Free cash flow remains highly erratic, swinging from a 30.2% margin in 2027Q1 to negative territory in prior periods, highlighting a reliance on inconsistent working capital management rather than core operational profitability.
| Cash from Operations | 22.69M | 25.05M | 29.96M | 2.82M | -20.93M | 62.03M | -720.66K | -37.41M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 4.89% | 5.64% | 0.51% | -3.77% | 11.75% | - | -7.28% |
| Operating CF Growth % | -308.29% | -16.4% | 963.34% | 113.46% | -133.74% | 8708.08% | 98.07% | - |
| Net Income | -144.89M | -139.82M | 0 | -349.29M | -56.34M | 7.9M | 1.12M | -849.21M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 127.97M | 127.35M | 0 | 155.84M | 176.85M | 146.1M | 0 | 106.08M |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 12M | 13.24M | 19.59M | 31.07M | 36.62M | 22M | 0 | 83K |
| Deferred Taxes | -5.74M | -8.35M | 0 | -22.07M | -43.08M | -18.67M | -8.68K | 5.76M |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 68.08M | 37.93M | 4.33M | 203.05M | -92.95M | -112.83M | -2.52M | 455.67M |
| Working Capital Changes | -34.73M | -5.29M | 6.05M | -15.79M | -42.03M | 17.54M | 681.68K | 244.2M |
| Change in Receivables | 1.69M | 7.37M | 4.09M | -2.09M | -1.56M | 2.04M | 0 | 23.68M |
| Change in Inventory | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 248.25M |
| Change in Payables | -5.59M | 7.5M | -855K | -3.85M | -5.98M | -2.88M | 378.02K | -6.58M |
| Cash from Investing | -16.92M | -18.55M | -18.36M | -23.04M | -42.18M | -574.6M | 856.25K | -17.4M |
| Capital Expenditures | -1.68M | -1.77M | 0 | -4.18M | -15.27M | -12.99M | 0 | -17.4M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 0.35% | 0.34% | 3.46% | 0.76% | 2.75% | 2.46% | - | 3.39% |
| Acquisitions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -26.92M | -561.61M | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | -15.24M | -16.79M | -18.36M | -18.86M | 0 | 0 | 856.25K | 690M |
| Cash from Financing | -9.42M | -8.05M | -51.51M | -10.81M | 77.23M | 440.35M | 1.5M | 57.8M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | -3.2M | -4.8M | -6.4M | -1.12M | 84.36M | -88.24M | 1.5M | 57.8M |
| Equity Issued (Net) | -2.9M | -3.25M | -1.13M | -8.05M | -2.85M | -2.13M | 0 | 693.61M |
| Dividends Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | -173K | 0 | -1.13M | -8.05M | -2.85M | -2.13M | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | -3.32M | 0 | -43.98M | -1.65M | -4.28M | 530.71M | 0 | -693.61M |
| Net Change in Cash | -4.69M | 1.14M | -43.19M | -31.03M | 8.63M | 148.32M | 1.64M | 3.34M |
| Free Cash Flow | 7.98M | 23.28M | 11.6M | -15.09M | -36.2M | 49.05M | -720.66K | -54.81M |
| FCF Margin % | 1.65% | 4.54% | 2.18% | -2.73% | -6.52% | 9.29% | - | -10.66% |
| FCF Growth % | -70.8% | 100.78% | 176.88% | 58.33% | -173.8% | 6905.71% | 98.69% | - |
| FCF per Share | 0.91 | 2.71 | 1.41 | -1.87 | -4.56 | 7.37 | -0.17 | -2.65 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | -0.06x | -0.18x | -0.25x | -0.01x | 0.03x | -0.88x | 0.01x | 0.04x |
| Interest Paid | 41.96M | 55.5M | 63.11M | 64.23M | 49.08M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 1.22M | 1.79M | 3.7M | 5.84M | 4.17M | 0 | -373K | 0 |
Persistent negative operating margins
Based on reported financial statements, Skillsoft exhibits a persistent disconnect between net income and operating cash flow, with the company frequently generating positive cash flow despite reporting consistent net losses, a trend that warrants further investigation into the sustainability of its working capital management practices.
The recurring gap between net losses and operating cash flow suggests that non-cash charges, particularly high depreciation and amortization, are significantly inflating the company's cash-generative appearance. Investors should monitor whether this cash flow is truly operational or merely a byproduct of aggressive working capital timing that may not be repeatable in future periods.
As indicated by recent quarterly filings, Skillsoft's free cash flow trajectory remains highly erratic, swinging from a peak margin of 30.2% in 2027Q1 to negative territory in multiple quarters, which suggests that the business lacks the predictable cash-generative profile required for long-term capital stability.
The extreme volatility in FCF margins appears to be driven by the company's inability to consistently convert its high gross margin content sales into actual cash. This inconsistency may indicate that the underlying business model is struggling to balance its high fixed-cost structure with the cyclical nature of enterprise training demand.
According to the provided cash flow data, working capital changes have acted as a primary, albeit inconsistent, lever for cash flow, with significant swings such as the $26.0M inflow in 2026Q4 followed by a $33.5M outflow in 2026Q3, highlighting the company's reliance on timing-based cash management.
The reliance on working capital fluctuations to bridge the gap between operating performance and cash generation suggests that the company may be pulling forward collections or delaying payables to manage liquidity. Such tactics often provide only temporary relief and may mask underlying operational inefficiencies that could become more pronounced if growth continues to contract.
Based on historical figures, Skillsoft maintains a remarkably low capital intensity, with CapEx as a percentage of revenue rarely exceeding 0.6% in recent quarters, which suggests that the company is prioritizing cash preservation over significant investment in new infrastructure or platform development.
While low capital intensity is often a hallmark of scalable software businesses, in Skillsoft's case, it may indicate a lack of necessary reinvestment in the Percipio platform. This strategy warrants further investigation, as failing to adequately fund product innovation could erode the company's competitive moat against more agile, tech-forward competitors.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying SKIL stock.
Skillsoft Corp. (SKIL) generated $25.1M in net cash from operating activities in 2026. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Skillsoft Corp. (SKIL) generated $23.3M in free cash flow in 2026. Free cash flow is the cash left over after capital expenditures, which can be used to pay dividends, repurchase shares, or pay down debt.
Skillsoft Corp. (SKIL) spent $1.8M on capital expenditures in 2026. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.