Persistent operational cash burn is evident, with the company reporting a negative free cash flow margin of -12.1% in 2026Q3 and a cumulative erosion of retained earnings to -$31.8M.
| Metric | TTM | Mar'26 | Mar'25 | Mar'24 | Mar'23 | Mar'22 | Mar'21 | Mar'20 | Mar'19 | Mar'18 | Mar'17 | Mar'16 | Mar'15 | Mar'14 | Mar'13 | Mar'12 | Mar'11 | Mar'10 | Mar'09 | Mar'08 | Mar'07 | Mar'06 | Mar'05 | Mar'04 | Mar'03 | Mar'02 | Mar'01 | Mar'00 | Mar'99 | Mar'98 | Mar'97 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | -3.16M | -3.72M | -3.65M | -5.26M | -306K | -4.71M | -4.29M | -1.91M | -2.19M | -5.16M | 1.87M | 6.77M | 4.47M | -8.09M | 21.71M | -152K | 25.07M | 26.44M | -3.03M | 29.5M | -16.53M | 8.81M | -9.45M | 317K | 15.47M | 9.84M | 9.77M | 6.37M | 5.3M | 6.1M | 16.7M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | -58.95% | -33.82% | -57.97% | -4.26% | -57.42% | -57.66% | -30.37% | -24.38% | -34.32% | 8.79% | 14.79% | 5.85% | -10.4% | 16.91% | -0.09% | 12.48% | 12.78% | -1.51% | 13.21% | -5.81% | 3.77% | -2.95% | 0.12% | 4.45% | 3.09% | 2.59% | 3.11% | 3.34% | 3.75% | 9.35% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 146.45% | -2% | 30.64% | -1618.3% | 93.51% | -9.76% | -124.65% | 12.74% | 57.53% | -375.87% | -72.38% | 51.5% | 155.18% | -137.28% | 14382.24% | -100.61% | -5.18% | 972.99% | -110.27% | 278.49% | -287.53% | 193.26% | -3081.07% | -97.95% | 57.2% | 0.8% | 53.37% | 20.13% | -13.11% | -63.47% | 246.49% |
| Net Income | -5.24M | -4.3M | -4.73M | 766K | -1.36M | -3.63M | -3.98M | -4.31M | -2.44M | -6.85M | -237K | -968K | 1.89M | 1.32M | 6M | 10.63M | 15.92M | 11.37M | -4.18M | -9.02M | 3.46M | 3.71M | 5.86M | -3.73M | 21.5M | 19.41M | 12.65M | 3.62M | 300K | -1.4M | -24M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 83K | 82K | 79K | 25K | 1K | 214K | 233K | 35K | 5K | 8K | 16K | 48K | 75K | 88K | 106K | 276K | 502K | 846K | 775K | 823K | 850K | 1.08M | 3.28M | 3.38M | 3.14M | 3.6M | 2.73M | 1.31M | 1.2M | 1.8M | 2.9M |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12K | -2K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 448K | 80K | 263K | 610K | 619K | 1.13M | 0 | 1.18M | 1.41M | 4.64M | 2.04M | -605K | -1.55M | 842K | -519K | 2.85M | 1.48M | -10.96M | -7.9M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 1.25M | 498K | 1.26M | 204K | 204K | -198K | -22K | 3K | -193K | -166K | -4.14M | -6.39M | 160K | 219K | -33K | 8.01M | -287K | -3.55M | -1.93M | 3.51M | 1.88M | 1.33M | 1.17M | 1.73M | 4.39M | -4K | -1.13M | 653K | -800K | -4.1M | 3M |
| Working Capital Changes | 745K | 0 | -253K | -6.25M | 849K | -1.1M | -528K | 1.91M | 355K | 1.59M | 1.48M | 7.07M | 1.37M | -9.72M | 14.45M | -8.68M | 5.26M | 15.73M | 2.92M | 36.47M | -23.55M | 2.99M | -22.61M | -2.54M | -2.6M | -3.94M | -4.48M | 788K | 4.6M | 9.8M | 34.8M |
| Change in Receivables | 937K | 1.31M | -1.27M | -7K | -116K | -609K | -185K | 117K | 1.48M | -510K | 2.15M | 2.23M | -18K | 3.73M | 5.58M | -577K | 10.27M | -2.75M | 2.92M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | 743K | 781K | 2.04M | -3.14M | -1.7M | -151K | -43K | 1.6M | -356K | -2.33M | 1.22M | 2.46M | 919K | -1.98M | 7.69M | -755K | 2.12M | 11.49M | 4.39M | 8.11M | -2.42M | 5.03M | -6.29M | -7.19M | -3.86M | 2.81M | -9.46M | -2.97M | 1M | 3.4M | 20.9M |
| Change in Payables | -37K | 303K | -350K | 517K | -117K | -30K | 196K | 47K | -258K | 47K | -935K | -446K | -1.81M | -3.3M | -1.36M | -5.26M | -6.37M | 1.85M | -2.77M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | 6.68M | 11.73M | -15.06M | -119K | 0 | 25.04M | 3.06M | 270K | -12.37M | 9.07M | -4.43M | -20.16M | 31.68M | 13.08M | -45.19M | 7.84M | 2.13M | -4.05M | 5.81M | -13.2M | -364K | 28.8M | -2.6M | 10.26M | -647K | -896K | -2.49M | -538K | -2.3M | 0 | -14.6M |
| Capital Expenditures | 0 | 0 | -195K | -119K | 0 | -2K | -2K | 0 | 0 | -4K | -5K | 0 | -10K | -28K | -111K | -57K | -231K | -4.05M | -416K | -1.31M | -364K | -687K | -2.6M | -257K | -647K | -896K | -110K | -462K | -400K | 0 | -300K |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 0% | - | 1.81% | 1.31% | - | 0.02% | 0.03% | - | - | 0.03% | 0.02% | - | 0.01% | 0.04% | 0.09% | 0.03% | 0.11% | 1.96% | 0.21% | 0.59% | 0.13% | 0.29% | 0.81% | 0.1% | 0.19% | 0.28% | 0.03% | 0.23% | 0.25% | - | 0.17% |
| Acquisitions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2.38M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 0 | 0 | -14.87M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2K | 0 | 3K | 9.08M | 500K | -20.16M | 31.69M | 13.11M | 152K | 3.17M | -739K | 0 | 430K | 2.01M | 0 | 29.49M | 0 | 10.52M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 213K | 100K | 0 | -14.4M |
| Cash from Financing | -7K | -1K | 6K | -1K | -2K | 0 | 204K | 0 | -2.62M | -6.29M | -66K | 0 | -18.99M | -73K | -63K | -2.53M | -3.2M | -29.86M | 5.45M | -3.71M | 1.23M | -23.05M | 8.63M | -15.62M | -22.64M | 2.29M | -7.83M | -390K | -1.5M | -6.1M | -15.6M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | -7K | 0 | 5K | -1K | -2K | 0 | 204K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -73K | -63K | -2.53M | -3.15M | -17K | 5.58M | -3.76M | 1.13M | -22.57M | 12.29M | -11.75M | -17.57M | 3.08M | 2.14M | 745K | 2.18M | -5.8M | -15.6M |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2.62M | -6.29M | -66K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51K | 94K | -341K | 107K | -3.87M | -5.07M | -786K | -9.99M | -1.15M | -3.19M | 0 | 0 |
| Dividends Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -18.99M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -29.84M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -13K | -26K | -400K | -300K | -200K |
| Share Repurchases | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2.62M | -6.29M | -66K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -392K | 0 | -4.16M | -5.7M | -786K | -10.16M | -1.15M | -3.19M | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | 0 | -1K | 1K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -51K | 0 | -133K | 0 | 0 | -143K | -4.01M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33K | 44K | -89K | 0 | 200K |
| Net Change in Cash | 3.5M | 8.01M | -18.7M | -5.38M | -308K | 20.33M | -1.03M | -1.64M | -17.18M | -2.38M | -2.63M | -13.39M | 17.16M | 4.92M | -23.55M | 5.16M | 24M | -7.47M | 8.23M | 12.59M | -15.67M | 14.56M | -3.42M | -5.04M | -7.82M | 11.24M | -552K | 5.44M | 1.5M | 0 | -13.5M |
| Free Cash Flow | -3.16M | -3.72M | -3.84M | -5.38M | -306K | -4.71M | -4.29M | -1.91M | -2.19M | -5.16M | 1.86M | 6.77M | 4.46M | -8.12M | 21.6M | -209K | 24.84M | 22.39M | -3.44M | 28.19M | -16.89M | 8.13M | -12.05M | 60K | 14.83M | 8.95M | 9.65M | 5.91M | 4.9M | 6.1M | 16.4M |
| FCF Margin % | -47.76% | -58.95% | -35.62% | -59.28% | -4.26% | -57.45% | -57.69% | -30.37% | -24.38% | -34.35% | 8.77% | 14.79% | 5.84% | -10.44% | 16.82% | -0.13% | 12.37% | 10.82% | -1.72% | 12.63% | -5.94% | 3.48% | -3.76% | 0.02% | 4.26% | 2.81% | 2.56% | 2.88% | 3.09% | 3.75% | 9.18% |
| FCF Growth % | 44.49% | 3.18% | 28.55% | -1657.19% | 93.51% | -9.76% | -124.75% | 12.74% | 57.56% | -376.82% | -72.45% | 51.84% | 154.86% | -137.61% | 10433.97% | -100.84% | 10.94% | 750.01% | -112.22% | 266.89% | -307.86% | 167.45% | -20180% | -99.6% | 65.71% | -7.33% | 63.51% | 20.51% | -19.67% | -62.8% | 225.19% |
| FCF per Share | -0.15 | -0.18 | -0.18 | -0.26 | -0.01 | -0.22 | -0.20 | -0.09 | -0.10 | -0.20 | 0.07 | 0.25 | 0.16 | -0.30 | 0.80 | -0.01 | 0.92 | 0.83 | -0.13 | 1.04 | -0.62 | 0.30 | -0.44 | 0.00 | 0.52 | 0.22 | 0.25 | 0.11 | 0.10 | 0.14 | 0.41 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 0.60x | 0.87x | 0.77x | -6.86x | 0.23x | 1.30x | 1.08x | 0.44x | 0.90x | 0.75x | -7.89x | -6.99x | 2.36x | -6.15x | 3.62x | -0.01x | 1.58x | 2.34x | 0.63x | -3.27x | -4.78x | 0.53x | -1.60x | -0.30x | 0.72x | 0.51x | 0.77x | 1.76x | 17.67x | -4.36x | -0.70x |
| Interest Paid | 12K | 0 | 9K | 5K | 10K | 11K | 7K | 0 | 0 | 4K | 2K | 0 | 0 | 7K | 15K | 23K | 103K | 114K | 144K | 464K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 676K | 0 | 0 | 478K | 205K | 222K | 197K | 199K | 277K | 320K | 1.52M | 292K | 58K | 1.19M | 1.12M | 1.94M | 704K | 22K | 67K | 5.39M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Persistent operational cash burn
According to historical cash flow statements, MSN exhibits a persistent disconnect between net income and operating cash flow, with the OCF/NI ratio frequently fluctuating into extreme territory, suggesting that reported earnings are not supported by actual cash generation from the company's core consumer electronics distribution activities.
The erratic relationship between net income and operating cash flow indicates that accruals and working capital swings are masking the underlying cash-generative weakness of the business. Investors should monitor this divergence, as it suggests that the company's accounting earnings are not reflective of the actual cash-burning nature of its operations.
As reported in financial statements, MSN has consistently failed to generate positive free cash flow, with the 2026Q2 period showing a significant FCF margin of -167.7%, highlighting the company's inability to sustain its current operational scale without eroding its limited cash reserves over the long term.
The persistent negative FCF trajectory confirms that the business model is currently incapable of self-funding its operations. This trend warrants further investigation into whether the company can reach a breakeven point before its liquidity position becomes critically constrained.
Based on reported figures, MSN's working capital changes are highly volatile, with a $1.7M inflow in 2024Q3 followed by a $6.5M outflow in 2024Q2, indicating that the company's cash position is heavily dependent on the timing of inventory procurement and the settlement of trade payables.
This extreme volatility suggests that management lacks control over the cash conversion cycle, leaving the company vulnerable to sudden liquidity shocks. The reliance on these swings to manage cash flow appears to be a symptom of a business struggling to balance inventory levels with declining retail demand.
Data from the last ten quarters reveals a persistent gap between cumulative net income and operating cash flow, confirming that the company's operational activities have consistently consumed cash rather than generating it, which raises significant concerns regarding the long-term viability of the current business model.
The cumulative cash burn suggests that the company's historical earnings performance has been consistently overstated relative to its actual cash-generating capacity. This divergence implies that the business may be fundamentally misaligned with its cost structure, necessitating a potential shift in strategy to avoid further erosion of shareholder value.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying MSN stock.
Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN) generated $-3.7M in net cash from operating activities in 2026. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN) reported negative free cash flow of $3.7M in 2026, indicating capital requirements exceeded cash from operations.
Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN) spent $0.0M on capital expenditures in 2026. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.