Operating cash flow remains robust, frequently exceeding $80 million per quarter, which supports a dividend payout ratio that has stayed within a conservative 42% to 46% range relative to AFFO.
| 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 | 262.86M | 334.93M | 330.95M | 276.27M | 265.82M | 249.15M | 238.42M | 228.56M | 180.48M | 230.12M | 232.9M | 204.13M | 193.88M | 158.98M | 191.84M | 152.14M | 156.44M | 194.82M | 180.89M | 137.7M | 113.15M | 95.94M | 84.49M | 67.78M | 62.24M | 50.88M | 35.03M | 32.3M | 12.86M | 3.2M | 800K |
| Operating CF Growth % | -83.64% | 1.2% | 19.79% | 3.93% | 6.69% | 4.5% | 4.32% | 26.64% | -21.57% | -1.19% | 14.1% | 5.28% | 21.96% | -17.13% | 26.09% | -2.74% | -19.7% | 7.7% | 31.37% | 21.7% | 17.93% | 13.55% | 24.65% | 8.9% | 22.34% | 45.25% | 8.45% | 151.08% | 301.97% | 300% | 14.29% |
| Operating CF / Revenue % | 33.84% | 43.84% | 43.94% | 40.33% | 35.97% | 37.5% | 40.81% | 37.36% | 31.22% | 37.55% | 40.54% | 32.65% | 33.05% | 30.25% | 37.75% | 30.86% | 31.78% | 25.4% | 30.89% | 33.82% | 31.99% | 29.86% | 36.29% | 34.62% | 43.18% | 41.35% | 33.31% | 41.68% | 32.75% | 48.48% | 32% |
| Net Income | 156.13M | 152.31M | 138.93M | -73.47M | 178.82M | 81.58M | 102.88M | 200M | 78.64M | 74.94M | 33.77M | 188.88M | 40.26M | 93.71M | 20.34M | -127.58M | 45.5M | 61.3M | 61.32M | 34.78M | 49.23M | 39.03M | 37.03M | 30.88M | 23.3M | 19.92M | 15.29M | 16M | 4.7M | -1M | 300K |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 165.3M | 161.9M | 156.01M | 151.4M | 143.59M | 150.64M | 140.03M | 138.9M | 137.12M | 134.23M | 132.72M | 140.03M | 125.59M | 115.27M | 124.42M | 136.59M | 125.82M | 111.81M | 104.97M | 105.64M | 80.07M | 63.55M | 51.9M | 38.12M | 31.18M | 22.79M | 16.51M | 11.65M | 6.29M | 1.3M | 600K |
| Stock-Based Compensation | -1.7M | 0 | 10.44M | 8.54M | 8.79M | 7.98M | 6.5M | 6.71M | 6.38M | 5.62M | 6.84M | 6.57M | 6.16M | 6.53M | 9.98M | 11.92M | 11.85M | 10.6M | 9.04M | 6.64M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | -39.73M | 47.17M | 22.69M | 219.97M | -4.48M | -18.91M | -3.34M | -6.47M | -3.93M | 2.67M | 44.8M | -139.41M | 32.66M | -41.64M | 31.38M | 156.07M | -8.19M | 195K | -10.27M | -662K | -5.68M | 5.85M | 9.47M | 11.86M | 6.78M | 12.61M | 13.82M | 7.65M | 3.57M | 1.5M | -100K |
| Working Capital Changes | -22.44M | -26.45M | 2.88M | -7.98M | -13.7M | -7.18M | -7.64M | -5.69M | -39.67M | 10.4M | -21.82M | 6.97M | -10.79M | -14.89M | 5.71M | -24.87M | -18.54M | 10.91M | 15.84M | -8.7M | -10.47M | -12.49M | -13.91M | -13.07M | 980K | -4.45M | -10.6M | -3M | -1.68M | 1.4M | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -245.2M | -314.74M | -291.01M | -169.62M | -83.46M | -202.97M | -325.79M | -138.01M | -232.92M | -89.36M | 71.45M | -307.53M | -209.69M | -119.79M | 13.74M | -260.39M | -479.17M | -349.08M | -290.82M | -327.71M | -253.83M | -420.3M | -268.72M | -172.95M | -128.57M | -155.74M | -73.26M | -125.84M | -183.65M | 1M | 100K |
| Acquisitions (Net) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21.79M | 160.69M | 59.84M | 201.5M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.52M | 0 | 0 | -115K | -1.26M | 499K | 250K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.26M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Purchase of Investments | -37.6M | -218.56M | 0 | 0 | -302.86M | -273.79M | 0 | -405.62M | -160.09M | -200.5M | -161.57M | -437.23M | 0 | 0 | -250K | 0 | -6.6M | 0 | -25.25M | 0 | -454K | -130K | -661K | -9.58M | -2.09M | -22.13M | -6.39M | -1.11M | -10K | -1.4M | -1M |
| Sale of Investments | 0 | 5M | 0 | 0 | 281.07M | 143.12M | 0 | 108.13M | 0 | 180.84M | 306.55M | 200.3M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 91K | 2.53M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.87M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.9M | 1.1M |
| Other Investing | -183.47M | -1.47M | -259.67M | -149.12M | -47.08M | -202.97M | -352.88M | -17.36M | -4.52M | 1.17M | -2.62M | -4.33M | -209.69M | -119.79M | 34.06M | 53.71M | 23.87M | -86.44M | 26.34M | 37.29M | 36.33M | 81.94M | -14.77M | 33.52M | 2.21M | -852K | -1.74M | 27.98M | -2.99M | 1M | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | 232.72M | 216.54M | -169.67M | 46.26M | -183.18M | -50.9M | 91.27M | -84.36M | 49.55M | -338.55M | -154.43M | 157.76M | -32.49M | 4.59M | -200.55M | 103.7M | 324.57M | 155.75M | 92.07M | 206.73M | 137.82M | 321.32M | 188.57M | 108.66M | 65.68M | 106.53M | 40.84M | 93.57M | 169.74M | -1.1M | -1M |
| Dividends Paid | -103.32M | -136.6M | -131.84M | -127.18M | -123.64M | -123.53M | -123.37M | -122.66M | -114.29M | -118.48M | -118.34M | -117.85M | -113.06M | -114.81M | -108.25M | -130.75M | -109.89M | -109.67M | -83.75M | -85.47M | -62.84M | -53.59M | -47.55M | -43.93M | -39.26M | -31.51M | -27.45M | -20.1M | -8.64M | -700K | -700K |
| Common Dividends | -103.32M | -136.6M | -1.18K | -127.18M | -123.64M | -123.53M | -123.37M | -122.66M | -114.29M | -109.17M | -104.14M | -103.64M | -96.33M | -93.47M | -89.16M | -114.64M | -93.79M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 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 | -190K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | 1000K | -300K | -300K |
| Share Repurchases | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.97M | -2.47M | -2.46M | -1.55M | -2M | -55M | 0 | 0 | -2.05M | -1.32M | -351K | -64.38M | 0 | -31.25M | -35.59M | 0 | 0 | -1.42M | 0 | 0 | -59K | 0 |
| Other Financing | -5.57M | -8.01M | -7.85M | -7.98M | -9.69M | -10.18M | -21.57M | -11.35M | -19.01M | -10.48M | -26.34M | -9.54M | 91.38M | 56.51M | -13.42M | -24.73M | -24.98M | -1.26M | -5.76M | -3.35M | 193.82M | -3.71M | 801K | 5.13M | -13.89M | -1.45M | -1.57M | -32.47M | -2.13M | -41K | 0 |
| Net Change in Cash | 251.38M | 236.73M | -129.73M | 152.91M | -807K | -4.72M | 3.9M | 6.18M | -4.2M | -197.6M | 149.55M | 54.23M | -48.3M | 43.78M | 5.04M | -4.54M | 1.84M | 1.49M | -17.86M | 16.71M | -2.86M | -3.04M | 4.34M | 3.49M | -649K | 1.66M | 2.6M | 100K | -1.05M | 3.1M | -300K |
| Exchange Rate Effect | 992K | 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 |
| Cash at Beginning | 0 | 39.7M | 169.42M | 16.51M | 17.32M | 22.03M | 18.13M | 11.95M | 12.26M | 209.86M | 60.31M | 6.08M | 54.37M | 10.59M | 5.56M | 10.1M | 8.26M | 6.78M | 24.64M | 7.92M | 10.78M | 13.82M | 9.48M | 5.99M | 6.64M | 4.98M | 2.38M | 2.3M | 3.4M | 300K | 300K |
| Cash at End | 0 | 276.43M | 39.7M | 169.42M | 16.51M | 17.32M | 22.03M | 18.13M | 8.07M | 12.26M | 209.86M | 60.31M | 6.08M | 54.37M | 10.59M | 5.56M | 10.1M | 8.26M | 6.78M | 24.64M | 7.92M | 10.78M | 13.82M | 9.48M | 5.99M | 6.64M | 4.98M | 2.4M | 2.35M | 3.4M | 0 |
| Free Cash Flow | 215.18M | 253.68M | 299.61M | 255.77M | 229.45M | 219.12M | 205.67M | 203.9M | 112.18M | 159.25M | 161.99M | 137.86M | 193.88M | 158.98M | 171.77M | 135.24M | 146.01M | -67.82M | -111M | -228.57M | -177.06M | -406.42M | -168.8M | -129.1M | -71.31M | -83.14M | 35.03M | -120.4M | 12.86M | 2.7M | 800K |
| FCF Growth % | -21.11% | -15.33% | 17.14% | 11.47% | 4.71% | 6.54% | 0.87% | 81.77% | -29.56% | -1.69% | 17.5% | -28.9% | 21.96% | -7.45% | 27.02% | -7.38% | 315.29% | 38.9% | 51.44% | -29.09% | 56.43% | -140.77% | -30.74% | -81.05% | 14.23% | -337.37% | 129.09% | -1036.05% | 376.41% | 237.5% | 14.29% |
| FCF / Revenue % | 27.7% | 33.21% | 39.78% | 37.34% | 31.05% | 32.98% | 35.21% | 33.33% | 19.4% | 25.99% | 28.19% | 22.05% | 33.05% | 30.25% | 33.8% | 27.43% | 29.66% | -8.84% | -18.95% | -56.14% | -50.06% | -126.49% | -72.49% | -65.94% | -49.48% | -67.57% | 33.31% | -155.4% | 32.75% | 40.91% | 32% |
Geopolitical and Budgetary Concentration
According to the company's reported financial statements, the dividend payout ratio relative to AFFO has consistently hovered between 42% and 46% over the last two years, indicating that COPT Defense Properties maintains a significant cash buffer to support its distributions while funding ongoing property-level capital requirements.
The stability of the payout ratio suggests that management is prioritizing a sustainable dividend policy that is well-insulated from short-term earnings volatility. Investors should monitor whether this coverage margin remains intact as the company continues to deploy capital into its specialized data center shell development pipeline.
Based on the provided quarterly data, recurring capital expenditures, including tenant improvements and leasing commissions, have fluctuated between $3.4 million and $25.3 million, highlighting the inherent variability in maintaining high-security SCIF-compliant facilities compared to standard commercial office assets that require less intensive physical security upgrades.
The periodic spikes in capital outlays appear to correlate with lease renewals or new tenant fit-outs, which are essential for maintaining the company's competitive moat. This level of investment is a necessary cost of doing business in the defense sector and should be viewed as a defensive measure rather than discretionary spending.
As reported in recent filings, the divergence between GAAP Net Income and FFO, which reached $81.2 million in 2026Q1, underscores the significant impact of non-cash depreciation charges that mask the company's true cash-generating capacity and its ability to fund operations through internal property-level cash flows.
The consistent premium of FFO over Net Income suggests that the company's headline GAAP figures significantly understate its operational performance. Analysts should focus on the FFO-to-Net Income ratio to gauge the extent to which non-cash accounting adjustments obscure the underlying cash flow strength of the defense-focused portfolio.
Data from the cash flow statements indicates that the company's ability to convert operating activities into cash is robust, with OCF frequently exceeding $80 million per quarter, providing a solid foundation for both dividend payments and the reinvestment required to sustain its specialized defense-contractor real estate niche.
The strong conversion of operating cash flow suggests that the company's revenue streams are high-quality and effectively collected from its government and defense-contractor tenant base. This reliability in cash collection appears to be a key differentiator that mitigates the risks typically associated with the broader office REIT sector.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying CDP stock.
COPT Defense Properties (CDP) generated $334.9M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
COPT Defense Properties (CDP) generated $253.7M 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.
COPT Defense Properties (CDP) spent $99.7M 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, COPT Defense Properties (CDP) returned $136.6M to shareholders via cash dividends. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.