Cash flow generation remains inconsistent, evidenced by an OCF/NI ratio of -5.00 in 2026Q1 and FCF margins that have swung from a peak of 19.9% in 2024Q2 to a negative 1.9% 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 | Dec'11 | Dec'10 | Dec'09 | Dec'08 | Dec'07 | Dec'06 | Dec'05 | Dec'04 | Dec'03 | Jun'02 | Jun'01 | Jun'00 | Jun'99 | Jun'98 | Jun'97 | Jun'96 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 9.85M | 10.99M | 16.64M | 1.93M | -1.26M | 4.33M | 21.72M | -2.97M | 10.89M | 7.27M | 7.65M | 8.55M | 3.67M | 6.9M | 4.77M | 10.96M | 10.91M | 2.03M | 19.06M | 1.57M | 151K | -5.59M | 10.88M | -4.57M | -8.2M | -9.67M | -10.53M | -8M | -2.7M | -1.6M | -6.7M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 5.75% | 10.12% | 1.22% | -0.96% | 4.4% | 20.16% | -2.78% | 12.49% | 8.5% | 9.28% | 11.19% | 5.51% | 8.75% | 4.69% | 7.86% | 6.11% | 1.18% | 7.48% | 1.14% | 0.16% | -7.92% | 11.08% | -5.75% | -25.22% | -40.02% | -42.96% | -37.91% | -16.46% | -10.06% | -44.37% |
| Operating CF Growth % | -213.97% | -33.94% | 762.42% | 252.73% | -129.2% | -80.09% | 831.31% | -127.28% | 49.74% | -5% | -10.5% | 133.32% | -46.86% | 44.65% | -56.5% | 0.49% | 436.86% | -89.34% | 1114.66% | 939.07% | 102.7% | -151.37% | 338.12% | 44.3% | 15.21% | 8.18% | -31.65% | -196.3% | -68.75% | 76.12% | 4.29% |
| Net Income | -8.21M | -5.9M | 6.41M | 7.2M | -120K | -230K | 5.33M | 5.31M | 25M | 7.66M | 3.48M | 2.84M | -2.07M | -1.09M | -1.13M | 1.56M | -6.21M | -9.23M | 13.66M | 5.58M | -27.49M | -4.34M | 22.33M | 6.45M | -25.18M | -17.26M | -10.24M | -7.1M | -7M | -7.2M | -3.2M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 5.46M | 5.5M | 4.16M | 3.91M | 4.46M | 3.54M | 2.94M | 2.75M | 2.37M | 2.43M | 2.73M | 235K | 305K | 402K | 497K | 4.32M | 5.35M | 5.73M | 5.97M | 6.18M | 4.87M | 3.18M | 3.31M | 3.13M | 4.26M | 3.81M | 2.04M | 2.2M | 1.4M | 800K | 800K |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 0 | 935K | 698K | 528K | 776K | 671K | 943K | 753K | 890K | 653K | 710K | 571K | 1M | 1.13M | 1.38M | 1.23M | 1.08M | 1.33M | 2.27M | 2.15M | 1.48M | 146K | 146K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | -3.21M | -2.54M | 1.23M | 1.3M | -962K | -147K | 1.39M | 1.21M | -18.64M | -1.67M | 135K | 183K | 196K | 113K | 15K | 496K | -115K | 360K | 3.3M | 77K | 23.73M | -21.07M | -21.07M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 13.04M | 12.39M | 253K | 33K | 36K | 104K | -1.54M | 44K | 36K | 47K | 76K | 2.71M | 3.18M | 2.17M | 3.18M | 2.17M | 13.85M | 740K | 4.36M | -6.3M | 321K | 22.2M | 6.5M | -666K | 14.32M | 2.34M | -1.88M | 200K | -900K | 500K | -400K |
| Working Capital Changes | 2.77M | 602K | 3.89M | -11.04M | -5.45M | 388K | 12.67M | -13.04M | 1.24M | -1.85M | 524K | 2.01M | 1.05M | 4.17M | 823K | 1.19M | -3.04M | 3.11M | -10.5M | -6.11M | -2.76M | -5.69M | -341K | -13.48M | -1.61M | 1.44M | -451K | -3.3M | 3.8M | 4.3M | -3.9M |
| Change in Receivables | 1.73M | -4.35M | 7.6M | -3.89M | -7.88M | 4.42M | 9.21M | -10.42M | -1.51M | -1.29M | -667K | -217K | 2.88M | 6.69M | 1.18M | 14.08M | -1.59M | -1.72M | 1.09M | 101K | 74K | 124K | 124K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | -9.27M | -2.35M | -109K | -943K | -8.75M | -1.3M | 1.8M | -2.2M | 3.19M | -2.54M | 1.98M | 2.1M | -46K | 4.4M | 4.12M | -5.45M | 1.98M | 6.6M | -9.17M | -7.35M | -2.37M | -6.12M | -4.64M | -4.78M | 660K | 381K | -1.07M | -1.2M | 2.1M | 3M | -2.8M |
| Change in Payables | 10.27M | 5.78M | 215K | -2.97M | 10.09M | -2.71M | 1.65M | 1.13M | -822K | 2.66M | -1.36M | 723K | -2M | -6.71M | -5.61M | -4.83M | -1.77M | -1.31M | 864K | 1.63M | 7.71M | -3.1M | -3.1M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -3.75M | -3.87M | -49.95M | -2.55M | -1.68M | -26.33M | -2.98M | -31.53M | -4.18M | -1.39M | -11.01M | -2.91M | -1.39M | -269K | -812K | -2M | -1.95M | -8.8M | -6.96M | -10.75M | -8.47M | -2.28M | -6.37M | -7.86M | 1.57M | 5.45M | 6.45M | 8.3M | -27.9M | 2.6M | 4.8M |
| Capital Expenditures | -3.75M | -3.87M | -1.93M | -2.55M | -1.68M | -2.81M | -3.1M | -6.28M | -4.18M | -1.39M | -1.22M | -2.91M | -1.65M | -766K | -2.69M | -2.36M | -1.81M | -2.04M | -3.79M | -2.07M | -1.46M | -3.31M | -5.44M | -5.56M | -2.33M | -4.37M | -2.95M | -3.4M | -12.2M | -8.9M | -6.7M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 1.99% | 2.03% | 1.17% | 1.61% | 1.27% | 2.86% | 2.88% | 5.88% | 4.8% | 1.63% | 1.48% | 3.81% | 2.49% | 0.97% | 2.64% | 1.69% | 1.02% | 1.18% | 1.49% | 1.51% | 1.56% | 4.69% | 5.54% | 7% | 7.17% | 18.07% | 12.02% | 16.11% | 74.39% | 55.97% | 44.37% |
| Acquisitions | 0 | 0 | -48.02M | 0 | 0 | -23.52M | 120K | -25.25M | 0 | 0 | -9.86M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -50K | -137K | -6.77M | -3.17M | -8.68M | -7.01M | 3.5M | 17K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4.18M | 0 | 65K | -2.91M | 268K | 497K | 1.87M | 413K | 1K | -6.77M | -3.17M | -8.68M | -7.01M | 25K | 50K | -2.3M | 995K | 0 | -3.24M | 0 | -500K | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | -6.03M | -4.68M | 29.86M | 5.49M | 518K | 19.64M | -15.69M | 16.12M | 1.17M | 1.4M | -175K | -8.87M | -751K | 12K | 115K | -8.6M | -10.63M | 10.76M | -12.72M | 10.43M | 5.66M | 663K | 5.18M | 11.73M | 8.23M | -334K | 9.61M | 100K | 29.1M | -100K | 1.4M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | -6.13M | -4.75M | 29.25M | 4.25M | 517K | 19.51M | -15.84M | 17.32M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -8.55M | -10.53M | 13.73M | -13.43M | -3.51M | 4.43M | -1.82M | 1.01M | 6.81M | 0 | -462K | -941K | 4.33M | 100K | 0 | 0 |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 98K | 98K | 2M | -8K | 116K | 398K | 238K | -1.96M | -797K | 0 | -635K | -8.85M | -762K | 0 | 115K | 73K | 55K | -2.98M | 711K | 13.94M | 1.23M | 2.49M | 4.17M | 4.92M | 0 | 8.69M | 607K | 5.28M | 0 | 29.1M | -100K |
| 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 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | 0 | 0 | 0 | -8K | -15K | -148K | 0 | -1.96M | -742K | -26K | -607K | -9.39M | -762K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3.33M | -1.81M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -300K |
| Other Financing | 0 | -24K | -1.39M | 1.25M | -115K | -262K | -90K | 765K | 1.97M | 1.4M | 460K | -18K | 11K | 12K | 0 | -128K | -151K | 6K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.23M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -29.2M | 0 |
| Net Change in Cash | 171K | 2.49M | -3.42M | 4.57M | -2.7M | -2.24M | 3.25M | -18.53M | 7.6M | 7.61M | -3.76M | -3.32M | 1.65M | 6.41M | 4.34M | 679K | -1.45M | 4.22M | -367K | 1.52M | -2.49M | -7.32M | 9.7M | -492K | 1.52M | -4.48M | 4.94M | -100K | -1.4M | 900K | -500K |
| Free Cash Flow | 6.11M | 7.12M | 14.7M | -623K | -2.94M | 1.51M | 18.62M | -9.25M | 6.7M | 5.88M | 6.43M | 5.64M | 2.01M | 6.13M | 2.08M | 8.6M | 9.09M | -3K | 15.27M | -504K | -1.3M | -8.9M | 5.44M | -10.13M | -10.53M | -14.04M | -13.48M | -11.4M | -14.9M | -10.5M | -13.4M |
| FCF Margin % | 3.25% | 3.72% | 8.94% | -0.39% | -2.23% | 1.54% | 17.29% | -8.66% | 7.69% | 6.87% | 7.8% | 7.38% | 3.03% | 7.78% | 2.05% | 6.17% | 5.09% | -0% | 6% | -0.37% | -1.39% | -12.62% | 5.54% | -12.75% | -32.38% | -58.09% | -54.98% | -54.03% | -90.85% | -66.04% | -88.74% |
| FCF Growth % | -65.36% | -51.59% | 2460.19% | 78.82% | -294.71% | -91.88% | 301.26% | -238.05% | 14% | -8.64% | 14.06% | 180.37% | -67.18% | 194.34% | -75.78% | -5.43% | 303233.33% | -100.02% | 3129.96% | 61.35% | 85.34% | -263.59% | 153.7% | 3.82% | 24.99% | -4.15% | -18.23% | 23.49% | -41.9% | 21.64% | -50.56% |
| FCF per Share | 0.37 | 0.43 | 0.88 | -0.04 | -0.18 | 0.09 | 1.16 | -0.57 | 0.41 | 0.37 | 0.42 | 0.34 | 0.12 | 0.35 | 0.12 | 0.50 | 0.53 | -0.00 | 0.86 | -0.03 | -0.09 | -0.61 | 0.36 | -0.73 | -0.85 | -1.26 | -1.24 | -1.09 | -1.79 | -1.33 | -1.72 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | -0.74x | -1.86x | 2.64x | 0.27x | 10.61x | -18.48x | 4.15x | -0.57x | 0.44x | 0.95x | 2.18x | 2.98x | -1.73x | -7.45x | -2.98x | -5.27x | -1.77x | -0.22x | 1.39x | 0.28x | -0.01x | 1.29x | 0.49x | -0.71x | 0.33x | 0.56x | 1.03x | 1.13x | 0.39x | 0.22x | 2.09x |
| Interest Paid | 0 | 0 | 1.85M | 1.96M | 930K | 142K | 375K | 576K | 132K | 102K | 179K | 150K | 76K | 107K | 357K | 158K | 845K | 1.29M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 0 | 0 | 722K | 769K | 354K | 324K | 264K | 266K | 220K | 345K | 273K | 52K | 60K | 100K | 237K | 353K | 1K | 605K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Working capital volatility
According to the provided quarterly data, Ultralife's OCF/NI ratio has fluctuated wildly, reaching a negative 5.00 in 2026Q1, which highlights a persistent disconnect between reported accounting losses and the company's actual ability to generate cash from its core industrial operations.
The extreme variance in the OCF/NI ratio suggests that net income is a poor proxy for the company's underlying cash-generating health. Investors should monitor whether this divergence is driven by non-cash charges or if the business model is inherently prone to significant timing mismatches between revenue recognition and actual cash collection.
As reported in financial statements, Ultralife's FCF margin has swung from a high of 19.9% in 2024Q2 to a negative 1.9% in 2025Q3, illustrating that the company's cash flow trajectory remains highly sensitive to the timing of project-based defense contract milestones.
The inability to maintain positive free cash flow margins suggests that the company's operational scale is insufficient to absorb the volatility inherent in its project-heavy revenue mix. This inconsistency warrants further investigation into whether the current cost structure can support long-term cash generation without frequent capital injections or debt reliance.
Based on the company's reported figures, working capital changes have been a primary driver of cash flow volatility, with swings ranging from a $4.8 million outflow in 2024Q1 to a $4.0 million inflow in 2024Q2, indicating significant friction in the cash conversion cycle.
These erratic working capital movements suggest that the company may be struggling to manage inventory levels or collection cycles effectively in response to shifting defense procurement schedules. Such volatility makes it difficult to forecast normalized cash flow, as the company appears to be at the mercy of its customers' payment and ordering patterns.
As indicated by the quarterly cash flow data, Ultralife's CapEx/Revenue ratio has remained consistently low, averaging approximately 1.7% over the last ten quarters, which suggests that the company is not currently engaged in a heavy, asset-intensive expansion phase for its manufacturing facilities.
The modest capital expenditure levels imply that the company's current infrastructure is sufficient for its existing contract load, though it may also indicate a lack of investment in new, higher-margin production capabilities. Analysts should monitor whether this low capital intensity is a strategic choice to preserve cash or a sign of limited growth opportunities in its core segments.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying ULBI stock.
Ultralife Corporation (ULBI) generated $11.0M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Ultralife Corporation (ULBI) generated $7.1M 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.
Ultralife Corporation (ULBI) spent $3.9M on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.