital changes have been a recurring drag on liquidity, with a notable $3.3 million outflow in 2026Q2, indicating that the company's rapid growth is placing significant pressure on its ability to collect cash from customers.
The frequent negative working capital swings suggest that ISSC may be extending generous payment terms to secure contracts or is facing delays in milestone-based billing. This dynamic creates a structural risk where the company must constantly balance its growth ambitions against a tightening cash position.
As reported in recent filings, ISSC utilized $33 million for acquisitions in 2026Q2, a move that significantly depleted available cash reserves and highlights a strategy of inorganic growth that may be outpacing the company's internal ability to generate sufficient free cash flow.
This aggressive deployment of capital, particularly in the face of inconsistent operating cash flow, suggests a management team prioritizing market share expansion over liquidity preservation. Investors should monitor whether these acquisitions provide the expected synergies or if they further exacerbate the company's existing working capital challenges.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying ISSC stock.
Innovative Aerosystems, Inc. (ISSC) generated $13.3M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Innovative Aerosystems, Inc. (ISSC) generated $6.8M 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.
Innovative Aerosystems, Inc. (ISSC) spent $6.5M on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.