Capital expenditures reached $101.1 million in 2026Q1, representing 125.3% of operating cash flow, which underscores the aggressive investment cycle currently required to fund renewable energy projects.
| 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 | Dec'97 | Dec'96 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 266.06M | 263.23M | 277.78M | 237.56M | 153.74M | 137.53M | 172.44M | 130.47M | 153.04M | 132.99M | 147.51M | 141.19M | 128.76M | 140.27M | 146M | 130.77M | 124.03M | 117.91M | 74.71M | 76.59M | 101.04M | 49.83M | 62.31M | 68.6M | 56.73M | 74.68M | 47.77M | 60.3M | 70.5M | 40.8M | 48.3M |
| Operating CF Growth % | -39.43% | -5.24% | 16.93% | 54.53% | 11.79% | -20.25% | 32.17% | -14.74% | 15.08% | -9.84% | 4.48% | 9.65% | -8.2% | -3.93% | 11.65% | 5.43% | 5.19% | 57.82% | -2.45% | -24.2% | 102.78% | -20.04% | -9.17% | 20.93% | -24.04% | 56.33% | -20.77% | -14.47% | 72.79% | -15.53% | -4.92% |
| Operating CF / Revenue % | 34.67% | 35.4% | 41.04% | 34.41% | 21.52% | 22.67% | 32.01% | 22.94% | 27.34% | 23.62% | 27.08% | 25.03% | 20.77% | 23.74% | 26.97% | 23.93% | 23.29% | 22.09% | 12.54% | 14.25% | 19.91% | 9.71% | 14.67% | 17.08% | 16.34% | 22.38% | 14.74% | 22% | 28.22% | 15.42% | 19.08% |
| Net Income | 142.78M | 135.89M | 120.57M | 117.7M | 110.95M | 105.76M | 92.42M | 86.87M | 84.22M | 97.61M | 75.56M | 71.34M | 80.32M | 74.91M | 64.45M | 60.93M | 57.72M | 51M | 52.77M | 48.83M | 42.42M | 32.09M | 33.84M | 30.64M | 29.19M | 27.25M | 27.36M | 23.7M | 22.2M | 22.5M | 6.4M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 114.73M | 114.32M | 108.58M | 100.35M | 85.55M | 76.98M | 74.19M | 71.56M | 56.41M | 53.08M | 44.65M | 44.23M | 40.7M | 38.84M | 38.71M | 40.94M | 37.96M | 41.08M | 39.27M | 32.2M | 31.34M | 29.27M | 24.92M | 23.34M | 29.36M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 8.78M | 7.62M | 608K | 23M | 23.43M | 4.84M | 10.36M | 7.21M | 3.75M | -4.08M | 22.42M | 21.93M | 49.88M | 38.37M | 44.8M | 33.7M | 25.38M | 17.71M | 8.58M | 750K | 5.24M | 10.9M | 8.83M | 13.07M | 3.63M | 8.98M | -1.07M | -700K | -1.2M | -1.4M | -7.2M |
| Other Non-Cash Items | -2.46M | -6.25M | -274K | -14.29M | -17.27M | -8.91M | -12.57M | -10.29M | -6.4M | -10.56M | -13.03M | -12.96M | -2.59M | -41.41M | -27.37M | -2.15M | 14.3M | 6.07M | 1.22M | 5.63M | 18.91M | 3.43M | 14.68M | 26.27M | 22.86M | 31.54M | 35.38M | 35.3M | 34.1M | 29.5M | 43.6M |
| Working Capital Changes | 2.23M | 11.64M | 48.3M | 10.8M | -48.93M | -41.15M | 8.04M | -24.88M | 17.56M | -2.03M | 16.92M | 13.8M | -38.95M | 15.84M | 6.71M | 7.01M | -3.85M | 12.64M | -31.54M | -8.49M | 8.74M | -21.73M | -18.49M | -1.38M | 1.05M | 6.93M | -13.89M | 2M | 15.4M | -9.8M | 5.5M |
| Capital Expenditures | -396.71M | -343.22M | -236.93M | -222.07M | -175.03M | -153.17M | -203.14M | -164.04M | -212.2M | -108.13M | -83.66M | -72.03M | -92.68M | -119.06M | -98.44M | -65.18M | -60.08M | -77.93M | -105.78M | -136.26M | -92.58M | -85.77M | -99.22M | -82.97M | -78.28M | -41.97M | -73.61M | -51M | -30.8M | -21.6M | -21.9M |
| CapEx / Revenue % | 51.7% | 46.15% | 35% | 32.16% | 24.5% | 25.25% | 37.71% | 28.84% | 37.91% | 19.2% | 15.36% | 12.77% | 14.95% | 20.15% | 18.18% | 11.93% | 11.28% | 14.6% | 17.75% | 25.35% | 18.24% | 16.71% | 23.35% | 20.66% | 22.55% | 12.58% | 22.71% | 18.61% | 12.33% | 8.16% | 8.65% |
| CapEx / D&A | 3.46x | 3.00x | 2.18x | 2.21x | 2.05x | 1.99x | 2.74x | 2.29x | 3.76x | 2.04x | 1.87x | 1.63x | 2.28x | 3.07x | 2.54x | 1.59x | 1.58x | 1.90x | 2.69x | 4.23x | 2.95x | 2.93x | 3.98x | 3.55x | 2.67x | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| CapEx Coverage (OCF/CapEx) | 0.67x | 0.77x | 1.17x | 1.07x | 0.88x | 0.90x | 0.85x | 0.80x | 0.72x | 1.23x | 1.76x | 1.96x | 1.39x | 1.18x | 1.48x | 2.01x | 2.06x | 1.51x | 0.71x | 0.56x | 1.09x | 0.58x | 0.63x | 0.83x | 0.72x | 1.78x | 0.65x | 1.18x | 2.29x | 1.89x | 2.21x |
| Cash from Investing | -405.43M | -350.56M | -241.49M | -230.02M | -180.15M | -156.97M | -210.41M | -172.36M | -218.33M | -116.36M | -86.83M | -73.31M | -96.16M | -121.92M | -101.35M | -66.35M | -57.38M | -79.97M | -104.28M | -134.79M | -94.44M | -72.18M | -100.22M | -93.47M | -86.38M | -24.53M | -84.84M | -61.8M | -40.8M | -28.1M | -26.6M |
| Acquisitions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.82M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.36M | 0 | 3.48M | 1.76M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Purchase of Investments | -11.78M | -9.5M | -4.79M | -7M | -5.18M | -4.03M | -5.6M | -7.81M | -5.93M | -11.08M | -2.96M | -1.05M | -2.19M | -1.66M | -2.42M | -3.16M | -810K | -3.7M | -3.68M | -255K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sale of Investments | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 161K | 114K | 499K | -778K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Investing | 3.06M | 2.15M | 230K | -954K | 70K | 221K | -1.67M | -508K | -205K | 2.85M | -209K | -230K | -1.3M | -1.21M | -496K | 1.99M | -12K | 1.54M | 1.19M | 743K | -1.87M | 13.59M | -993K | -10.5M | -8.1M | 17.43M | -11.23M | -10.8M | -10M | -6.5M | -4.7M |
| Cash from Financing | 115.19M | 71.57M | -26.83M | -10.48M | 25.54M | -8.76M | 59.19M | -17.23M | 38.12M | -4.64M | -46.11M | -52.24M | -35.66M | 4.11M | -39.46M | -30.36M | -64.24M | -37.34M | 29.89M | 58.99M | -6.93M | 22.18M | 39.44M | 26.21M | 30.23M | -52.04M | 39.43M | -3.8M | -24.5M | -15.9M | -19.2M |
| Dividends Paid | -53.88M | -67.59M | -63.6M | -60.39M | -57.5M | -54.79M | -51.73M | -47.84M | -45.76M | -43.68M | -41.77M | -40.04M | -38.43M | -37.11M | -35.95M | -35.03M | -34.37M | -33.69M | -31.78M | -30.3M | -28.51M | -28.05M | -25.94M | -24.14M | -23.17M | -22.34M | -21.59M | -21M | -20.9M | -20.7M | -20.5M |
| Dividend Payout Ratio % | - | 49.74% | 52.75% | 51.31% | 51.82% | 51.8% | 55.97% | 55.07% | 54.34% | 44.75% | 55.29% | 56.13% | 47.85% | 49.54% | 55.78% | 57.49% | 59.55% | 66.07% | 60.23% | 62.05% | 67.21% | 87.42% | 76.66% | 78.78% | 79.37% | 82% | 78.92% | 88.61% | 94.14% | 92% | 320.31% |
| Debt Issuance (Net) | 3M | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | -1000K | -1000K | 1000K | 1000K | -1000K | 1000K | -1000K | -1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | -1000K | 1000K | 1000K | -1000K | 1000K | 1000K |
| Stock Issued | 14.48M | 3.75M | 31.61M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 79.64M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.28M | 31M | 32.79M | 17.17M | 2.26M | 63.15M | 23.16M | 13.6M | 10.88M | 8.96M | 1.7M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -119K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | 30.05M | -1.84M | -1.69M | -2.58M | -2.07M | -2.2M | -1.55M | -1.84M | -662K | -597K | -70K | -8.02M | -130K | -770K | -844K | -336K | -1.34M | 82K | -330K | 0 | -82K | -1.13M | 636K | -200K | 0 | 0 | 0 | -100K | -100K | 0 | 0 |
| Net Change in Cash | -25.69M | -15.76M | 9.47M | -2.94M | -867K | -28.2M | 21.23M | -59.12M | -27.16M | 11.99M | 14.57M | 15.63M | -3.06M | 22.46M | 5.19M | 34.06M | 2.41M | 598K | 317K | 786K | -328K | -173K | 1.54M | 1.33M | 577K | -1.89M | 2.36M | -5.4M | 5.2M | -3.2M | 2.5M |
| Exchange Rate Effect | -1.52M | 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 | -100K | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash at Beginning | 8.74M | 24.5M | 15.03M | 17.97M | 18.84M | 47.04M | 25.81M | 84.93M | 112.09M | 95.96M | 81.38M | 65.75M | 68.81M | 46.36M | 41.17M | 7.11M | 4.7M | 4.11M | 3.79M | 3M | 3.33M | 3.5M | 2.02M | 685K | 2.42M | 4.31M | 1.95M | 7.3M | 2.1M | 5.3M | 2.8M |
| Cash at End | 12.48M | 8.74M | 24.5M | 15.03M | 17.97M | 18.84M | 47.04M | 25.81M | 84.93M | 107.95M | 95.96M | 81.38M | 65.75M | 68.81M | 46.36M | 41.17M | 7.11M | 4.7M | 4.11M | 3.79M | 3M | 3.33M | 3.56M | 2.02M | 3M | 2.42M | 4.31M | 1.9M | 7.3M | 2.1M | 5.3M |
| Free Cash Flow | -130.64M | -79.99M | 40.86M | 15.49M | -21.3M | -15.64M | -30.7M | -33.56M | -59.16M | 24.86M | 63.85M | 69.16M | 36.09M | 21.21M | 47.57M | 65.6M | 63.95M | 39.98M | -31.07M | -59.67M | 8.46M | -35.94M | -36.91M | -14.37M | -21.55M | 32.72M | -25.83M | 9.3M | 39.7M | 19.2M | 26.4M |
| FCF Growth % | -361.16% | -295.76% | 163.78% | 172.74% | -36.14% | 49.04% | 8.54% | 43.27% | -337.96% | -61.07% | -7.67% | 91.64% | 70.14% | -55.41% | -27.49% | 2.57% | 59.96% | 228.7% | 47.94% | -805.01% | 123.55% | 2.61% | -156.88% | 33.34% | -165.88% | 226.66% | -377.76% | -76.57% | 106.77% | -27.27% | 36.08% |
| FCF Margin % | -17.02% | -10.76% | 6.04% | 2.24% | -2.98% | -2.58% | -5.7% | -5.9% | -10.57% | 4.41% | 11.72% | 12.26% | 5.82% | 3.59% | 8.79% | 12.01% | 12.01% | 7.49% | -5.21% | -11.1% | 1.67% | -7% | -8.69% | -3.58% | -6.21% | 9.8% | -7.97% | 3.39% | 15.89% | 7.26% | 10.43% |
| FCF / Net Income % | -91.5% | -58.86% | 33.89% | 13.16% | -19.19% | -14.79% | -33.21% | -38.63% | -70.24% | 25.47% | 84.51% | 96.93% | 44.93% | 28.32% | 73.81% | 107.66% | 110.8% | 78.4% | -58.87% | -122.22% | 19.95% | -112.01% | -109.07% | -46.89% | -73.83% | 120.09% | -94.43% | 39.24% | 178.83% | 85.33% | 412.5% |
Renewable transition capital intensity
According to the provided quarterly data, MGEE's capital expenditure reached $101.1 million in 2026Q1, representing a significant 125.3% of operating cash flow, which underscores the company's commitment to accelerating its renewable generation transition and expanding its regulated rate base within the Madison service territory.
The elevated ratio of CAPEX to operating cash flow suggests that the company is currently in a heavy investment phase, which is typical for utilities undergoing a structural shift away from coal. While this level of spending creates a temporary cash flow deficit, it serves as the primary mechanism for future rate base growth and long-term earnings expansion.
As reported in financial statements, MGEE experienced a free cash flow deficit of $20.4 million in 2026Q1, a trend consistent with the company's historical pattern of utilizing external financing to bridge the gap between intensive infrastructure investment cycles and the timing of regulatory rate recovery.
The recurring nature of these deficits appears to be a deliberate feature of the company's capital allocation strategy rather than a sign of financial distress. Investors should monitor whether the company maintains its conservative debt-to-equity profile as it continues to fund these large-scale renewable projects through the capital markets.
Based on the company's reported figures, MGEE maintained an OCF-to-dividend coverage ratio of 29.7 in 2026Q1, indicating that the dividend remains well-supported by core regulated cash flows despite the significant capital demands placed on the balance sheet by the ongoing renewable energy transition.
The high coverage ratio suggests that the dividend is not currently threatened by the company's aggressive investment schedule. This provides management with significant flexibility to continue its long-standing track record of dividend growth while simultaneously funding the necessary infrastructure upgrades required by the PSCW.
As indicated by the quarterly cash flow data, the persistent gap between capital outlays and operating cash generation may mask potential regulatory lag, where the time required to recover costs through rate cases could temporarily compress cash returns on invested capital for the utility.
While the current cash flow profile appears manageable, the reliance on future rate case outcomes to validate these capital expenditures warrants further investigation. If the PSCW delays the recovery of these investments, the company may face increased pressure on its cash position, potentially necessitating more frequent or larger external financing rounds.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying MGEE stock.
MGE Energy, Inc. (MGEE) generated $263.2M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
MGE Energy, Inc. (MGEE) reported negative free cash flow of $80.0M in 2025, indicating capital requirements exceeded cash from operations.
MGE Energy, Inc. (MGEE) spent $343.2M 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, MGE Energy, Inc. (MGEE) returned $67.6M to shareholders via cash dividends. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.