Persistent negative free cash flow, highlighted by a -41.7% FCF margin in 2026Q1, indicates that the firm is currently unable to self-fund its operations or capital expenditure requirements.
| 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 | -12.43M | -10.75M | -14.74M | 6.47M | -553K | -6.84M | 7.37M | -4.68M | 1.96M | 442K | 104K | -1.16M | -1.43M | -2.72M | -3.41M | 20.76M | 7.73M | 8.5M | 465K | 6.7M | 1.67M | 7.39M | 6.9M | 3.96M | 5.61M | -204K | -227K | -263K | 1.8M | 0 | -1.3M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | -17.43% | -24.94% | 7.21% | -0.78% | -9.47% | 6.99% | -6.38% | 3.96% | 0.89% | 0.2% | -1.86% | -2.51% | -3.65% | -2.67% | 17.5% | 7.9% | 8.44% | 0.62% | 12.38% | 1.9% | 8.14% | 8.27% | 4.66% | 6.73% | -0.27% | -0.38% | -0.57% | 5.88% | - | -4.19% |
| Operating CF Growth % | -36.06% | 27.07% | -327.8% | 1270.34% | 91.91% | -192.79% | 257.33% | -338.93% | 343.44% | 325% | 108.98% | 19.13% | 47.28% | 20.33% | -116.42% | 168.55% | -9.04% | 1727.53% | -93.06% | 300.36% | -77.37% | 7.21% | 74.21% | -29.47% | 2851.47% | 10.13% | 13.69% | -114.61% | - | 100% | -1400% |
| Net Income | -17.7M | 0 | -19.57M | 918K | -3.21M | 1.09M | 3.15M | 2.73M | -1.07M | -3.54M | -13.26M | -63K | -2.99M | -34.47M | -6.55M | 11.8M | 3.27M | 9.57M | 920K | -9.21M | 4.71M | 3.74M | -19.36M | 3.12M | 2.2M | -602K | -556K | 1.57M | 500K | -3.9M | -400K |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 1.81M | 0 | 1.76M | 2.57M | 2.11M | 1.69M | 1.6M | 1.34M | 1.46M | 3.8M | 4.17M | 3.72M | 4.24M | 4.13M | 5.47M | 4.96M | 4.53M | 4.75M | 4.87M | 3.87M | 4.86M | 4.75M | 5.47M | 4.87M | 4.24M | 4.62M | 3.65M | 2.78M | 2.1M | 2M | 2.3M |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 407K | 0 | 656K | 548K | 408K | 250K | 236K | 179K | 198K | 144K | 98K | 92K | 34K | 125K | 191K | 345K | 343K | 964K | 531K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 0 | 0 | 4.45M | -66K | -390K | -3.86M | -119K | 4K | -1.11M | -668K | -3.06M | 418K | 539K | -639K | 1.63M | -3.09M | 1.82M | -2.43M | -4.55M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 618K | -7.83M | 188K | 95K | -178K | -4.34M | -9K | 181K | -1.97M | 736K | 9.24M | -3.01M | -1.05M | 25.53M | -4.22M | -2.32M | 426K | -39K | 444K | 11.5M | -1.05M | 926K | 19.38M | 591K | 1.23M | 408K | -13K | -1.19M | -1.6M | 3.2M | -100K |
| Working Capital Changes | -729K | -2.92M | -2.23M | 2.41M | 709K | -1.67M | 2.52M | -9.12M | 4.46M | -35K | 2.92M | -2.32M | -2.2M | 2.61M | 70K | 9.07M | -2.66M | -4.32M | -1.75M | 542K | -6.85M | -2.02M | 1.41M | -4.62M | -2.06M | -4.63M | -3.31M | -3.42M | 800K | -1.3M | -3.1M |
| Change in Receivables | -2.87M | -3.58M | 1.37M | -2.77M | 4.96M | -1.74M | -2.85M | -10.71M | 139K | 515K | 1.07M | -968K | -713K | 3.77M | 5.93M | 7.13M | 3.21M | -77K | 1.36M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -765K | 625K | 5M | -782K | -2.21M | 8.23M | 2.88M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Payables | 152K | -1.66M | -6.67M | 665K | -6.27M | -6.55M | 4.22M | 664K | 765K | 1.09M | -3.19M | -3.66M | -29K | -6.43M | -12.05M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -5.33M | -4.95M | -4.13M | -2.04M | -997K | -1.56M | -1.59M | -1.41M | -1.32M | -340K | -415K | -492K | 6.58M | -1.49M | -711K | -12.98M | -5.05M | -6.36M | 1.75M | -7.58M | -6.84M | -2.52M | -6.75M | -3.41M | -4.76M | -14.02M | -5.15M | -3.22M | -1.7M | -1.5M | -1M |
| Capital Expenditures | -5.2M | 0 | -3.4M | -1.71M | -1.02M | -1.58M | -1.72M | -1.53M | -1.43M | -439K | -436K | -623K | -464K | -944K | -412K | -2.3M | -1.57M | -1.52M | -981K | -2.72M | -6.35M | -2.1M | -2.74M | -2.18M | -4.76M | -4.08M | -3.17M | -1.83M | -2M | -1.5M | -2.1M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 8.83% | 7.63% | 5.76% | 1.91% | 1.45% | 2.18% | 1.63% | 2.09% | 2.89% | 0.88% | 0.85% | 1% | 0.81% | 1.27% | 0.32% | 1.94% | 1.61% | 1.51% | 1.3% | 5.03% | 7.22% | 2.31% | 3.28% | 2.57% | 5.71% | 5.48% | 5.36% | 3.95% | 6.54% | 5.28% | 6.77% |
| Acquisitions | 23K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50K | 1.21M | -18K | 0 | -15.63M | 0 | 0 | -14K | -2.99M | 0 | 0 | -2.9M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2.23M | -2.62M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | -154K | -4.95M | -725K | -324K | 26K | 17K | 122K | 123K | 114K | 99K | 21K | 177K | 7.07M | -508K | 1.62M | -840K | -533K | 31K | 2.75M | -1.86M | -495K | -425K | -1.11M | -1.23M | 4K | -9.93M | 257K | 1.23M | 300K | 0 | 1.1M |
| Cash from Financing | -812K | -981K | 40.95M | 1.7M | -921K | 4.94M | 1.89M | 992K | -580K | -5.02M | -956K | -530K | -1.8M | 168K | -3.57M | 3.5M | -2.65M | -2.13M | -2.21M | -1.55M | 6.94M | -4.99M | -339K | -352K | -1.5M | 14.58M | 5.06M | 3.52M | 400K | 1.8M | 2.1M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | -958K | -958K | -1.12M | 1.6M | -838K | -774K | 1.97M | 971K | -616K | -5.02M | -1.18M | -1.51M | -2.96M | 204K | -3.53M | 2.65M | -3.76M | -3.51M | -2.18M | -1.65M | -5.14M | -5.38M | -11.29M | -3.04M | -2.02M | 3.95M | 3.54M | 4.2M | 400K | -1.7M | -2.5M |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 146K | -23K | 41.86M | 0 | 0 | 5.76M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 64K | 971K | 1.19M | 0 | 0 | 1M | 509K | 631K | 209K | 472K | 12.08M | 1.11M | 10.95M | 2.68M | 512K | 10.63M | 1.51M | -657K | 0 | 3.5M | 4.6M |
| 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 | -184K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | -1K | 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 | -4K | -800K | 0 | 0 | -1.8M |
| Other Financing | 0 | 0 | 219K | 94K | -83K | -48K | -79K | 21K | 36K | 0 | 156K | 0 | -35K | -36K | -35K | -157K | 601K | 753K | -238K | -366K | 0 | -715K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -22K | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Net Change in Cash | -18.95M | -17.21M | 22.08M | 6.14M | -2.48M | -3.46M | 7.67M | -5.08M | 42K | 900K | -1.27M | -2.25M | 3.35M | -4.04M | -7.69M | 11.95M | 35K | 12K | 11K | -2.43M | 1.77M | -121K | -196K | 199K | -648K | 362K | -318K | 40K | 500K | 300K | -200K |
| Free Cash Flow | -17.59M | -15.46M | -18.82M | 4.43M | -1.58M | -8.41M | 5.65M | -6.22M | 528K | 3K | -332K | -1.78M | -1.9M | -3.66M | -3.82M | 18.46M | 6.16M | 6.98M | -516K | 3.97M | -4.67M | 5.29M | 4.16M | 1.78M | 852K | -4.29M | -3.4M | -2.1M | -200K | -1.5M | -3.4M |
| FCF Margin % | -29.87% | -25.07% | -31.84% | 4.94% | -2.23% | -11.66% | 5.36% | -8.46% | 1.07% | 0.01% | -0.65% | -2.85% | -3.32% | -4.92% | -3% | 15.56% | 6.3% | 6.93% | -0.68% | 7.35% | -5.32% | 5.83% | 4.99% | 2.1% | 1.02% | -5.75% | -5.74% | -4.51% | -0.65% | -5.28% | -10.97% |
| FCF Growth % | -5.87% | 17.87% | -524.52% | 381.35% | 81.27% | -248.84% | 190.91% | -1277.65% | 17500% | 100.9% | 81.36% | 6.07% | 48.2% | 4.21% | -120.7% | 199.66% | -11.76% | 1452.71% | -112.98% | 185.02% | -188.27% | 27.25% | 133.63% | 109.04% | 119.88% | -26.14% | -61.99% | -948.5% | 86.67% | 55.88% | -21.43% |
| FCF per Share | -0.95 | -0.84 | -1.25 | 0.32 | -0.12 | -0.66 | 0.46 | -0.52 | 0.04 | 0.00 | -0.03 | -0.15 | -0.17 | -0.32 | -0.34 | 1.67 | 0.56 | 0.64 | -0.05 | 0.38 | -0.48 | 0.59 | 0.47 | 0.23 | 0.10 | -0.86 | -0.89 | -0.49 | -0.08 | -0.70 | -1.91 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 0.99x | 0.78x | 0.74x | 13.34x | 0.14x | -8.19x | 2.58x | -2.02x | -1.38x | -0.12x | -0.01x | 1.10x | 1.17x | 0.08x | 1.01x | 2.57x | 2.96x | 0.88x | 0.24x | -0.73x | 0.36x | 1.98x | -0.36x | 1.27x | 2.55x | 0.34x | 0.41x | -0.17x | 3.60x | - | 4.33x |
| Interest Paid | 0 | 0 | 478K | 308K | 173K | 230K | 366K | 422K | 248K | 318K | 424K | 903K | 607K | 714K | 922K | 707K | 893K | 4.19M | 1.71M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 0 | 0 | 53K | 0 | 6K | 47K | 70K | 245K | 160K | 58K | 41K | 116K | 41K | 110K | 479K | 2.05M | 492K | 349K | 3K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Persistent operating cash burn
As reported in recent financial filings, Perma-Fix consistently records negative net income alongside operating cash outflows, with the OCF/NI ratio frequently failing to provide a positive signal of earnings quality, as evidenced by the -3.8M operating cash outflow reported during the 2026Q1 period.
The persistent gap between net income and operating cash flow suggests that the company's accounting losses are not merely non-cash accounting artifacts but reflect genuine operational cash consumption. Investors should monitor whether the inability to convert revenue into positive cash flow is a structural byproduct of high fixed-cost facility maintenance or an indication of inefficient project execution.
Based on the provided cash flow data, Perma-Fix has maintained a consistently negative free cash flow trajectory, with FCF margins reaching a low of -42.1% in 2024Q3, indicating that the firm is currently unable to self-fund its operations or capital expenditure requirements through internal cash generation.
The consistent negative FCF trend underscores the company's reliance on external liquidity or existing cash reserves to sustain its business model. This trajectory appears to be driven by the combination of weak operating performance and the ongoing necessity of capital investment to maintain specialized waste treatment infrastructure.
According to historical cash flow statements, Perma-Fix continues to deploy capital into its facilities, with CapEx/Revenue ratios peaking at 13.4% in 2025Q4, suggesting that the company must maintain significant investment levels despite the lack of corresponding growth in top-line revenue or operational profitability.
The necessity of these capital expenditures, even during periods of negative operating cash flow, highlights the high-maintenance nature of the company's regulated treatment facilities. This capital intensity may limit the firm's flexibility to pivot resources toward higher-growth initiatives without further straining its liquidity position.
As indicated by quarterly cash flow data, working capital changes have been highly erratic, swinging from a $5.6M inflow in 2023Q4 to a $3.8M outflow in 2024Q3, reflecting the inherent lumpiness of government-contracted project cycles and the difficulty in managing cash conversion efficiency.
These fluctuations suggest that the company's cash position is highly sensitive to the timing of project milestones and government payment cycles. The lack of a stable working capital trend warrants further investigation into whether the company is experiencing delays in collections or inventory build-ups that could further pressure liquidity.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying PESI stock.
Perma-Fix Environmental Services, Inc. (PESI) generated $-10.8M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Perma-Fix Environmental Services, Inc. (PESI) reported negative free cash flow of $15.5M in 2025, indicating capital requirements exceeded cash from operations.
Perma-Fix Environmental Services, Inc. (PESI) 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.