Cash flow generation remains highly volatile and dependent on working capital management, with free cash flow swinging from a $8.7 million outflow in 2023Q4 to a $5.6 million contribution in 2025Q3.
| 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 | Jun'12 | Jun'10 | Jun'09 | Jun'08 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 10.8M | 9.56M | -6.08M | -1.36M | -2.34M | 2.57M | 3.1M | 2.28M | 2.97M | -1.65M | -4.39M | 2.66M | -8.56M | -4.44M | -3.82M | -357.39K | -228.13K | -69.88K | -6.9K |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 3.82% | -2.11% | -0.47% | -0.82% | 1.65% | 3.14% | 2.3% | 2.86% | -1.19% | -2.39% | 1.56% | -4.91% | -6.58% | -333.34% | -380.31% | -2490.46% | - | - |
| Operating CF Growth % | 1915.51% | 257.06% | -346.66% | 41.79% | -191.21% | -17.17% | 36.11% | -23.33% | 279.66% | 62.37% | -265.13% | 131.07% | -92.63% | -16.32% | -968.86% | -56.67% | -226.47% | -912.71% | - |
| Net Income | -7.29M | -15.38M | -15.06M | -7.29M | -6.05M | 1.69M | 1.03M | -55.24K | -2.44M | -5.82M | -8.05M | -7.45M | -9.9M | -17.8M | -42.15M | -755.27K | -1M | -57.28K | -4.5K |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 5.74M | 6.05M | 10.27M | 9.95M | 9.97M | 2.98M | 1.48M | 1.62M | 2.89M | 4.16M | 4.17M | 4.57M | 3.83M | 1.82M | 68.58K | 1.2K | 50K | 50K | 0 |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 485K | 1.62M | 1.56M | 1.31M | 1.28M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 793.59K | 1.71M | 1.85M | 1.32M | 1.55M | 2.39M | 1.9M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.09M | 652.27K | -1.39M | -1.07M | 2.1M | 2.81M | 932.7K | -409.33K | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 3.31M | 7.6M | 8.5M | 2.91M | 3.02M | 2.25M | 1.77M | 1.02M | 93.9K | 78.25K | 1.85M | 1.32M | 3.1M | 4.76M | 35.17M | 444.91K | 633.72K | 0 | 0 |
| Working Capital Changes | 8.57M | 9.67M | -11.36M | -8.25M | -10.56M | -4.36M | -1.19M | -310.47K | 549.14K | -2.43M | -2.82M | 3.97M | -9.24M | 1.57M | 257.88K | -48.23K | 88.21K | -12.6K | -2.4K |
| Change in Receivables | 11.34M | 12.76M | -9.75M | -13.71M | -4.18M | -11.68M | -2.31M | 2.75M | -1.53M | 17.91M | -1.99M | -3.93M | -9.22M | -5.25M | -105.93K | 0 | 0 | -13.9K | -13.9K |
| Change in Inventory | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 798.81K | 826.71K | -1.45M | -343.62K | -403.01K | 1.04K | 123 | -3.52K | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Payables | 2.63M | -3.46M | 0 | 7.28M | -5.31M | 7.2M | 1.28M | -2.92M | 1.52M | -21.05M | 458.2K | 8.26M | 358.38K | 5.27M | -26.16K | 76.46K | 99.6K | 250 | 250 |
| Cash from Investing | -335K | 4.58M | -5.97M | -1.9M | -4.33M | -16.93M | -506.07K | -301.33K | -239.97K | -315.29K | -830.46K | -1.64M | -1.02M | 5.16M | 685.11K | -128.65K | -202.76K | -94.52K | -94.52K |
| Capital Expenditures | -542K | -251K | -4.68M | -259K | -1.69M | -636.17K | -506.07K | -301.33K | -239.97K | -315.29K | -830.46K | -1.64M | -1.02M | -215.11K | -14.76K | -88.65K | -45.27K | -5.26K | 0 |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 0.22% | 0.1% | 1.62% | 0.09% | 0.6% | 0.41% | 0.51% | 0.3% | 0.23% | 0.23% | 0.45% | 0.97% | 0.58% | 0.32% | 1.29% | 94.33% | 494.16% | - | - |
| Acquisitions | 1.09M | 6.14M | 0 | 0 | -2.64M | -16.29M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.24M | 25.27K | 0 | -157.5K | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | -887K | -1.3M | -1.29M | -1.64M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -196.46K | -254.77K | -361.14K | -969.96K | -839.61K | 1.14M | 674.6K | -40K | 0 | -94.52K | -94.52K |
| Cash from Financing | -10.76M | -13.52M | 12.13M | -5.98M | 7.81M | 15.27M | 1.51M | -685.74K | -1.66M | 1.69M | 3.56M | -1.18M | 10.06M | 1.48M | 2.35M | 508K | 453.31K | 163.9K | 7.4K |
| Debt Issued (Net) | -10.38M | -13.68M | 11.43M | -7.1M | 7.09M | 14.64M | -1.6M | -756.4K | -1.7M | 1.9M | 629.98K | -1.29M | -8.52M | 1.48M | 1.94M | 149K | 258K | 498.31K | 13.9K |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 91K | 200K | 0 | 1.12M | 933.08K | 634.42K | 3.11M | 70.67K | 40.38K | 32.99K | 2.89M | 0 | 18.58M | 0 | 416.3K | 325K | 250K | 5K | 150K |
| Dividends Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | -31K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | -477K | -40K | 693K | 0 | -214.55K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -234.33K | 40.49K | 110.07K | 0 | 0 | -10.5K | 0 | -54.69K | -50K | 0 |
| Net Change in Cash | -291K | 618K | 72K | -9.24M | 1.14M | 911.6K | 4.11M | 1.29M | 1.07M | -272.89K | -1.66M | -164.81K | 477.56K | 2.19M | -788.29K | 21.95K | 22.42K | -497 | 0 |
| Free Cash Flow | 9.96M | 9.31M | -12.05M | -3.26M | -4.04M | 1.93M | 2.65M | 2.13M | 2.73M | -1.97M | -5.22M | 1.01M | -9.58M | -4.66M | -3.83M | -446.05K | -273.39K | -75.14K | -6.9K |
| FCF Margin % | 4.09% | 3.72% | -4.18% | -1.13% | -1.42% | 1.24% | 2.69% | 2.15% | 2.63% | -1.42% | -2.84% | 0.6% | -5.49% | -6.9% | -334.63% | -474.64% | -2984.62% | - | - |
| FCF Growth % | 205.81% | 177.2% | -269.9% | 19.24% | -309.11% | -27.29% | 24.55% | -21.9% | 238.68% | 62.32% | -614.72% | 110.59% | -105.63% | -21.48% | -759.74% | -63.15% | -263.83% | -989.01% | - |
| FCF per Share | 0.47 | 0.44 | -0.58 | -0.16 | -0.21 | 0.09 | 0.16 | 0.14 | 0.18 | -0.13 | -0.35 | 0.07 | -0.76 | -0.48 | -0.54 | -0.45 | -0.58 | -0.00 | -0.03 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | -1.37x | -0.62x | 0.40x | 0.19x | 0.39x | 1.52x | 2.99x | -41.20x | -1.22x | 0.28x | 0.55x | -0.36x | 0.86x | 0.25x | 0.09x | 0.19x | 0.30x | 1.22x | 1.53x |
| Interest Paid | 3.84M | 0 | 8.79M | 8.57M | 5.72M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 106K | 0 | 789K | 366.36K | 330.87K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Liquidity and scale constraints
As reported in recent financial filings, QRHC exhibits a persistent disconnect between net income and operating cash flow, with the OCF/NI ratio frequently fluctuating into negative territory, suggesting that accounting losses are not being fully mitigated by cash-generative operational activities or efficient working capital management.
The recurring gap between net losses and operating cash flow suggests that the company's reported earnings are heavily impacted by non-cash charges, yet the inability to consistently generate positive cash flow from operations remains a primary concern. Investors should monitor whether this divergence stems from structural inefficiencies in the brokerage model or timing mismatches in vendor payments.
Based on the provided quarterly data, QRHC's free cash flow trajectory remains highly erratic, swinging from a significant outflow of $8.7 million in 2023Q4 to a modest positive contribution of $5.6 million in 2025Q3, reflecting an unstable cash generation profile that lacks predictable growth.
The inconsistency in FCF margins appears to be driven by sharp fluctuations in working capital rather than sustainable operational improvements. This volatility suggests that the company's cash position is highly sensitive to the timing of client collections and vendor disbursements, which may limit its ability to fund long-term strategic initiatives.
According to the company's cash flow statements, working capital changes have acted as the primary lever for cash flow volatility, with swings as large as $9.4 million in a single quarter, indicating that the business is heavily reliant on managing payables to maintain liquidity.
The reliance on working capital shifts to bridge the gap between operating cash flow and net income suggests that the company may be stretching vendor payment terms to preserve its thin cash reserves. This strategy appears to be a defensive measure that could potentially strain relationships with third-party haulers if not managed with extreme precision.
As evidenced by the reported financial data, QRHC maintains a low capital intensity, with CapEx/Revenue ratios consistently remaining below 1% in recent periods, which aligns with the company's asset-light, vendor-neutral brokerage business model that avoids heavy investment in physical waste infrastructure.
While the low capital expenditure requirements are a structural advantage of the brokerage model, the lack of investment in technology or infrastructure may hinder the company's ability to scale its data-driven service offerings. Analysts should investigate whether this minimal spending is a strategic choice or a symptom of constrained financial resources.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying QRHC stock.
Quest Resource Holding Corporation (QRHC) generated $9.6M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Quest Resource Holding Corporation (QRHC) generated $9.3M 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.
Quest Resource Holding Corporation (QRHC) spent $0.3M on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.