Cash conversion has been strong, with operating cash flow of $395.2M in 2026Q3 equal to 1.91x net income and free cash flow margin reaching 34.2%, while capital returns have come mainly through buybacks, including $300.0M in 2024Q4, rather than dividends.
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (NBIX) cash flow statement — 30-year operating, investing & financing cash flows
| 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 | 1.07B | 782.7M | 595.4M | 389.9M | 339.4M | 256.5M | 228.5M | 147M | 101.4M | -94.33M | -106.18M | -38M | -47.14M | -29.61M | -35.29M | -698K | 49.94M | -53.09M | -74.17M | -59.33M | -99.33M | -30.79M | -99.99M | 37.13M | -79.36M | -21.86M | -18.64M | -10.3M | -10.7M | 11M | 6.7M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 27.36% | 25.28% | 20.66% | 22.8% | 22.63% | 21.85% | 18.65% | 22.47% | -58.36% | -707.87% | -192.21% | - | -1014.29% | -66.42% | -0.9% | 149.08% | -1798% | -1865.79% | -4847.55% | -253.18% | -24.86% | -117.39% | 26.7% | -439.82% | -52.99% | -127.81% | -61.31% | -66.88% | 42.15% | 34.9% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 292.6% | 31.46% | 52.71% | 14.88% | 32.32% | 12.25% | 55.44% | 44.97% | 207.49% | 11.16% | -179.45% | 19.4% | -59.22% | 16.11% | -4956.45% | -101.4% | 194.06% | 28.41% | -25% | 40.27% | -222.58% | 69.2% | -369.31% | 146.78% | -263.13% | -17.22% | -81.02% | 3.74% | -197.27% | 64.18% | - |
| Net Income | 702.5M | 478.6M | 341.3M | 249.7M | 154.5M | 89.6M | 407.3M | 37M | 21.1M | -142.54M | -141.09M | -88.93M | -60.54M | -46.09M | 5.03M | 37.57M | -7.97M | -51.04M | -88.61M | -207.3M | -107.2M | -22.19M | -45.77M | -30.26M | -94.54M | -36.91M | -28.81M | -16.8M | -20M | 5.1M | 5.9M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 83.6M | 30.1M | 27.1M | 21.3M | 15.6M | 10.9M | 8.6M | 7.4M | 4M | 2.4M | 1.45M | 1.01M | 827K | 671K | 657K | 694K | 1.44M | 3.18M | 7.61M | 9.4M | 10.57M | 10.09M | 7.08M | 3.69M | 3.1M | 2.65M | 2.2M | 2.1M | 1.7M | 1.3M | 1M |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 235.1M | 217.9M | 195.5M | 194.3M | 173.1M | 134.2M | 100M | 75.3M | 58.1M | 42.52M | 28.46M | 28.39M | 10.38M | 6.82M | 5.48M | 2.92M | 3.13M | 5.54M | 7.99M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | -27.6M | 165.4M | -123.1M | -56.7M | 19.1M | 4.3M | -310.7M | 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 | 16.2M | 19.5M | 173.8M | -46.9M | 44.5M | 800K | 61.2M | 32.1M | 19.9M | 12.1M | -789K | 12.83M | 584K | -3.1M | -32.78M | -37.37M | 62.51M | 2.4M | 11.33M | 121.68M | 8.35M | -21.99M | -36.36M | 46.71M | -1.43M | 10.56M | 7.53M | 2.2M | 9.9M | 2.8M | 500K |
| Working Capital Changes | 56M | -128.8M | -19.2M | 28.2M | -67.4M | 16.7M | -37.9M | -4.8M | -1.7M | -8.81M | 5.78M | 8.7M | 1.61M | 12.1M | -13.67M | -4.52M | -9.16M | -13.18M | -12.48M | 16.88M | -11.05M | 3.3M | -24.93M | 16.98M | 13.51M | 1.85M | 433K | 2.2M | -2.3M | 1.8M | -700K |
| Change in Receivables | -197.5M | -210.5M | -39.8M | -89.3M | -162.2M | -28.4M | -30.5M | -69.2M | -25.1M | -31.13M | 0 | 0 | -1.67M | 13.53M | -12.88M | 2.81M | -4.28M | 2.45M | 2.43M | 7.49M | -4.81M | 6.44M | 5.96M | -15.21M | 8.15M | -3.8M | -4.02M | -800K | -2.9M | 900K | -900K |
| Change in Inventory | -2.3M | -15.3M | -19.1M | 5.4M | -2.6M | -2.5M | -10.7M | -6.4M | -3.5M | -1.02M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Payables | 76.8M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.84M | 3.7M | -949K | 0 | 149K | 985K | 0 | 0 | 9.87M | -5.71M | -3.9M | -31.15M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -705.6M | -264.4M | -126.8M | -467.1M | -177.1M | -130.2M | 4.1M | -211.1M | -242.9M | -251.25M | 112.95M | -195.81M | -105.37M | 5.34M | -34.76M | -3.53M | -54.7M | 12.06M | 44.42M | 20.84M | 120.28M | 9.38M | 18.47M | -186.65M | -46.02M | -16.64M | -75.67M | -21.2M | 4.7M | -7.2M | -48.6M |
| Capital Expenditures | -26.1M | -34M | -38.2M | -28.3M | -16.5M | -23.4M | -10.9M | -14.7M | -24.8M | -6.94M | -4.11M | -1.93M | -1.61M | -545K | -971K | -750K | -315K | -35K | -1.32M | -624K | -3.11M | -7.24M | -53.15M | -50.44M | -5.3M | -3.81M | -2.44M | -2.1M | -3.7M | -6.4M | -2.3M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 0.71% | 1.19% | 1.62% | 1.5% | 1.11% | 2.06% | 1.04% | 1.87% | 5.5% | 4.29% | 27.39% | 9.78% | - | 18.67% | 1.83% | 0.97% | 0.94% | 1.19% | 33.26% | 50.98% | 7.93% | 5.84% | 62.4% | 36.27% | 29.37% | 9.23% | 16.73% | 12.5% | 23.13% | 24.52% | 11.98% |
| Acquisitions | -2.3B | 0 | 0 | 0 | -42.7M | 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 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7K | 13K | 49K | -343K | -68K | 3K | 2.04M | 559K | 1.28M | 596K | -1.03M | 525K | -525K | 20.29M | 11.6M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | -60.4M | -38.3M | -486.7M | 65.3M | -234.3M | 27.4M | -157.8M | 32.4M | 29.5M | 516.65M | 2.39M | 276.99M | 138.73M | 5.3M | 83.7M | 286K | 21.48M | 9.9M | -1.45M | 57.18M | 10.09M | 10.33M | 36.69M | 211.06M | 5.81M | 181.3M | 94.13M | 41M | 1.9M | 700K | 46.8M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 0 | 0 | -308.8M | 0 | -279M | -100K | -186.9M | 0 | 0 | 502.78M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.49M | 56.59M | -5.76M | -6.64M | 29.69M | 14.45M | 2.25M | 1.82M | 757K | 0 | 1.5M | -100K | -700K |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 12.9M | -38.3M | -177.9M | 65.3M | 44.7M | 27.5M | 29.1M | 27.31M | 29.53M | 13.87M | 2.39M | 276.99M | 138.73M | 5.3M | 83.7M | 286K | 21.48M | 9.9M | 34K | 591K | 15.85M | 16.97M | 7M | 196.61M | 3.46M | 179.49M | 93.36M | 41M | 400K | 700K | 47.5M |
| Dividends 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 |
| Share Repurchases | -158.1M | -167.7M | -300M | 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 Financing | -73.3M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.09M | -30K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 236K | 0 | 104K | 0 | 15K | 0 | 0 | 100K | 0 |
| Net Change in Cash | 299.8M | 480M | -18.1M | -11.6M | -73.3M | 153.7M | 74.8M | -31.7M | -112M | 171.06M | 9.16M | 43.18M | -13.78M | -18.96M | 13.65M | -3.94M | 16.72M | -31.14M | -31.2M | 18.68M | 31.03M | -11.08M | -44.83M | 61.54M | -119.58M | 142.81M | -187K | 9.6M | -4.1M | 4.5M | -6.4M |
| Free Cash Flow | 1.04B | 748.7M | 557.2M | 361.6M | 322.9M | 233.1M | 217.6M | 132.3M | 76.6M | -101.27M | -110.29M | -39.93M | -48.75M | -30.15M | -36.27M | -1.45M | 49.63M | -53.13M | -75.49M | -59.96M | -102.44M | -38.03M | -153.13M | -13.31M | -84.67M | -25.66M | -21.09M | -12.4M | -14.4M | 4.6M | 4.4M |
| FCF Margin % | 28.09% | 26.17% | 23.66% | 19.16% | 21.69% | 20.56% | 20.8% | 16.79% | 16.98% | -62.66% | -735.26% | -201.99% | - | -1032.96% | -68.24% | -1.87% | 148.14% | -1799.19% | -1899.04% | -4898.53% | -261.11% | -30.7% | -179.79% | -9.57% | -469.19% | -62.22% | -144.54% | -73.81% | -90% | 17.62% | 22.92% |
| FCF Growth % | 75.3% | 34.37% | 54.09% | 11.99% | 38.52% | 7.12% | 64.47% | 72.72% | 175.64% | 8.18% | -176.2% | 18.09% | -61.69% | 16.86% | -2404.49% | -102.92% | 193.41% | 29.62% | -25.9% | 41.47% | -169.38% | 75.17% | -1050.44% | 84.28% | -229.94% | -21.7% | -70.04% | 13.89% | -413.04% | 4.55% | - |
| FCF per Share | 9.88 | 7.30 | 5.37 | 3.58 | 3.26 | 2.38 | 2.22 | 1.38 | 0.80 | -1.15 | -1.27 | -0.47 | -0.65 | -0.45 | -0.54 | -0.03 | 0.94 | -1.36 | -1.96 | -1.58 | -2.72 | -1.00 | -4.23 | -0.41 | -2.78 | -0.99 | -0.95 | -0.65 | -0.79 | 0.25 | 0.27 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 1.48x | 1.64x | 1.74x | 1.56x | 2.20x | 2.86x | 0.56x | 3.97x | 4.80x | 0.66x | 0.75x | 0.43x | 0.78x | 0.64x | -7.02x | -0.02x | -6.27x | 1.04x | 0.84x | 0.29x | 0.93x | 1.39x | 2.18x | -1.23x | 0.84x | 0.59x | 0.65x | 0.61x | 0.54x | 2.16x | 1.14x |
| Interest Paid | 0 | 0 | 1.6M | 3.8M | 6.6M | 8.6M | 11.6M | 11.6M | 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 | 119.1M | 81.4M | 217.5M | 51.5M | 14.4M | 5.1M | 15.3M | 500K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying NBIX stock.
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (NBIX) generated $782.7M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (NBIX) generated $748.7M 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.
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (NBIX) spent $34.0M 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, Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (NBIX) spent $167.7M on share repurchases. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.
Key Metrics
Top Statement Risk
Lumpy quarterly cash conversion
Metrics are mathematically derived from official filings.
Net Income Understates Recent Cash Generation
Based on NBIX's reported figures, operating cash flow exceeded net income in most recent quarters, with the 2026Q3 ratio reaching 1.91x, which suggests reported earnings are not overstating underlying cash economics.
Operating cash flow was $395.2M against net income of $206.5M in 2026Q3, and the ratio has exceeded 1.0x in six of the last ten quarters. Several quarters, including 2025Q1 at 8.20x, show ratios that are inflated by a very low net income base rather than by unusually strong cash generation, so the ratio should be read with caution. Investors should monitor whether conversion remains above 1.0x as earnings normalize.
Free Cash Flow Margins Volatile but Trending Higher
As reported in financial statements, NBIX's free cash flow margin ranged from 9.0% to 48.5% across the ten quarters, with the most recent period at 34.2%, indicating meaningful improvement from the mid-2024 trough.
The wide margin band reflects quarterly swings in working capital and collections rather than a steady structural trend. Capital expenditure remains small at roughly 0.3% to 2.0% of revenue, so FCF movements are driven almost entirely by operating cash flow variability. The trajectory suggests improving underlying profitability, but the quarter-to-quarter dispersion warrants further investigation before extrapolating recent strength.
Working Capital Swings Drive Quarterly Volatility
Based on NBIX's reported figures, working capital changes ranged from a $119.2M inflow in 2025Q4 to a $86.3M outflow in 2024Q2, a swing that accounts for much of the period-to-period cash flow variance.
Large working capital inflows in several quarters, including $119.2M in 2025Q4 and $94.3M in 2024Q4, suggest that collections timing or receivable and payable settlement is a significant driver of reported operating cash flow. These reversals imply that quarterly OCF is not a clean proxy for steady-state cash earnings. Investors should monitor whether the inflows reflect durable efficiency or timing effects that may reverse.
Capital Returned Through Buybacks, Not Dividends
As reported in financial statements, NBIX paid no dividends across the period while repurchasing shares in several quarters, including $300.0M in 2024Q4 and $150.0M in 2025Q1, indicating buybacks are the primary capital return channel.
The absence of dividends and the episodic, sizable nature of repurchases suggest management prioritizes flexibility over a recurring payout. Buyback timing appears to track periods of strong operating cash flow, which may indicate deployment is opportunistic rather than programmatic. Investors should monitor whether repurchases continue to be funded from operating cash flow or from balance sheet reserves.
Stock-Based Compensation Adds to Cash Reality Gap
According to reported figures, NBIX's stock-based compensation ranged from $41.5M to $66.4M per quarter, a non-cash charge that flatters operating cash flow relative to the economic cost of employee equity.
Because SBC is added back in operating cash flow, the reported conversion ratios may overstate cash earnings available to shareholders on a fully-burdened basis. Given the company's operating margin trails several specialty biotech peers, the cost base appears heavier, which may make the SBC add-back more material to the cash picture. Investors should monitor dilution alongside buybacks to assess whether repurchases merely offset equity issuance.