Liquidity remains under severe pressure as the company burned through cash, resulting in a free cash flow margin of -96.7% and a cash balance decline to $223.2M in 2026Q1.
| 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 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | -580.31M | -535.84M | -728.64M | -1.11B | -620.83M | -358.18M | -155.48M | -53.32M | -58.35M | -60.18M | -29.64M | -47.27M | -40.78M | -26.88M | -20.16M | -33.31M | -40.77M | -38.23M | -56.6M | -49.31M | -46.11M | -39.87M | -33.9M | -38.02M | -36.89M | -55.29M | -65.49M | -23.74M | -7.5M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | -75.48% | -115.88% | -124.15% | -88.51% | -71.3% | 166.75% | -23.19% | -33.41% | -45.27% | -34.49% | -45.77% | -63.49% | -101.05% | -77.24% | -120.58% | -209.37% | -310.99% | -316.16% | -303.07% | -588.42% | -295.62% | -210% | -304.08% | -312.18% | -962.93% | -781.7% | -215.81% | -115.38% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 17.98% | 26.46% | 34.15% | -78.24% | -73.33% | -130.37% | -191.57% | 8.61% | 3.04% | -103.07% | 37.31% | -15.92% | -51.71% | -33.31% | 39.46% | 18.3% | -6.65% | 32.45% | -14.78% | -6.95% | -15.65% | -17.62% | 10.84% | -3.04% | 33.27% | 15.58% | -175.89% | -216.52% | - |
| Net Income | -1.68B | -1.63B | -2.1B | -1.37B | -724.01M | -459.96M | -596.15M | -83.74M | -78.11M | -127.08M | -57.49M | -55.69M | -88.49M | -62.67M | -31.86M | -27.45M | -46.96M | -40.71M | -121.7M | -60.57M | -50.31M | -51.74M | -46.74M | -53.04M | -47.22M | -73.11M | -86.24M | -33.47M | -9.6M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | -6.92M | 44.56M | 84.56M | 71.08M | 51.6M | 23.37M | 15.57M | 12.64M | 11.71M | 9.78M | 5.24M | 2.99M | 4.34M | 4.18M | 4.38M | 4.46M | 7.23M | 5.77M | 6.62M | 5.46M | 3.22M | 4.05M | 6.76M | 6.47M | 8.23M | 7.91M | 5.84M | 1.45M | 600K |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 23.14M | 34.23M | 82.2M | 162.91M | 0 | 76.47M | 17.14M | 10.89M | 8.77M | 9.21M | 9.29M | 7.82M | 4.16M | 2.18M | 2M | 1.45M | 1.17M | 1.93M | 8.59B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 0 | 10K | -3.15M | -8.53M | 170K | -16.2M | -30.84M | 0 | -9.22M | 51.55M | -5.37M | 6.39M | -935.9K | -3.17M | -6.78M | 27.11M | -787.13K | 4.43M | -8.59B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4.5K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | -416.88M | 1.04B | 1.21B | 578.81M | 241.21M | 94.14M | 463.52M | 16.51M | 13.88M | 770K | 1.76M | 116K | 52.26M | 37.1M | 2M | -30.9M | 1.17M | -4.15M | 53.28M | 5.49M | 4.3M | 8.67M | 6.65M | 9.3M | 5.04M | 10.82M | 11.06M | 6.55M | 600K |
| Working Capital Changes | -131.2M | -27.99M | 2.79M | -542M | -189.8M | -75.99M | -24.7M | -9.62M | -4.64M | -4.41M | 16.93M | -8.89M | -12.11M | -4.5M | 10.09M | -7.97M | -2.61M | -5.49M | 5.21M | 306.76K | -3.32M | -841.09K | -563.22K | -750.83K | -2.94M | -904.77K | 3.85M | 1.73M | 900K |
| Change in Receivables | -32.78M | -47.37M | 55.16M | -163.03M | -70.44M | -38.21M | -15.7M | 10.59M | -17.76M | -3.41M | 10.73M | -5.64M | -9.35M | -2.41M | 9.37M | -9.19M | -2.19M | 65.44K | 2.28B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | 63.39M | 51.89M | 129.29M | -408.63M | -363.71M | -100.95M | -63.39M | -24.63M | 19.04M | -18.84M | 2.81M | -7.25M | -9.17M | -1.86M | -1.29M | 1.44M | -4.41M | -95.94K | -521.25K | 655.75K | -866.2K | -1.17M | -863.4K | -277.17K | 239.28K | -103.27K | -1.86M | -290K | 0 |
| Change in Payables | -7.24M | 83.68M | -59.46M | 21.72M | 88.46M | 24.91M | 51.88M | 17.23M | -10.27M | 11.43M | 10.77M | 7.21M | 10.82M | -2.14M | 914K | -1.1M | 2.62B | -3.94B | 1.1B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -100.36M | -137.23M | -402.36M | 728.05M | -679.37M | -1.74B | -95.33M | -14.24M | -19.57M | -44.36M | -58.08M | -2.02M | -965K | 3.21M | -13.92K | 10.32M | 98.57M | -25.78M | 65.66M | 33.08M | -163.63M | -28.58M | -36.65M | 44.11M | 9.45M | -13.45M | -51.34M | -10.79M | -2.4M |
| Capital Expenditures | 29.94M | -125.64M | -334.25M | -696.13M | -463.87M | -192.34M | -48.26M | -14.62M | -19.57M | -44.36M | -58.08M | -3.52M | -1.41M | -111K | -78K | -1.33M | -1.1M | -532.96K | -1.42M | -2.94M | -1.27M | -999.58K | -1.62M | -627.35K | -1.27M | -2.68M | -11.99M | -10.79M | -2.4M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 4.05% | 17.7% | 53.16% | 78.1% | 66.13% | 38.29% | -51.76% | 6.36% | 11.21% | 33.37% | 67.59% | 3.41% | 2.2% | 0.42% | 0.3% | 4.8% | 5.65% | 4.34% | 7.92% | 18.1% | 16.27% | 7.41% | 10.01% | 5.02% | 10.73% | 46.66% | 143.16% | 98.07% | 36.92% |
| Acquisitions | -830K | 0 | -68.62M | 0 | -56.91M | -154.12M | -45.11M | 375K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.5M | 414K | 3.23M | 0 | 0 | 3.34M | 223K | 0 | 13.96K | 0 | 0 | 0 | -7.06M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | -129.47M | -11.59M | 500K | -71.5M | 0 | -928K | -1.96M | 0 | -929K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34K | 84K | 64K | 1.25M | 1.74M | -2.27M | 14.59K | -47.73M | -1M | 5K | 0 | 36.52M | 274K | 36.67K | -11.12M | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | 404.42M | 628.17M | 983.17M | 6.12M | -77.46M | 3.6B | 1.52B | 326.97M | 120.08M | 71.62M | 76.67M | -32.92M | 182.92M | 19.37M | 15.7M | 25.93M | -61.38M | -2.39M | 60.22M | 80.65K | 214.75M | 71.35M | 840.5K | 55.33M | 1.05M | 63.88M | 3.85M | 202.03M | 10.8M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | -34.95M | -282.08M | 136.8M | 24.62M | -53.36M | 20.61M | 203.89M | 157.37M | 124.58M | 34.59M | 49.11M | 14.47M | -777K | 1.9M | -89.22K | 5.4M | -60.94M | -1.94M | 60.64M | -400K | -4.05M | -484.26K | -415.23K | 54.89M | -361.06K | -382.77K | -352.66K | -350.96K | 0 |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 444.69M | 720.66M | 857.87M | -10.01M | 2.3M | 3.59B | 1.27B | 169.61M | 38.13M | 36.93M | 27.57M | -247K | 176.1M | 17.4M | 17.19M | 22.43M | -441.51K | -534.42K | -618.64K | 480.65K | 217.71M | 71.77M | 910.72K | 118.28K | 1.1M | 64.4M | 4.2M | 208.21M | 0 |
| 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 |
| Share Repurchases | 0 | 0 | 0 | -10.01M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4.04M | -43.5M | -3.7M | -182K | -247K | -603K | 0 | 0 | -158.49K | -441.51K | -534.42K | -618.64K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -315.3K | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.64M | 0 |
| Other Financing | -5.31M | 189.59M | -11.5M | -8.49M | -26.4M | -10.67M | 39.93M | 0 | -43.36M | 97K | 0 | -47.14M | 7.6M | 64K | -1.4M | -1.89M | 0 | 76.49K | 202.88K | 0 | 1.1M | 70.74K | 345K | 325K | 310K | -139.2K | 0 | -5.83M | 10.8M |
| Net Change in Cash | -175.87M | 151.59M | -128.44M | -380.2M | -1.79B | 1.5B | 1.26B | 100.89M | 42.1M | -32.58M | -11.16M | -82.24M | 141.18M | -4.35M | -4.48M | 2.9M | -3.63M | -66.26M | 68.77M | -14.82M | 5.02M | 2.9M | -69.71M | 61.43M | -26.39M | -4.86M | -112.98M | 167.5M | 900K |
| Free Cash Flow | -666.2M | -661.48M | -1.06B | -1.8B | -1.08B | -551.44M | -205.7M | -65.54M | -77.19M | -104.55M | -87.71M | -50.79M | -42.19M | -26.99M | -20.24M | -34.64M | -41.87M | -38.76M | -58.02M | -52.26M | -47.38M | -40.87M | -35.51M | -38.64M | -38.16M | -57.97M | -77.49M | -34.53M | -9.9M |
| FCF Margin % | -90.06% | -93.18% | -169.03% | -202.25% | -154.64% | -109.77% | 220.62% | -28.5% | -44.2% | -78.65% | -102.08% | -49.18% | -65.69% | -101.47% | -77.54% | -125.37% | -215.02% | -315.32% | -324.08% | -321.16% | -604.69% | -303.04% | -220.01% | -309.1% | -322.91% | -1009.59% | -924.87% | -313.88% | -152.31% |
| FCF Growth % | 29.31% | 37.77% | 41.04% | -66.19% | -96.7% | -168.08% | -213.85% | 15.09% | 26.17% | -19.19% | -72.68% | -20.38% | -56.32% | -33.34% | 41.55% | 17.28% | -8.02% | 33.19% | -11.02% | -10.29% | -15.94% | -15.08% | 8.1% | -1.26% | 34.16% | 25.19% | -124.42% | -248.76% | - |
| FCF per Share | -0.48 | -0.57 | -1.24 | -3.03 | -1.87 | -0.99 | -0.58 | -0.28 | -0.35 | -0.48 | -0.49 | -0.29 | -0.26 | -0.35 | -0.59 | -1.84 | -3.19 | -3.00 | -6.49 | -5.98 | -5.50 | -5.21 | -4.86 | -6.43 | -7.54 | -12.38 | -17.89 | -13.14 | -0.07 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 0.40x | 0.33x | 0.35x | 0.81x | 0.86x | 0.78x | 0.26x | 0.64x | 0.75x | 0.47x | 0.52x | 0.85x | 0.46x | 0.43x | 0.63x | 1.21x | 0.87x | 0.94x | 0.47x | 0.81x | 0.92x | 0.77x | 0.73x | 0.72x | 0.78x | 0.76x | 0.76x | 0.71x | 0.78x |
| Interest Paid | 9.31M | 0 | 44.96M | 0 | 0 | 19.33M | 28.94M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Persistent Cash Burn Sustainability
According to recent financial statements, the company consistently reports net losses that dwarf operating cash outflows, with the OCF/NI ratio fluctuating wildly, such as the 0.61 observed in 2026Q1, highlighting the significant impact of non-cash charges and accounting adjustments on the reported bottom line.
The persistent gap between net income and operating cash flow suggests that the company's reported losses are heavily influenced by non-cash items, likely related to warrant accounting and stock-based compensation. Investors should monitor whether this divergence narrows as the company attempts to scale its internal hydrogen production, as the current reliance on non-cash adjustments obscures the true cash-burning nature of the core operations.
As reported in quarterly filings, the company's free cash flow trajectory remains firmly in negative territory, with a 2026Q1 FCF margin of -96.7%, underscoring the ongoing struggle to achieve self-sustaining operations despite various attempts to optimize the capital-intensive infrastructure build-out.
The consistent negative FCF margins indicate that the company is nowhere near a self-funding state, requiring continuous external capital to bridge the gap between operational cash needs and revenue generation. This trajectory suggests that the business model remains highly sensitive to the timing of large-scale project deployments and the associated working capital requirements.
Based on historical data, the company's capital intensity remains elevated, with CapEx as a percentage of revenue reaching as high as 83.7% in 2023Q4, reflecting the massive upfront investment required to construct green hydrogen production facilities and expand the proprietary refueling infrastructure network.
While CapEx has moderated from the extreme levels seen in 2023, the ongoing investment remains a significant drain on liquidity. The high capital intensity suggests that the company is still in a heavy asset-building phase, which may continue to pressure cash reserves until these facilities reach sufficient utilization to drive meaningful margin expansion.
As evidenced by the quarterly cash flow data, working capital changes have been highly erratic, swinging from a $77.2M inflow in 2024Q4 to a $72.3M outflow in 2025Q4, which complicates the company's ability to forecast short-term liquidity needs effectively.
This volatility in working capital likely reflects the lumpy nature of equipment deliveries and the timing of payments from large-scale logistics customers. The inability to maintain a stable working capital cycle suggests that the company's cash position remains vulnerable to operational delays and the timing of large project milestones.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying PLUG stock.
Plug Power Inc. (PLUG) generated $-535.8M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Plug Power Inc. (PLUG) reported negative free cash flow of $661.5M in 2025, indicating capital requirements exceeded cash from operations.
Plug Power Inc. (PLUG) spent $125.6M on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.