Free cash flow remains highly volatile, swinging to a negative $127.3 million in 2026Q1 due to a significant $282.7 million working capital outflow that masks underlying operational profitability.
| Cash from Operations | 543.58M | 403.84M | 349.72M | 256.2M | 266.63M | 492.99M | 291.7M | 122.82M | 347.6M | 378.94M | 585.06M | 414.6M | 392.26M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 13.49% | 12.64% | 9.96% | 8.79% | 18.8% | 14.95% | 5.27% | 13.95% | 15.47% | 30.59% | 22.23% | 18.52% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 164.15% | 15.47% | 36.5% | -3.91% | -45.92% | 69% | 137.5% | -64.67% | -8.27% | -35.23% | 41.12% | 5.69% | - |
| Net Income | 210.08M | 132.63M | -205.03M | -296.08M | 227.38M | 309.29M | -559.25M | -215.88M | 131.9M | 271.46M | 208.89M | -178.57M | 456K |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 347.13M | 356.61M | 380.39M | 310.48M | 290.94M | 258.71M | 240.81M | 317.89M | 267.19M | 270.45M | 275.03M | 295.26M | 319.03M |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 102.94M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -63.62M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 34.49M | 101.95M | 155.97M | 37.64M | -48.6M | 8.78M | 517.67M | 88.59M | 143.2M | -77.82M | -79.93M | 235.61M | 196.89M |
| Working Capital Changes | -198.23M | -187.35M | 18.39M | 101.23M | -203.08M | -83.8M | 92.46M | -67.78M | 40.35M | -85.15M | 181.07M | 62.3M | -124.11M |
| Change in Receivables | -134.74M | -110.79M | -85.21M | 58.07M | 2.22M | -54.68M | -68.99M | -8.63M | 8.54M | -63.17M | -54.19M | 56.29M | 12M |
| Change in Inventory | -80.66M | -83.93M | -34.73M | 127M | -75.07M | -102.07M | 8.88M | -35.42M | 52.47M | -15.68M | -62.59M | 65.89M | -22.31M |
| Change in Payables | 154.98M | 118.67M | 139.09M | -451K | -32.48M | 44.88M | 84.11M | 18.82M | 57.41M | 47.57M | 23.12M | 21.79M | -110.45M |
| Cash from Investing | -365.88M | -320.88M | -237.61M | -270.35M | -378.93M | -469.27M | -382.59M | -335.39M | -158.1M | -328.37M | -201.42M | -156.66M | -432.1M |
| Capital Expenditures | -392.36M | -353.86M | -259.01M | -310.15M | -387.06M | -485.2M | -323.69M | -396.67M | -299.77M | -197.64M | -182.99M | -187.07M | -154.01M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 12.09% | 11.82% | 9.36% | 12.05% | 12.76% | 18.5% | 16.59% | 17% | 12.03% | 8.07% | 9.57% | 10.03% | 7.27% |
| Acquisitions | 3.39M | 5.66M | 2.59M | 0 | -4.14M | 0 | -11.38M | -64.48M | 0 | -81.61M | -201.91M | 43.41M | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 8.97M | 0 | 18.81M | 20.24M | 8.62M | 2.21M | 0 | 6.57M | 1.27M | -64.15M | -18.43M | 55.87M | -278.08M |
| Cash from Financing | -201.58M | -200.35M | 61.94M | -34.64M | -149.23M | -344.13M | 465.01M | -119.29M | -177.41M | 52.85M | -92.24M | -385.88M | 200.33M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | -97.12M | -110.42M | 85.91M | 14.15M | -74.58M | -291.61M | 529.06M | 73.51M | -464K | 293.34M | 67.87M | -257.26M | 202.31M |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 0 | 0 | 0 | -25M | -6.13M | 0 | 0 | -8.1M | -1.35M | 306.43M | 100.14M | -117.51M | 40K |
| Dividends Paid | -61.03M | -34.27M | -15.53M | -23.71M | -68.47M | -52.34M | -55.96M | -113.39M | -3.48M | -61.55M | -129.59M | -13.35M | -26.79M |
| Share Repurchases | 0 | 0 | 0 | -25M | -6.13M | 0 | 0 | -8.1M | -1.35M | 0 | 0 | -117.6M | 0 |
| Other Financing | -43.42M | -55.66M | -8.44M | -74K | -63K | -178K | -8.09M | -71.31M | -172.12M | -546.93M | -200.58M | 2.24M | 24.78M |
| Net Change in Cash | -4.75M | -104.67M | 163.28M | -40.57M | -245.99M | -342.35M | 387.55M | -334.32M | 13.9M | 103.46M | 294.16M | -129.26M | 160.51M |
| Free Cash Flow | 151.58M | 51.97M | 90.71M | -57.04M | -120.43M | 7.78M | -31.99M | -273.85M | 47.83M | 181.3M | 402.07M | 227.53M | 238.25M |
| FCF Margin % | 4.67% | 1.74% | 3.28% | -2.22% | -3.97% | 0.3% | -1.64% | -11.74% | 1.92% | 7.4% | 21.02% | 12.2% | 11.25% |
| FCF Growth % | 324.84% | -42.71% | 259.03% | 52.64% | -1647.78% | 124.32% | 88.32% | -672.61% | -73.62% | -54.91% | 76.71% | -4.5% | - |
| FCF per Share | 1.14 | 0.39 | 0.68 | -0.43 | -0.91 | 0.06 | -0.24 | -2.06 | 0.36 | 1.56 | 3.56 | 2.02 | 2.11 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 0.72x | 3.04x | -1.71x | -0.88x | 5.37x | 4.31x | -0.52x | -0.85x | 4.64x | 2.99x | 6.28x | -3.20x | -11.59x |
| Interest Paid | 0 | 0 | 139.71M | 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 |
Working capital volatility
As reported in recent financial statements, Nexa's operating cash flow frequently diverges from net income, evidenced by a 2026Q1 OCF/NI ratio of -0.62, which suggests that accounting profits are not currently translating into immediate cash generation due to significant non-cash adjustments and working capital timing differences.
The persistent gap between net income and operating cash flow warrants caution, as it indicates that reported earnings may be sensitive to non-cash items or timing-related accruals. Investors should monitor whether this disconnect is a temporary byproduct of the Aripuanã ramp-up or a structural feature of the company's revenue recognition cycle.
Based on the provided cash flow data, Nexa's free cash flow trajectory remains highly erratic, swinging from a positive $169.4 million in 2025Q4 to a negative $127.3 million in 2026Q1, highlighting the sensitivity of cash generation to the company's ongoing capital-intensive operational expansion and market price fluctuations.
The inconsistency in free cash flow suggests that the business is still in a phase where capital expenditures and working capital requirements can easily overwhelm operating cash inflows. This volatility implies that the company's ability to self-fund its operations remains fragile and highly dependent on the successful stabilization of its newer mining assets.
According to recent SEC filings, Nexa's capital expenditure intensity, measured as a percentage of revenue, reached 8.1% in 2026Q1, reflecting a sustained commitment to infrastructure investment that continues to exert pressure on the company's overall free cash flow generation capacity during this growth phase.
The consistent level of capital spending suggests that management is prioritizing long-term asset development over immediate cash return. While this may be necessary for the Aripuanã project, it keeps the company in a capital-intensive cycle that limits the visibility of sustainable, recurring free cash flow.
As indicated by the quarterly cash flow data, Nexa experienced a significant working capital outflow of $282.7 million in 2026Q1, which appears to be the primary driver behind the quarter's negative operating cash flow and suggests potential inefficiencies in inventory management or receivables collection cycles.
The magnitude of these working capital swings suggests that the company's cash position is highly sensitive to operational timing. Investors should investigate whether these outflows represent a temporary build-up of inventory to support the Aripuanã ramp-up or a more permanent challenge in managing the cash conversion cycle.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying NEXA stock.
Nexa Resources S.A. (NEXA) generated $403.8M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Nexa Resources S.A. (NEXA) generated $52.0M 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.
Nexa Resources S.A. (NEXA) spent $353.9M 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, Nexa Resources S.A. (NEXA) returned $34.3M to shareholders via cash dividends. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.