Operational fragility is underscored by a negative free cash flow margin of -170.3% in 2026Q1, indicating that the firm is unable to fund its activities through core operations.
| 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 | Feb'04 | Feb'03 | Feb'02 | Feb'01 | Feb'00 | Feb'99 | Feb'98 | Feb'97 | Feb'96 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | -10.73M | -8.85M | 642.34K | -10.17M | -10.21M | -5.43M | -9.18M | -5.44M | -6.45M | -5.85M | -8.31M | -17.16M | -28.55M | -19.66M | -6.88M | -15.19M | -12.16M | -12.6M | -21.43M | -15.11M | -13.11M | -10.98M | -8.04M | -2.49M | -1.62M | -1.34M | -633.02K | -733.72K | -569.44K | -22.48K | -22.95K |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | -2501.8% | 83.56% | -1265.29% | -764.96% | -588.89% | -450.48% | -177.17% | -196.97% | -468.63% | -177.35% | -322.01% | -2158.51% | -82.2% | -52.1% | -96.59% | -57.9% | -289.76% | -522.16% | -245.77% | -258.8% | -109.37% | -10883.36% | - | -16268.04% | - | -253209.2% | -311.23% | -4218.1% | - | -1086.04% |
| Operating CF Growth % | -314.97% | -1477.67% | 106.32% | 0.39% | -88.2% | 40.92% | -68.66% | 15.62% | -10.28% | 29.55% | 51.61% | 39.89% | -45.26% | -185.87% | 54.73% | -24.93% | 3.48% | 41.23% | -41.88% | -15.27% | -19.39% | -36.52% | -222.7% | -53.55% | -20.86% | -112.1% | 13.72% | -28.85% | -2433% | 2.04% | - |
| Net Income | -44.98M | -48.47M | 6.25M | -3.88M | -29.82M | -16.13M | -21.09M | -15.5M | -9.1M | -11.02M | -9.08M | -21.25M | -28.66M | -14.86M | -18.18M | -16.23M | -23.34M | -18.63M | -24.84M | -23.83M | -19.09M | -14.92M | 566.88K | -2.59M | -1.59M | -785.64K | -1.23M | -780.03K | -1.11M | -38.01K | -74.15K |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 72.67K | 75.3K | 200.59K | 421.43K | 249.47K | 154.75K | 142.09K | 169.67K | 453.47K | 760.77K | 1.06M | 1.42M | 5.51M | 1.94M | 1.59M | 1.89M | 2.16M | 2.28M | 2.62M | 3.54M | 3.14M | 1.45M | 380.01K | 101.37K | 72.32K | 34.88K | 28.26K | 27.3K | 13.89K | 0 | 0 |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 84.87K | 222.1K | 2.01M | 585.65K | 1.81M | 1.25M | 420.65K | 55.2K | 278.95K | 725.88K | 1.66M | 2.7M | 2.23M | 2.45M | 1.49M | 1.55M | 2.14M | 2.03M | 1.85M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 734.05K | -1.65M | -289.33K | -4.06M | -1.73M | -1M | -4.69M | -3.63M | -4.39M | 14.96M | -1.97M | 78.06K | 0 | 0 | 2.83M | -6.04M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 29.64M | 37.44M | -5.87M | -8.61M | 9.45M | -10.36M | 539.78K | 722.29K | 111.18K | 447.01K | -3.95M | 611.22K | -325.65K | -1.68M | 1.26M | -892.67K | 14.57M | 52.53K | 151.35K | 1.36M | 789.25K | 534.74K | 431.17K | -5.46K | 17.39K | -618.15K | 11.55K | -176.19K | 10.63K | 15.52K | 51.2K |
| Working Capital Changes | 4.45M | 1.88M | -1.94M | 1.31M | 8.11M | 19.66M | 10.81M | 8.37M | 3.46M | 3.24M | 1.99M | -640.85K | -7.3M | -7.5M | 6.97M | -1.52M | -7.68M | 1.67M | -1.21M | 3.83M | 2.05M | -865.87K | -3.38M | 5.17K | -120.35K | 26.3K | 555.99K | 195.21K | 514.88K | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Receivables | 17.13K | 218.13K | -175.44K | 410.39K | -254.36K | -108.61K | 261.34K | 367.83K | -578.16K | 241.43K | 297.84K | -615.99K | -6.27M | 1.79M | -1.6M | -403.86K | -10.34M | 222.53K | 116.25K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.88M | 2.23M | 1.19M | -264.9K | 472.71K | 65.19K | 371.35K | 158.04K | 605.42K | 577.87K | 1.84M | 952.07K | -717.11K | -4.05M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -20K | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Payables | 811.73K | 26.93K | 372.21K | -1.68M | 5.97M | 6.29M | 4.56M | 3.69M | 496.07K | 999.49K | -329.86K | -3.5M | -242.04K | 1.52M | 832.65K | -1.13M | 1.87M | -623.38K | 212.03K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -173.61K | -173.61K | -84.35K | -1.03M | -2.48M | 322.99K | 0 | -15.49K | 994.04K | 80K | 70.32K | 799.59K | -2.97M | -4.5M | -946.19K | -488.76K | -1.63M | -1.65M | -1.36M | -679.87K | -1.91M | -5.48M | -5.6M | -564.34K | -97.3K | -162.31K | -2.85K | -30.89K | -223.96K | 0 | 101K |
| Capital Expenditures | -16.1K | -16.1K | -84.35K | -1.35M | -1.48M | -19.14K | 0 | -15.49K | -9.62K | 0 | -129.68K | -48.41K | -2.97M | -4.5M | -946.19K | -973.76K | -1.63M | -1.15M | -1.38M | -679.87K | -2.31M | -1.87M | -3.61M | -564.34K | -97.3K | -162.31K | -2.85K | -17.89K | -111.68K | 0 | 0 |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 6.67% | 4.55% | 10.97% | 167.56% | 110.7% | 2.08% | - | 0.5% | 0.29% | - | 2.77% | 0.91% | 224.37% | 18.84% | 7.17% | 6.19% | 7.76% | 26.45% | 33.51% | 11.06% | 45.64% | 18.63% | 4883.24% | - | 975.45% | - | 1138% | 7.59% | 827.28% | - | - |
| Acquisitions | 0 | -157.51K | 0 | -1M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1M | 80K | 200K | -2K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.2K | -500K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.32M | -1M | 342.13K | 0 | 0 | 1M | 80K | 200K | 850K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 485K | 0 | 0 | 12K | 0 | 402.57K | -3.61M | -1.99M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | 10.54M | 7.75M | 212.03K | 13.78M | 11.86M | 1.21M | 15.13M | 2.88M | 7.14M | 5.22M | 7.66M | 15.46M | 13.34M | 35.39M | 9.95M | 23.42M | 11.88M | 5.65M | 15.22M | 31.69M | 14.15M | 16.69M | 14.21M | 2.98M | 144.4K | 3.89M | 576.6K | 851.84K | 810.75K | 22.58K | -192.75K |
| Debt Issued (Net) | -1.09M | -1.36M | -3.54M | 13.61M | -3.35M | 1.02M | 3.33M | 2.88M | 1.58M | 5.22M | 7.67M | 14.94M | 3.18M | 9.19M | 9.31M | 7.09M | -1.1M | -244.44K | 4.39M | -3.45M | 3.51M | -162.27K | 1.27M | -15K | -55.6K | -37.1K | 128.12K | 172.75K | 828.25K | 22.58K | 17.25K |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 11.9M | 9.2M | 3.9M | 239.3K | 16.51M | 713.88K | 12.12M | 0 | 4.56M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36.61M | 860.48K | 9.87M | 11.29M | 5.11M | 10.82M | 35.18M | 10.7M | 16.85M | 12.94M | 3M | 200K | 3.52M | 270K | 102.5K | 2.5K | 0 | 40K |
| Dividends Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -10K | -515.56K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -250K |
| Share Repurchases | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.25M | 0 | -5.76M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | -270K | -97.14K | -141.23K | -75.55K | -1.31M | -520.5K | -317.76K | 0 | 999.88K | 0 | -10K | 520.73K | 10.17M | -10.41M | -212.33K | 6.97M | 1.69M | 790.4K | 0 | -45K | -57K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 410.55K | 178.48K | 576.59K | -20K | 0 | 0 |
| Net Change in Cash | -355.88K | -1.28M | 770.02K | 2.58M | -831.33K | -3.89M | 5.95M | -2.58M | 1.68M | -554.45K | -578.67K | -902.23K | -18.18M | 11.23M | 2.12M | 7.74M | -1.91M | -8.59M | -7.58M | 15.91M | -867.49K | 232.61K | 565.78K | -71.99K | -1.58M | 2.39M | -59.27K | 87.23K | 17.35K | 97 | -114.7K |
| Free Cash Flow | -10.74M | -8.87M | 557.99K | -11.52M | -11.69M | -5.44M | -9.18M | -5.46M | -6.46M | -5.85M | -8.43M | -17.21M | -31.52M | -24.16M | -7.82M | -16.16M | -13.79M | -13.75M | -22.81M | -15.79M | -15.42M | -12.85M | -11.65M | -3.06M | -1.72M | -1.5M | -635.87K | -751.6K | -681.13K | -22.48K | -22.95K |
| FCF Margin % | -4453.37% | -2506.35% | 72.59% | -1432.86% | -875.66% | -590.96% | -450.48% | -177.67% | -197.27% | -468.63% | -180.12% | -322.92% | -2382.89% | -101.04% | -59.27% | -102.78% | -65.66% | -316.21% | -555.67% | -256.83% | -304.44% | -128% | -15766.6% | - | -17243.49% | - | -254347.2% | -318.81% | -5045.38% | - | -1086.04% |
| FCF Growth % | -4348.31% | -1688.81% | 104.84% | 1.46% | -114.68% | 40.71% | -68.18% | 15.51% | -10.45% | 30.64% | 51% | 45.4% | -30.46% | -208.88% | 51.6% | -17.22% | -0.3% | 39.73% | -44.48% | -2.4% | -20.01% | -10.29% | -281.16% | -77.67% | -14.29% | -136.67% | 15.4% | -10.35% | -2929.79% | 2.04% | - |
| FCF per Share | -0.19 | -0.23 | 0.02 | -0.57 | -0.68 | -0.41 | -0.87 | -0.58 | -0.75 | -0.71 | -1.12 | -2.32 | -4.46 | -3.52 | -1.27 | -2.76 | -2.52 | -2.93 | -5.56 | -4.02 | -4.01 | -3.64 | -4.93 | -1.32 | -0.98 | -1.35 | -0.72 | -0.87 | -1.43 | -0.03 | -0.00 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 0.24x | 0.21x | 0.04x | -1.90x | 0.46x | 0.54x | 0.62x | 0.52x | 1.25x | 0.75x | 1.31x | 0.94x | 1.08x | 1.83x | 0.38x | 0.94x | 0.52x | 0.68x | 0.86x | 0.63x | 0.69x | 0.74x | -14.18x | 0.96x | 1.02x | 1.71x | 0.52x | 0.94x | 0.51x | 0.59x | 0.31x |
| Interest Paid | 0 | 0 | 430.28K | 172.35K | 222.73K | 0 | 1.28M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 989.6K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Binary litigation outcome dependency
As reported in financial statements, OMEX exhibits a profound divergence between net income and operating cash flow, with the company recording a $347.3K profit in 2026Q1 while simultaneously burning $3.8M in cash, highlighting the non-cash nature of its reported earnings and underlying operational fragility.
The consistent failure of net income to translate into positive operating cash flow suggests that reported profits are likely driven by accounting adjustments or non-recurring items rather than core business activity. Investors should interpret this disconnect as a signal that the company's earnings quality is extremely low, as the cash required to sustain operations is not being generated internally.
Based on recent SEC filings, OMEX's free cash flow remains consistently negative, with a 2026Q1 margin of -170.3%, indicating that the company is unable to fund its ongoing exploration and legal activities through its own operations, necessitating a continuous reliance on external capital injections.
The trajectory of free cash flow shows no signs of stabilization, as the company continues to consume cash at a rate that far exceeds its nominal revenue generation. This trend suggests that the business model is currently unsustainable without a fundamental change in its ability to monetize its subsea assets or secure a major litigation settlement.
According to the company's reported figures, working capital changes have been highly erratic, swinging from a $2.5M inflow in 2026Q1 to a $1.8M outflow in 2024Q4, which reflects the unpredictable nature of project-based cash inflows and the company's reliance on managing payables to preserve liquidity.
The volatility in working capital suggests that the company is managing its cash position by timing payments to vendors and legal counsel, rather than through efficient operational cycles. This approach appears to be a defensive measure to extend the company's runway, but it does not address the underlying lack of sustainable cash generation.
Analysis of the cash flow statement reveals that OMEX frequently masks its true cash burn through non-operating adjustments, as evidenced by the $1.5M in stock-based compensation recorded in 2024Q1, which serves to dilute shareholders while failing to provide the cash necessary for operational survival.
The reliance on stock-based compensation and other non-cash adjustments suggests that the company is attempting to preserve its limited cash reserves by compensating personnel with equity. Investors should monitor these adjustments closely, as they obscure the true cost of maintaining the company's exploration and litigation infrastructure.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying OMEX stock.
Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. (OMEX) generated $-8.8M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. (OMEX) reported negative free cash flow of $8.9M in 2025, indicating capital requirements exceeded cash from operations.
Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. (OMEX) spent $0.0M on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.