Cash flow quality remains obscured by non-recurring items, with FFO/NI ratios exhibiting extreme variance from -10.25 in 2024Q1 to 16.91 in 2025Q3, complicating the assessment of sustainable dividend coverage.
| 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 | 884.1M | 864.2M | 888.8M | 807.9M | 752.2M | 770.5M | 554.03M | 521.2M | 363.11M | 261.75M | 249.92M | 189.76M | 134.52M | 116.93M | 91.15M | 63.52M | 59.12M | 59.76M | 43.13M | 49.65M | 56.1M | 66.21M | 57.82M | 63.27M | 50.96M | 65.87M | 56.68M | 61.49M | 52.59M | 40.2M | 35.41M |
| Operating CF Growth % | 17.11% | -2.77% | 10.01% | 7.4% | -2.38% | 39.07% | 6.3% | 43.54% | 38.73% | 4.73% | 31.7% | 41.07% | 15.04% | 28.28% | 43.5% | 7.44% | -1.07% | 38.55% | -13.12% | -11.5% | -15.27% | 14.51% | -8.61% | 24.15% | -22.64% | 16.22% | -7.82% | 16.92% | 30.81% | 13.52% | 76.19% |
| Operating CF / Revenue % | 38.04% | 37.47% | 27.77% | 25.41% | 25.63% | 34.09% | 40.07% | 41.65% | 32.83% | 27.23% | 30.64% | 28.8% | 28.63% | 28.55% | 27.8% | 22.76% | 22.97% | 23.29% | 16.96% | 21.04% | 24.63% | 31.24% | 28.27% | 32.51% | 31.92% | 43.78% | 39.7% | 47.23% | 44.6% | 41.77% | 48.38% |
| Net Income | 1.55B | 1.36B | 101.4M | -199.2M | 251.6M | 389.9M | 130.82M | 160.38M | 106.4M | 72.64M | 26.43M | 153.69M | 28.38M | 16.67M | 5.98M | -1.09M | -2.88M | -6.08M | -34.45M | -16.64M | -25.26M | -6.27M | -40.47M | 23.71M | 13.31M | 33.91M | 33.29M | 29.1M | 26.1M | 22.3M | 18.6M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 751.7M | 507.9M | 680.7M | 660M | 600.3M | 522.7M | 376.88M | 328.07M | 287.26M | 261.54M | 221.77M | 177.64M | 131.13M | 110.08M | 89.67M | 74.19M | 68.36M | 67.52M | 65M | 66.01M | 63.45M | 59.27M | 45.4M | 44.12M | 38.52M | 33.52M | 943K | 29.5M | 25.6M | 20.7M | 14.9M |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 0 | 37.4M | 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 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 27.8M | -970.1M | 96.2M | 491.5M | 106.5M | -111.4M | 19.73M | 25.76M | 7.96M | -7.93M | 770K | -122.2M | -8.94M | 3.66M | 1.8M | 2.45M | 2.3M | 1.48M | 34.56M | 9.51M | 19.12M | 3.22M | 52.38M | 6.19M | 35.13M | 5.54M | 39.67M | 6.31M | 4.72M | 9.41M | -9.06M |
| Working Capital Changes | 0 | -12.2M | 10.5M | -144.4M | -206.2M | -30.7M | 26.6M | 6.99M | -38.51M | -64.49M | 947K | -19.36M | -16.05M | -13.47M | -6.31M | -12.04M | -8.65M | -3.16M | -21.98M | -9.22M | -1.21M | 9.99M | 512K | -10.76M | -36.01M | -7.1M | -17.23M | -3.42M | -3.83M | -12.2M | 10.97M |
| Cash from Investing | 4.82B | 4.93B | -295.2M | -935M | -3.08B | -2.35B | -2.5B | -1.05B | -733.74M | -401.64M | -1.61B | -420.68M | -551.9M | -354.66M | -379.12M | -159.54M | -43.38M | -39.48M | -31.29M | -20.8M | -47.78M | -37.05M | -152.15M | -58.89M | -168.87M | -34.84M | -69.08M | -90.31M | -105.72M | -107.7M | -76.92M |
| Acquisitions (Net) | -499.7M | -461.7M | -68.8M | -51.4M | -2.21B | -1.65B | -1.95B | -472.68M | -320.27M | -120.38M | -1.49B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 172K | 7.33M | 0 | 0 | 3.87M | 8.26M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Purchase of Investments | -351.6M | -461.8M | -684.7M | -1.08B | -1.03B | -987.6M | -585.76M | -630M | -473.43M | -288.54M | -223.43M | -517.7M | -604.46M | -301.59M | -374.39M | -164.89M | -50.86M | -50K | -39.78M | 0 | 0 | -84.88M | -106.97M | -77.63M | -71.04M | -42.27M | -41.94M | 0 | -42.19M | -15.09M | 0 |
| Sale of Investments | 140.1M | 265.4M | 451.7M | 186.5M | 158.7M | 281.2M | 68.01M | 61.34M | 55.85M | 8.57M | 93.91M | 101.37M | 63.24M | 0 | 1.11M | 1.36M | 512K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 129.85M | 62M | 22.5M | 3.29M | 17.33M | 34.46M | 36.7M | 20.8M | 0 | 0 |
| Other Investing | 5.53B | 5.58B | 6.6M | 10.8M | 0 | 0 | -33.48M | -13.58M | 4.1M | -1.3M | 2.6M | -4.35M | -10.69M | -53.07M | -5.83M | 3.99M | 6.97M | 5.53M | 1.17M | 13.27M | 4.33M | 2.1M | 32.53M | 46.55M | -13.84M | 60.43M | -3.77M | -50.95M | 20.94M | -14.06M | 1.8M |
| Cash from Financing | -5.32B | -5.22B | -571.6M | 78.4M | 2.35B | 1.57B | 2B | 505.88M | 409.9M | 141.56M | 1.34B | 192.55M | 496.09M | 212.97M | 311.62M | 93.45M | -11.81M | -21.94M | -11.1M | -26.62M | -11.01M | -75.87M | 122.86M | 17.01M | 115.99M | -44.91M | 19.54M | 30.53M | 60.58M | 60.46M | 50.62M |
| Dividends Paid | -918.9M | -1.04B | -492.7M | -476.4M | -434.2M | -390.8M | -313.14M | -276.7M | -242.81M | -224.48M | -193.74M | -162.49M | -121.38M | -100.4M | -73.37M | -60.03M | -53.78M | -52.46M | -52.13M | -46.34M | -49.08M | -48.5M | -51.12M | -49.15M | -46.77M | -43.96M | -42.37M | -40.62M | -37.09M | -33.75M | -25.96M |
| Common Dividends | -918.9M | -1.04B | -492.7M | -476.4M | -434.2M | -390.8M | -313.1M | -276.7M | -242.81M | -224.48M | -193.74M | -162.49M | -121.38M | -100.4M | -73.37M | -60.03M | -53.78M | -52.46M | -52.13M | -46.34M | -49.08M | -48.5M | -51.12M | -49.15M | -46.77M | -43.96M | -42.37M | -40.6M | -37.1M | -33.75M | -25.96M |
| Debt Issuance (Net) | -3M | -1000K | -1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | -1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | -1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | -1000K |
| Share Repurchases | -599.2M | -539.1M | 0 | -12.8M | 0 | 0 | -2M | -2.67M | -4.11M | -114.16M | 0 | -121.44M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -925K | 0 | -476K | -298K | -1.43M | -22.31M | -38.62M | 0 | 0 | -6.16M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | 3.19B | -61.8M | -15M | -6.6M | -57.3M | -43.9M | -6.23M | -17.22M | -4.15M | -9.67M | -26.64M | -7.28M | -7.21M | -6.29M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -477K | 0 | 3.74M | 6.89M | 49.97M | -9.09M | -2.28M | -2.91M | 0 | 31.7M | -1.64M | -2.83M | 32.4M | 14.93M |
| Net Change in Cash | 399.6M | 579M | 21.2M | -47.7M | 12.2M | -14.4M | 57.81M | -27.43M | 38.75M | 1.96M | -36.92M | -38.37M | 78.71M | -24.75M | 23.65M | -2.56M | 3.92M | -1.67M | 747K | 2.23M | -2.7M | -46.71M | 28.53M | 21.39M | -1.92M | -13.88M | 7.14M | 1.71M | 7.45M | -7.04M | 9.12M |
| Exchange Rate Effect | 13M | 8.4M | -800K | 1M | -8.7M | -200K | 189K | 411K | -523K | 298K | -73K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash at Beginning | 636.1M | 57.1M | 42.7M | 90.4M | 78.2M | 92.6M | 34.83M | 62.26M | 23.51M | 8.16M | 45.09M | 83.46M | 4.75M | 29.51M | 5.86M | 8.42M | 4.5M | 6.16M | 5.42M | 3.18M | 5.88M | 52.59M | 24.06M | 2.66M | 4.59M | 18.47M | 11.33M | 9.65M | 2.2M | 9.24M | 121K |
| Cash at End | 497M | 636.1M | 63.9M | 42.7M | 90.4M | 78.2M | 92.64M | 34.83M | 62.26M | 10.13M | 8.16M | 45.09M | 83.46M | 4.75M | 29.51M | 5.86M | 8.42M | 4.5M | 6.16M | 5.42M | 3.18M | 5.88M | 52.59M | 24.06M | 2.66M | 4.59M | 18.47M | 11.36M | 9.65M | 2.2M | 9.24M |
| Free Cash Flow | 884.1M | 864.2M | 888.8M | 807.9M | 752.2M | 770.5M | 554.03M | 521.2M | 363.11M | 261.75M | 249.92M | 189.76M | 134.52M | 116.93M | 91.15M | 63.52M | 59.12M | 14.62M | 43.13M | 15.57M | 3.99M | -21.78M | -90.14M | 12.96M | -36.32M | -4.46M | -1.15M | -14.58M | -52.68M | -38.35M | -43.31M |
| FCF Growth % | -0.67% | -2.77% | 10.01% | 7.4% | -2.38% | 39.07% | 6.3% | 43.54% | 38.73% | 4.73% | 31.7% | 41.07% | 15.04% | 28.28% | 43.5% | 7.44% | 304.36% | -66.1% | 176.94% | 290.55% | 118.31% | 75.84% | -795.66% | 135.67% | -714.44% | -286.48% | 92.08% | 72.33% | -37.37% | 11.45% | -139.27% |
| FCF / Revenue % | 38.04% | 37.47% | 27.77% | 25.41% | 25.63% | 34.09% | 40.07% | 41.65% | 32.83% | 27.23% | 30.64% | 28.8% | 28.63% | 28.55% | 27.8% | 22.76% | 22.97% | 5.7% | 16.96% | 6.6% | 1.75% | -10.28% | -44.07% | 6.66% | -22.76% | -2.96% | -0.81% | -11.2% | -44.68% | -39.85% | -59.16% |
Coastal Insurance Cost Inflation
As reported in quarterly financial filings, the relationship between FFO and GAAP operating cash flow remains highly erratic, with FFO/NI ratios swinging from -10.25 in 2024Q1 to 16.91 in 2025Q3, suggesting that non-cash adjustments and transactional gains significantly obscure the company's underlying cash generation quality.
The extreme variance in FFO relative to GAAP metrics indicates that Sun Communities' reported earnings are heavily influenced by non-recurring items and accounting noise rather than consistent operational performance. Investors should monitor whether this volatility stems from the integration of the UK portfolio or the inherent lumpiness of the home sales segment, as it complicates the assessment of true cash-based profitability.
Based on the provided quarterly data, the dividend payout ratio relative to AFFO has fluctuated significantly, reaching a concerning 149% in 2025Q1, which suggests that the current distribution policy may be periodically reliant on capital recycling or debt rather than recurring cash flow from operations.
The lack of consistent AFFO data across the ten-quarter period makes it difficult to ascertain a reliable dividend coverage ratio, but the available figures indicate periods where distributions clearly outpaced cash earnings. This inconsistency warrants further investigation into whether the company's dividend policy is sustainable without continued asset dispositions or external financing.
Financial statements indicate that GAAP net income is frequently decoupled from FFO, as evidenced by the -$224.4M net loss in 2024Q4 compared to a negative FFO of -$54.2M, highlighting how heavy depreciation charges on coastal assets distort the perceived profitability of the core real estate operations.
The persistent gap between GAAP net income and FFO suggests that the company's capital-intensive asset base requires significant depreciation, which may not accurately reflect the economic value of the properties. Analysts should focus on FFO as the primary performance metric, though even this figure appears sensitive to the volatility inherent in the company's diverse and geographically dispersed portfolio.
According to the provided cash flow statement, the near-zero reported CapEx over several quarters appears anomalous for a REIT with such significant physical infrastructure, suggesting that maintenance costs may be capitalized or otherwise obscured, potentially inflating the reported FCF and masking the true cost of asset upkeep.
The absence of meaningful CapEx in the provided data is a red flag for a company managing extensive marina and RV infrastructure, which typically requires high recurring maintenance. If these costs are being capitalized rather than expensed, the company's reported FCF may be artificially high, potentially leading to an overestimation of the cash available for dividends and future growth.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying SUI stock.
Sun Communities, Inc. (SUI) generated $864.2M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Sun Communities, Inc. (SUI) generated $864.2M 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.
Sun Communities, Inc. (SUI) 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.
In 2025, Sun Communities, Inc. (SUI) returned $1.04B to shareholders via cash dividends and spent $539.1M on share repurchases. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.