Free cash flow remains highly volatile, evidenced by a swing from a negative 8.7% margin in 2025Q2 to a positive 12.2% margin in 2025Q3, largely driven by cyclical working capital fluctuations.
| 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 | 258.16M | 303.83M | 632.85M | 619.53M | 98.11M | 163.71M | 355.58M | 127.88M | 292.65M | -305.43M | 95.81M | 180.51M | 110.32M | 76.07M | 67.44M | 115.72M | 98.18M | 122.67M | 145.44M | 99.42M | 73.69M | 12.73M | 13.25M | 60.02M | 75.19M | 45.61M | 1.55M | 64.1M | 41.4M | -39.9M | -7.7M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 3.68% | 7.27% | 6.75% | 0.94% | 1.73% | 4.26% | 1.65% | 4.13% | -4.56% | 1.75% | 3.36% | 2.08% | 1.48% | 1.27% | 2.19% | 2.04% | 2.97% | 3.01% | 2.07% | 1.93% | 0.39% | 0.43% | 2.06% | 2.6% | 2.19% | 0.08% | 4.22% | 4.13% | -6.36% | -2.25% |
| Operating CF Growth % | -474.11% | -51.99% | 2.15% | 531.49% | -40.07% | -53.96% | 178.07% | -56.3% | 195.82% | -418.8% | -46.93% | 63.63% | 45.03% | 12.79% | -41.72% | 17.87% | -19.97% | -15.65% | 46.29% | 34.91% | 479.07% | -3.93% | -77.93% | -20.16% | 64.86% | 2848.03% | -97.59% | 54.83% | 203.76% | -418.18% | -92.5% |
| Net Income | 179.84M | 157.35M | 249.69M | 281.31M | 280.61M | 219.34M | 172.64M | 159.41M | 163.68M | 90.68M | 84.69M | 75.85M | 75.68M | 71.02M | 92.76M | 100.23M | 75.48M | 33.57M | -239.73M | 72.01M | 65.71M | 54.7M | 80.53M | 37.75M | -42.84M | 33.89M | 56.67M | 33.6M | 20.5M | 13.2M | 5.7M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 109.02M | 106.32M | 98.14M | 62.48M | 56.61M | 55.42M | 65.56M | 46.21M | 37.46M | 42.6M | 38.13M | 37.96M | 40.57M | 41.54M | 41.18M | 39.14M | 38.01M | 41.16M | 41.24M | 34.53M | 25.37M | 18.2M | 20.36M | 30.37M | 21.94M | 17.83M | 14.6M | 7.9M | 4.3M | 2.5M | 1.1M |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 17.92M | 0 | 33.97M | 28.95M | 22.71M | 18.2M | 17.73M | 16.01M | 15.36M | 12.83M | 11.06M | 8.92M | 7.75M | 6.43M | 8.55M | 7.92M | 6.96M | 7.76M | 7.99M | 13.73M | 13.73M | 766K | 0 | 0 | 2M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 8.48M | 1.89M | 8.3M | -13.08M | -9.25M | 11.86M | -13.25M | 7.42M | 9.13M | 19.14M | 10.52M | 5.17M | 3.79M | 3.44M | 8.98M | 4.55M | 18.06M | 18.32M | -108.09M | 1.07M | 2.74M | 4.54M | -2.39M | 214K | -3.61M | 2.27M | -3.56M | 1.8M | -2.6M | 300K | -400K |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 56.43M | 90.66M | 8.84M | 10.17M | 14.21M | 21.48M | 32.65M | 16.63M | 8.71M | 12.09M | 4.72M | 11.5M | 10.88M | 8.11M | 3.89M | 10.68M | 7.38M | 12.02M | 408.2M | 4.37M | -2.28M | 16.2M | -3.88M | 19.25M | 114.74M | 35M | 22.68M | 17.1M | 100K | 8.3M | 2.7M |
| Working Capital Changes | -113.53M | -52.39M | 233.91M | 249.71M | -266.78M | -162.59M | 80.25M | -117.79M | 58.33M | -482.76M | -53.31M | 41.1M | -28.35M | -54.49M | -87.92M | -46.8M | -47.71M | 9.83M | 35.83M | -26.3M | -31.58M | -81.68M | -81.36M | -27.57M | -17.04M | -43.38M | -88.84M | 3.7M | 5.6M | -64.2M | -16.8M |
| Change in Receivables | -1.49B | -1B | -656.09M | 6.88M | -406.37M | -282.02M | -132.6M | -118.97M | -46.88M | -208.06M | -168.97M | -47.21M | -107.97M | 111.55M | -141.18M | -78.88M | -153.91M | 11.18M | 53.8M | 3.03M | 3.03M | 5.29M | 5.61M | 0 | 10.1M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | -103.4M | -37.4M | 54.44M | 75.73M | 53.71M | -148.94M | 1.03M | 11.94M | 46.53M | -14.05M | -50.71M | -9.21M | -35.71M | -7.39M | 27.48M | -8.25M | -39.23M | 1.81M | -11.9M | -4.28M | 21.29M | -27.58M | -32.84M | -26.01M | -19.99M | -12.35M | -13.45M | 12.2M | 15.9M | -19.8M | -4.5M |
| Change in Payables | 1.12B | 939.86M | 825.55M | 216.23M | 53.61M | 284.94M | 152.24M | -612K | 29.84M | -237.46M | 193.58M | 113.59M | 121.51M | -130.66M | 56.44M | 45.2M | 157.56M | -15.41M | -27.94M | 226.2M | 208.5M | -9.31M | 1.81M | 0 | -15.03M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -308.67M | -309.8M | -303.28M | -505.2M | -137.84M | -21.07M | 9.71M | -733.37M | -91.71M | -204.65M | -21.18M | -57.64M | -7.51M | -19.02M | -33.98M | -40.86M | -23.09M | -36.42M | -153.81M | -7.13M | -297.45M | -12.27M | -1.1M | -25.32M | -120.96M | -73.67M | -43.24M | -32.1M | -17.8M | -9.4M | -4.9M |
| Capital Expenditures | -23.39M | -24.52M | -46.78M | -39.25M | -70.94M | -52.08M | -24.18M | -69.09M | -17.25M | -19.23M | -12.27M | -13.42M | -9.98M | -19.02M | -30.15M | -27.09M | -17.97M | -14.71M | -26.65M | -35.76M | -34.24M | -38.81M | -20.7M | -25.32M | -18.51M | -31.32M | -41.43M | -32.1M | -17.7M | -9.4M | -4.9M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 0.28% | 0.3% | 0.54% | 0.43% | 0.68% | 0.55% | 0.29% | 0.89% | 0.24% | 0.29% | 0.22% | 0.25% | 0.19% | 0.37% | 0.57% | 0.51% | 0.37% | 0.36% | 0.55% | 0.74% | 0.9% | 1.19% | 0.67% | 0.87% | 0.64% | 1.5% | 2.03% | 2.11% | 1.77% | 1.5% | 1.43% |
| Acquisitions | -285.28M | -285.28M | -270.25M | -481.46M | -68.25M | 0 | -6.41M | -664.29M | -74.46M | -185.41M | -10.3M | -44.22M | 0 | -3.83M | -3.83M | -13.77M | -5.12M | -21.71M | -126.27M | -321.17M | -321.17M | 0 | -20.38M | 0 | -102.45M | -42.34M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 0 | 0 | 13.75M | 15.52M | 1.35M | 31M | 40.3M | 0 | 479K | 1.52M | 1.38M | 0 | 2.47M | 3.83M | -3.83M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -900K | 349.8M | 57.96M | 26.54M | 18.63M | -25.32M | 102.45M | 0 | -1.81M | 0 | -100K | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | 162.05M | 82.29M | -321.27M | -16.71M | 114.01M | -161.38M | -361.79M | 577.59M | -159.03M | 397.12M | -57.91M | -82.74M | -48.53M | -75.71M | -14.57M | -68.03M | -17.89M | -70.27M | 9.21M | -100.21M | 240.05M | 1.94M | -12.14M | -27.09M | 41.96M | 35.05M | -172K | 22.5M | -17.3M | 35.2M | 10.4M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 55.62M | 485.57M | -71.03M | 299.56M | 244.7M | -101.36M | -431.38M | 697.22M | -114.75M | 269.25M | -51.25M | 27.23M | -3.87M | -14.17M | -15.89M | 24M | -17.1M | -67.95M | 56.19M | -75.22M | 187.94M | 41.31M | -40M | -39.37M | 13M | 18.15M | 17.88M | 5.7M | -24.7M | 32.8M | 0 |
| Equity Issued (Net) | -226.12M | -151.12M | -200.02M | -217.11M | -107.92M | -50M | -25M | -27.9M | -22.07M | 0 | -52.22M | -94.11M | -50.38M | -57.77M | 0 | -50M | 0 | 0 | -44.97M | -25.48M | 16.46M | -39.21M | 27.71M | 12.28M | 28.96M | 16.91M | -18.05M | 16.7M | 7.7M | 2.4M | 38.1M |
| 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 | -226.12M | -151.12M | -200.02M | -217.11M | -107.92M | -50M | -25M | -27.9M | -22.07M | 0 | -50M | -91.84M | -50.38M | -57.77M | -3.29M | -50M | 0 | 0 | -50M | -50M | 0 | -50M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -34.47M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | 332.55M | -252.16M | -50.23M | -99.16M | -22.77M | -10.03M | 94.59M | -91.73M | -22.21M | 127.87M | 45.57M | -15.86M | 5.72M | -3.77M | 1.32M | -42.03M | -797K | -2.32M | -2.01M | 486K | 38.35M | -155K | 155K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100K | 100K | 0 | -27.7M |
| Net Change in Cash | 118.78M | 98.79M | -9.32M | 105.07M | 59.74M | -24.61M | 14.29M | -28M | 36.85M | -97.05M | 14.9M | 23.45M | 37.71M | -25.3M | 23.78M | 4.57M | 55.7M | 18.89M | -7.54M | 2.02M | 19.55M | -3.3M | -3.45M | 10.97M | -938K | 6.95M | -41.76M | 53.7M | 6M | -14.1M | -2.2M |
| Free Cash Flow | 234.78M | 279.31M | 586.06M | 580.28M | 27.17M | 111.63M | 331.4M | 58.79M | 275.4M | -324.66M | 83.54M | 167.09M | 100.34M | 57.04M | 37.29M | 88.63M | 80.21M | 107.97M | 118.79M | 63.66M | 39.45M | -26.08M | -7.46M | 34.71M | 56.68M | 14.28M | -39.88M | 32M | 23.7M | -49.3M | -12.6M |
| FCF Margin % | 2.84% | 3.39% | 6.73% | 6.32% | 0.26% | 1.18% | 3.97% | 0.76% | 3.89% | -4.84% | 1.52% | 3.11% | 1.89% | 1.11% | 0.7% | 1.68% | 1.67% | 2.61% | 2.46% | 1.33% | 1.03% | -0.8% | -0.24% | 1.19% | 1.96% | 0.69% | -1.95% | 2.11% | 2.36% | -7.85% | -3.68% |
| FCF Growth % | -43.6% | -52.34% | 1% | 2035.97% | -75.66% | -66.31% | 463.7% | -78.65% | 184.83% | -488.63% | -50% | 66.53% | 75.9% | 52.97% | -57.93% | 10.5% | -25.71% | -9.11% | 86.61% | 61.36% | 251.25% | -249.73% | -121.49% | -38.76% | 296.85% | 135.81% | -224.63% | 35.02% | 148.07% | -291.27% | -137.74% |
| FCF per Share | 7.61 | 8.63 | 15.37 | 15.58 | 0.74 | 3.03 | 9.35 | 1.63 | 7.65 | -8.97 | 2.29 | 4.37 | 2.43 | 1.32 | 0.83 | 1.93 | 1.71 | 2.33 | 2.55 | 1.28 | 0.81 | -0.53 | -0.15 | 0.75 | 1.26 | 0.34 | -0.95 | 0.79 | 0.62 | -1.38 | -0.47 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 1.31x | 1.93x | 2.53x | 2.20x | 0.35x | 0.75x | 2.06x | 0.80x | 1.79x | -3.37x | 1.13x | 2.38x | 1.46x | 1.07x | 0.73x | 1.15x | 1.30x | 3.65x | -0.61x | 1.28x | 0.96x | 0.23x | 0.16x | 1.59x | -1.76x | 1.35x | 0.03x | 1.91x | 2.02x | -3.02x | -1.35x |
| Interest Paid | 0 | 0 | 35.23M | 28.29M | 16.3M | 8.85M | 16.61M | 6.25M | 10.15M | 10.98M | 3.78M | 2.87M | 2.44M | 2.7M | 3.27M | 3.71M | 4.52M | 5.21M | 12.33M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 0 | 0 | 92.84M | 104.5M | 91.48M | 75.99M | 62.55M | 42.48M | 31.22M | 55.47M | 39.05M | 41.06M | 51.72M | 37.87M | 43.94M | 28.96M | 11.58M | 4.1M | 34.42M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Working capital volatility
As reported in financial statements, NSIT's operating cash flow to net income ratio has fluctuated wildly, ranging from a negative 3.77 in 2025Q2 to a positive 10.39 in 2025Q1, suggesting that GAAP net income is a poor proxy for the company's underlying cash-generative capacity.
The significant divergence between net income and operating cash flow appears driven by the company's heavy reliance on working capital management within its hardware distribution business. Investors should monitor whether this volatility is a structural byproduct of the shift toward net-reported software revenue or if it indicates underlying inefficiencies in cash collection cycles.
Based on the provided financial data, NSIT's free cash flow margin has exhibited extreme variance, swinging from a negative 8.7% in 2025Q2 to a peak of 12.2% in 2025Q3, which highlights the inherent difficulty in predicting cash flow generation in a services-led transformation.
The erratic FCF trajectory suggests that the company's cash flow is highly sensitive to the timing of large-scale enterprise IT spending and the associated working capital requirements. This inconsistency warrants further investigation into whether the business can achieve a stable, predictable FCF profile as it matures into a specialized solutions integrator.
According to recent SEC filings, NSIT's working capital changes are the primary determinant of quarterly cash flow, evidenced by a massive $268.6 million outflow in 2025Q2 followed by a $160.6 million inflow in 2025Q3, reflecting the cyclical nature of hardware procurement and client payment terms.
The company's cash position appears hostage to the timing of large hardware shipments and the subsequent collection of receivables. This dynamic suggests that any disruption in client liquidity or supply chain timing could lead to rapid, albeit temporary, cash flow pressure that may not reflect the long-term health of the services business.
As indicated by the historical cash flow data, NSIT has prioritized both inorganic growth and shareholder returns, with acquisition spending reaching $398.6 million in 2023Q4 and share repurchases totaling $75 million in 2026Q1, signaling a management team focused on aggressive capital deployment.
The combination of high-cost acquisitions and consistent share buybacks suggests a management team confident in the long-term ROI of their strategic pivot. However, investors should monitor whether this aggressive deployment leaves sufficient liquidity to navigate potential downturns in the hardware refresh cycle, especially given the thin net margins.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying NSIT stock.
Insight Enterprises, Inc. (NSIT) generated $303.8M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Insight Enterprises, Inc. (NSIT) generated $279.3M 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.
Insight Enterprises, Inc. (NSIT) spent $24.5M 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, Insight Enterprises, Inc. (NSIT) spent $151.1M on share repurchases. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.