Cash flow generation is inconsistent, as evidenced by the OCF/NI ratio dropping to -0.45 in 2025Q2, which complicates the sustainability of the $10.4 million dividend distribution observed in 2026Q2.
| 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 | Sep'98 | Sep'97 | Sep'96 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 29.48M | 12.65M | 12.82M | 9.73M | 45.19M | 52.51M | 30.63M | 31.49M | 90.38M | 29.97M | 38.76M | 36.47M | 63.38M | 10.6M | 91.67M | 22.21M | 46.94M | 70.49M | -34.73M | 19.79M | 45.56M | 52.45M | 45.59M | 33.54M | 26.53M | 59.23M | 42.6M | -13.85M | 48.37M | 46.61M | 33.27M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | -244.14% | 17.45% | 61.67% | 217.64% | 111.04% | 131.55% | 59.16% | 1681.52% | 802.11% | 87.25% | 91.05% | 159.17% | 26.65% | 217.8% | 51.82% | 106.3% | 150.2% | -71.1% | 39.27% | 94.6% | 112.34% | 99.17% | 66.73% | 47.82% | 105.84% | 87.69% | -36.84% | 124.57% | 110.01% | 76.71% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 331.21% | -1.28% | 31.74% | -78.47% | -13.94% | 71.44% | -2.72% | -65.16% | 201.53% | -22.66% | 6.27% | -42.46% | 498.13% | -88.44% | 312.74% | -52.68% | -33.41% | 302.97% | -275.49% | -56.56% | -13.14% | 15.05% | 35.93% | 26.42% | -55.21% | 39.04% | 407.58% | -128.63% | 3.78% | 40.1% | -37.24% |
| Net Income | 14.95M | -13.1M | 73.51M | 5.12M | -112.04M | 47.21M | 6.75M | 51.17M | 3.14M | 1.8M | 54.65M | 31.83M | 79.33M | -39.46M | 91.67M | 22.21M | 46.94M | 70.49M | -34.73M | 19.79M | 45.56M | 52.45M | 45.59M | 33.54M | 26.53M | 59.23M | 42.6M | -13.85M | 48.37M | 46.61M | 33.27M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 45.42M | 27.29M | -57.76M | -3.04M | 158.35M | 2.51M | 46.93M | -37.57M | 6.39M | 24.83M | -20.71M | 2.67M | -69.4M | 83.2M | -91.67M | -22.21M | -46.94M | -70.49M | 34.73M | -19.79M | -45.56M | -52.45M | -45.59M | -33.54M | -26.53M | -59.23M | -42.6M | 13.85M | -48.37M | -46.61M | -33.27M |
| Working Capital Changes | -30.89M | -1.54M | -2.94M | 7.65M | -1.12M | 2.79M | -23.04M | 17.88M | 80.85M | 3.34M | -867.73K | 1.97M | 53.44M | -33.15M | 91.67M | 22.21M | 46.94M | 70.49M | -34.73M | 19.79M | 45.56M | 52.45M | 45.59M | 33.54M | 26.53M | 59.23M | 42.6M | -13.85M | 48.37M | 46.61M | 33.27M |
| Change in Receivables | -7.12M | 74.48K | 2.11M | -1.19M | 372.17K | 944.29K | 713.07K | 1.08M | 63.82K | -409.46K | 402.04K | -130.71K | 482.3K | -39.86K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -197.01K | 11.86K | -14.09K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Payables | 6.06M | -1.34M | -4.86M | 8.2M | -2.08M | 2.02M | -43K | 17.7K | -18.95K | -5.27M | 5.28M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -26.38M | 47.12K | 7.53M | 43.44M | 32.95M | 21.3M | 36.92M | -19.69M | -25.65M | -5.72M | -5.34M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Capital Expenditures | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 0% | - | 0% | 0% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Acquisitions | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Investments | 630.17M | 637.5M | 664.7M | 606.84M | 650.82M | 809.18M | 811.67M | 854.8M | 812.45M | 814.88M | 837.62M | 816.04M | 820.03M | 813.17M | 853.8M | 796M | 793.2M | 782.9M | 726.8M | 856.2M | 891.4M | 838.4M | 831.3M | 821.6M | 824.1M | 835.6M | 822.9M | 540M | 585.6M | 583.4M | 547.9M |
| Other Investing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | -4.03M | -16.03M | -15.56M | -51.11M | -41.82M | -52.24M | -30.67M | -30.95M | -91.02M | -32.55M | -31.86M | -33.59M | -61.77M | -10.71M | -33.16M | -35.42M | -33.11M | -34.29M | -40.28M | -39.58M | -40.44M | -40.42M | -39.03M | -38.62M | -37.5M | -42.45M | 240.59M | -31.09M | -29.89M | -29.47M | -33.06M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 0 | 0 | 0 | -78.9M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -60.42M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dividends Paid | -32.45M | -14.95M | -14.2M | -17.81M | -20.74M | -25.54M | -26M | -26.12M | -27.4M | -30.75M | -30.83M | -32.66M | -36.37M | -34.73M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | 0 | 0 | 0 | -78.9M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -63.6M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -40.75M | -30.5M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 285M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | -12.19M | 0 | 0 | 78.9M | 0 | 0 | -4.67M | -4.83M | -3.2M | -1.8M | -1.03M | -931.73K | -42.28M | 24.02M | -33.16M | -35.42M | -33.11M | -34.29M | -40.28M | -39.58M | -40.44M | -40.42M | -39.03M | -38.62M | -37.5M | -42.45M | 240.59M | -31.09M | -29.89M | -29.47M | -33.06M |
| Net Change in Cash | -930.43K | -3.38M | -2.74M | 2.06M | 3.37M | 267.47K | -42.64K | 535.22K | -640.31K | -2.58M | 1.55M | 2.88M | 1.61M | -110.47K | 58.51M | -13.21M | 13.82M | 36.2M | -75.01M | -19.79M | 5.13M | 12.03M | 6.56M | -5.08M | -10.97M | 16.78M | 283.19M | -44.94M | 18.48M | 17.14M | 210K |
| Free Cash Flow | 275.65K | 12.65M | 12.82M | 53.17M | 45.19M | 52.51M | 30.63M | 31.49M | 90.38M | 29.97M | 38.76M | 36.47M | 63.38M | 10.6M | 91.67M | 22.21M | 46.94M | 70.49M | -34.73M | 19.79M | 45.56M | 52.45M | 45.59M | 33.54M | 26.53M | 59.23M | 42.6M | -13.85M | 48.37M | 46.61M | 33.27M |
| FCF Margin % | 0.5% | -244.14% | 17.45% | 337.02% | 217.64% | 111.04% | 131.55% | 59.16% | 1681.52% | 802.11% | 87.25% | 91.05% | 159.17% | 26.65% | 217.8% | 51.82% | 106.3% | 150.2% | -71.1% | 39.27% | 94.6% | 112.34% | 99.17% | 66.73% | 47.82% | 105.84% | 87.69% | -36.84% | 124.57% | 110.01% | 76.71% |
| FCF Growth % | -99.4% | -1.28% | -75.89% | 17.65% | -13.94% | 71.44% | -2.72% | -65.16% | 201.53% | -22.66% | 6.27% | -42.46% | 498.13% | -88.44% | 312.74% | -52.68% | -33.41% | 302.97% | -275.49% | -56.56% | -13.14% | 15.05% | 35.93% | 26.42% | -55.21% | 39.04% | 407.58% | -128.63% | 3.78% | 40.1% | -37.24% |
| FCF per Share | 0.00 | 0.20 | 0.21 | 0.85 | 0.73 | 0.84 | 0.49 | 0.51 | 1.44 | 0.50 | 0.71 | 0.59 | 1.02 | 0.17 | 1.49 | 0.36 | 0.77 | 1.16 | -0.57 | 0.33 | 0.75 | 0.87 | 0.75 | 0.56 | 0.45 | 1.01 | 0.73 | -0.24 | 0.83 | 0.81 | 0.59 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 0.02x | -0.97x | 0.17x | 1.90x | -0.41x | 1.11x | 3.85x | 0.59x | 17.28x | 8.32x | 0.99x | 1.15x | 0.80x | -0.27x | 1.00x | 1.00x | 1.00x | 1.00x | 1.00x | 1.00x | 1.00x | 1.00x | 1.00x | 1.00x | 1.00x | 1.00x | 1.00x | 1.00x | 1.00x | 1.00x | 1.00x |
| Interest Paid | 10.99M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Interest rate volatility exposure
As reported in financial statements, LEO exhibits a profound disconnect between net income and operating cash flow, with the OCF/NI ratio frequently swinging into negative territory, such as the -0.45 observed in 2025Q2, highlighting the limited utility of net income as a proxy for cash generation.
The extreme variance in the OCF/NI ratio suggests that accounting-based net income is heavily influenced by unrealized mark-to-market adjustments on the bond portfolio. Investors should monitor this divergence, as it indicates that cash flow stability is decoupled from the headline earnings volatility inherent in the fund's accounting structure.
Based on recent SEC filings, LEO's free cash flow trajectory has been highly erratic, ranging from a peak of $32.8 million in 2024Q2 to a low of -$19.9 million in 2024Q4, reflecting the underlying instability of the fund's cash-generating capacity during periods of significant interest rate shifts.
The erratic nature of FCF suggests that the fund's ability to cover distributions is subject to significant periodic pressure. This volatility warrants further investigation into whether the fund is consistently generating sufficient cash from operations to support its dividend policy without relying on capital recycling.
According to historical data, LEO experiences significant working capital fluctuations, including a notable $36.7 million swing in 2024Q2, which appears to be a primary driver of the fund's periodic cash flow instability rather than operational efficiency gains or losses in the underlying municipal bond portfolio.
These large swings in working capital suggest that the fund's cash position is sensitive to timing differences in settlement and accruals. Analysts should interpret these movements as a reflection of the fund's operational mechanics rather than a fundamental change in the credit quality of the underlying municipal holdings.
As indicated by the provided financial data, LEO consistently prioritizes dividend payments, with outflows reaching $10.4 million in 2026Q2, even during periods where operating cash flow volatility might otherwise suggest a more conservative approach to capital preservation for the fund's long-term asset base.
The commitment to dividend payments appears to be the central pillar of the fund's capital allocation strategy. However, the reliance on cash outflows for distributions during periods of negative net income suggests that the fund may be vulnerable if interest rate environments continue to pressure the underlying portfolio's cash yield.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying LEO stock.
BNY Mellon Strategic Municipals, Inc. (LEO) generated $12.7M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
BNY Mellon Strategic Municipals, Inc. (LEO) generated $12.7M 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.
BNY Mellon Strategic Municipals, Inc. (LEO) spent $0.0M 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, BNY Mellon Strategic Municipals, Inc. (LEO) returned $14.9M to shareholders via cash dividends. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.