Free cash flow burn has accelerated to $38.7M in 2027Q1, driven by a high capital expenditure-to-revenue ratio of 43.8% required for manufacturing expansion.
| Metric | TTM | Dec'25 | Mar'25 | Apr'24 | Apr'23 | Apr'22 | Apr'21 | Apr'20 | Apr'19 | 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 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | -105.17M | -89.13M | -20.54M | -18.56M | -29.78M | -16.02M | -1.4M | -811.58K | -753.39K | -1.52M | -1.59M | -271.02K | -216.67K | 105.04K | -269.19K | -59.52K | -40.86K | 2.96K | 28.27K | -1.42K | -65 | -140.91K | -391.2K | -221.36K |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | -218.85% | -282.26% | -104.07% | -644.5% | -249.17% | -27.98% | -200.92% | -716.63% | -162690.89% | -781.76% | -4169.49% | -514.72% | 1240.53% | -847.99% | -783.2% | -537.66% | -4.39% | 62.13% | -18.74% | -0.93% | -81.04% | -44.2% | -22.87% |
| Operating CF Growth % | -770.7% | -334.04% | -10.63% | 37.67% | -85.91% | -1045.06% | -72.38% | -7.72% | 50.37% | 4.65% | -487.41% | -25.09% | -306.28% | 139.02% | -352.24% | -45.67% | -1478.61% | -89.51% | 2085.04% | -2090.77% | 99.95% | 63.98% | -76.72% | - |
| Net Income | -71.86M | -72.08M | -65.42M | -24.05M | -28.11M | -11.69M | -13.24M | -1.6M | -751.33K | 1.13M | -3.38M | -3.55M | -7.36M | 158.39K | 851.93K | -84.74K | -70.38K | -84.04K | 397.37K | 99.07K | 385.06K | -408.96K | 514.53K | 458.97K |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 2.49M | 2.27M | 2.12M | 1.42M | 966.07K | 264.8K | 36.83K | 0 | 154.71K | 12.61K | 12.3K | 5.11K | 20.6K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.04K | 9.98K |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 8.44M | 10.56M | 6.15M | 3.61M | 3.7M | 3.29M | 3.39M | 269.89K | 70K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 119.53K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 443K | -539K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -70K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 2.43M | 8.23M | 36.17M | 5.13M | -614.21K | -791.73K | 8.22M | 204K | -84.71K | -3.45M | 1.88M | 3.17M | 6.96M | 0 | -1.02M | 20.02K | 37.68K | 38.48K | -406.36K | -126.35K | -410.43K | 133.9K | -457.51K | -872.74K |
| Working Capital Changes | -43.47M | -37.58M | 444.21K | -4.67M | -5.72M | -7.09M | 188.94K | 316.45K | -72.06K | 790.43K | -103.01K | 101.27K | 42.55K | -53.36K | -97.56K | 5.2K | -8.16K | 48.52K | 37.25K | 25.86K | 25.31K | 134.15K | -458.25K | 182.42K |
| Change in Receivables | -9.02M | -25.67M | 3.87M | -3.64M | -288.99K | -74.32K | -72.53K | 161.2K | -938 | -38 | 0 | 0 | -624 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12.75K | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | -36.68M | -10.5M | -4.65M | 913.34K | -5.71M | -2.23M | -60.04K | 48.76K | -623.65K | 389.97K | 0 | 0 | 624 | 0 | -37.9K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -377.18K | 0 |
| Change in Payables | 7.72M | 1.57M | 467.92K | 187.87K | 434.8K | -1.17M | 13.82K | 68.07K | 20.89K | 314.12K | -13.21K | 2.62K | 43.17K | -36.87K | -60.57K | -5K | 0 | 11.94K | 10.37K | 10.37K | -547 | -92.89K | -95.05K | 70.69K |
| Cash from Investing | -13.16M | -6.65M | 4.24M | 13.57M | 29.59M | -46.6M | -48.37K | 46.33K | -849.81K | 86.38K | -8.32K | -22.78K | 0 | 0 | 952.28K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 439.13K | 120.13K | 211.44K |
| Capital Expenditures | -13.16M | -6.65M | -245.33K | -259.14K | -2.45M | -363.69K | 0 | 0 | -974.3K | 0 | -8.74K | -22.78K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 34.64% | 16.32% | 3.37% | 1.45% | 53.03% | 5.66% | - | 0% | 926.77% | - | 4.29% | 350.48% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Acquisitions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1M | 0 | 24.87K | -48.37K | 46.33K | 99.5K | 0 | 420 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 0 | 0 | 4.48M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 125K | 86.38K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 439.13K | 29.18K | 334.18K |
| Cash from Financing | 242.53M | 254.49M | 19.39M | 7.8M | -633.55K | 66.43M | 1.49M | 498.49K | 686.5K | 1.69M | 1.82M | 211.8K | 210.54K | -192.63K | -587.43K | 30K | 51K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -300.57K | 271.95K | 12.25K |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 11.7M | 13.35M | 13.06M | -572.14K | -606.9K | -929.95K | 1.29M | 346.25K | 1.24M | 1.69M | -2.5K | 186.8K | 205.54K | -17.63K | -587.43K | 20K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -136.5K | 261.45K | -7.5K |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 256.64M | 256.62M | 6.33M | -33.25K | 0 | 70.07M | 201.25K | 152.24K | 684.7K | 0 | 1.5M | 25K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10K | 51K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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 |
| Share Repurchases | -239K | 0 | 0 | -33.25K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | -25.81M | -15.48M | 0 | 8.41M | -26.65K | -2.7M | 0 | 0 | -1.24M | 0 | 325K | 0 | 5K | -175K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -164.07K | 10.5K | 19.75K |
| Net Change in Cash | 124.2M | 158.71M | 5.89M | 2.81M | -824.51K | 3.81M | 40.68K | -266.77K | -66.89K | 253.5K | 222.21K | 2.24K | -6.12K | -87.6K | 95.67K | -29.52K | 10.14K | 2.96K | 28.27K | -1.42K | -65 | -2.36K | 882 | 2.33K |
| Free Cash Flow | -100.97M | -95.78M | -20.7M | -18.82M | -32.23M | -16.38M | -1.4M | -811.58K | -1.73M | -1.35M | -1.6M | -135.32K | -216.67K | 105.04K | -269.19K | -59.52K | -40.86K | 2.96K | 28.27K | -1.42K | -65 | -140.91K | -391.2K | -221.36K |
| FCF Margin % | -265.85% | -235.17% | -284.51% | -105.52% | -697.52% | -254.83% | -27.98% | -200.92% | -1643.4% | -144874.06% | -786.05% | -2081.91% | -514.72% | 1240.53% | -847.99% | -783.2% | -537.66% | -4.39% | 62.13% | -18.74% | -0.93% | -81.04% | -44.2% | -22.87% |
| FCF Growth % | -81.19% | -362.72% | -9.98% | 41.61% | -96.74% | -1071.05% | -72.38% | 53.02% | -27.82% | 15.56% | -1082.87% | 37.54% | -306.28% | 139.02% | -352.24% | -45.67% | -1478.61% | -89.51% | 2085.04% | -2090.77% | 99.95% | 63.98% | -76.72% | - |
| FCF per Share | -0.84 | -0.80 | -0.27 | -0.31 | -0.60 | -0.34 | -0.06 | -0.06 | -6.05 | -23.27 | -45.77 | -3.92 | -213.04 | 1141.70 | -2925.92 | -744.04 | -517.24 | 38.00 | 362.40 | -18.26 | -0.83 | -1806.60 | -6112.44 | -3458.78 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 1.41x | 1.24x | 0.31x | 0.77x | 1.06x | 1.37x | 0.11x | 0.51x | 1.00x | -1.34x | 0.47x | 0.71x | 0.03x | 0.66x | -0.32x | 0.70x | 0.58x | -0.04x | 0.07x | -0.01x | -0.00x | 0.34x | -0.76x | -0.53x |
| Interest Paid | 8.27K | 0 | 21.95K | 70.18K | 122.1K | 164.57K | 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 |
Persistent negative operating cash
As reported in recent financial filings, RCAT's operating cash flow consistently trails net income, with the 2027Q1 OCF/NI ratio of 1.20 highlighting a significant divergence between accounting losses and the actual cash required to sustain the company's current manufacturing and operational scaling efforts.
The persistent gap between net income and operating cash flow suggests that the company's accounting losses are being exacerbated by cash-intensive working capital requirements. Investors should monitor whether this trend reflects a structural inability to convert revenue into cash or merely the temporary costs associated with ramping up government-mandated production.
Based on the provided cash flow statements, RCAT's free cash flow trajectory has deteriorated significantly, with quarterly burn reaching $38.7M in 2027Q1, a trend that underscores the high capital intensity required to maintain its position as a finalist in federal drone procurement programs.
The widening FCF deficit indicates that the company is currently in a high-burn phase, likely driven by aggressive investment in inventory and production capacity. This trajectory suggests that the company remains entirely dependent on its existing cash reserves to fund operations until it achieves meaningful scale.
According to historical data, RCAT's capital expenditure has surged to $6.8M in 2027Q1, representing a 43.8% ratio relative to revenue, which indicates that the company is heavily investing in the physical infrastructure necessary to meet the stringent domestic manufacturing requirements of its government contracts.
This elevated capital intensity suggests that the company is transitioning from a light-asset model to a more capital-heavy manufacturing operation. Analysts should evaluate whether these investments are yielding the expected production throughput or if they represent a recurring burden that will continue to suppress free cash flow.
As indicated by the financial statements, RCAT has experienced consistent working capital outflows, including an $11.6M drain in 2027Q1, which suggests that the company is struggling to balance inventory procurement with the delayed payment cycles typical of large-scale federal government defense contracts.
The persistent negative working capital changes imply that the company is effectively financing its customers' procurement cycles through its own cash reserves. This dynamic warrants further investigation into the company's ability to negotiate more favorable payment terms as its government programs mature.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying RCAT stock.
Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (RCAT) generated $-89.1M in net cash from operating activities in 2026. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (RCAT) reported negative free cash flow of $95.8M in 2026, indicating capital requirements exceeded cash from operations.
Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (RCAT) spent $6.6M on capital expenditures in 2026. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.