Free cash flow remains highly volatile, swinging from a -63.9% margin in 2023Q4 to a marginal 2.1% peak in 2025Q3, while net acquisition outflows reached $15.9 million in the same period.
| 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 | 1.79M | -3K | 1.07M | -26.19M | -14.57M | -5.91M | 1.67M | -759K | -10.14M | -18.98M | -15.59M | -32.8M | -14.62M | -41.81M | -46.7M | -76.11M | -69.94M | -666.32M | -462.47M | -99.32M | 167.23M | 273.75M | 125.77M | 22.84M | 41.88M | 24.46M | 61.68M | 23.22M | 41.08M | 31.8M | 32.9M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | -0% | 0.95% | -24.32% | -12.71% | -7.26% | 2.44% | -1.11% | -23.26% | -9.82% | -8.83% | -20.66% | -7.79% | -24.29% | -29.25% | -33.3% | -28.19% | -147.19% | -31.34% | -4.88% | 8.73% | 14.23% | 6.2% | 1.18% | 3.63% | 4.15% | 15.55% | 6.96% | 17.91% | 23.18% | 37.99% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 451.54% | -100.28% | 104.07% | -79.68% | -146.68% | -453.35% | 320.29% | 92.52% | 46.55% | -21.73% | 52.48% | -124.32% | 65.03% | 10.45% | 38.65% | -8.82% | 89.5% | -44.08% | -365.65% | -159.39% | -38.91% | 117.65% | 450.73% | -45.47% | 71.25% | -60.35% | 165.65% | -43.48% | 29.21% | -3.37% | 307.96% |
| Net Income | -9.99M | -10.25M | -9.09M | 24.01M | 27.87M | -4.92M | -6.73M | -4.31M | -29.4M | -11.13M | 522K | 1.27M | -11.22M | -36.08M | -53.28M | -26.08M | -61.13M | -106.34M | -405.87M | -18.53M | 123.31M | 135.01M | 108.98M | 65.77M | 50.52M | 28.22M | 18.32M | 9.37M | 20.18M | 15.51M | 8.17M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 9.86M | 9.22M | 7M | 6.22M | 6.45M | 5.07M | 6.73M | 6.92M | 6.71M | 5.57M | 2.78M | 1.84M | 1.79M | 3.84M | 2.96M | 2.27M | 6.62M | 10.65M | 67.76M | 15.54M | 4.96M | 18.5M | 573.98K | 658.56K | 454.8K | 4.19M | 4.9M | 5.65M | 2.86M | -279.52K | -437.75K |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 1.27M | 1.72M | 0 | 1.64M | 4.05M | 0 | 1.35M | 1.23M | -1.66M | 1.19M | 1.01M | 802K | 1.24M | 325K | 354K | -37K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | -1.57M | -4.07M | 0 | -1.92M | 1.41M | 0 | -1M | -785K | -226K | -18.39M | -9.81M | 87K | 1.39M | 435K | 1.08M | 3.42M | -6.12M | -30.41M | 94.75M | -36.27M | -17.36M | -6.92M | 8.74M | -19.68M | -7.09M | -548.37K | -184K | -1.03M | 5.34M | -10.9M | -729.58K |
| Other Non-Cash Items | -483.64K | 472K | 4.46M | -31.79M | -59.23M | -7.15M | -5.21M | -6.05M | 12.28M | 573K | -9.51M | -11.56M | 6.86M | 5.5M | 15.05M | -24.22M | -9.24M | -10.25M | 98.26M | -218.51M | -26.32M | -49.06M | 85.96M | -8.12M | -147.29M | -67.2M | -66.79M | -24.8M | -24.15M | -56.39M | -55.89M |
| Working Capital Changes | 2.39M | 2.9M | -1.3M | -24.34M | 4.88M | 1.09M | 6.53M | 2.25M | 2.16M | 3.21M | -593K | -25.24M | -14.68M | -15.83M | -12.86M | -31.47M | -3.63M | -539.06M | -327.13M | 166.4M | 85.31M | 165.4M | -100.08M | -27.22M | 142.91M | 62.84M | 105.44M | 34.04M | 36.85M | 83.86M | 81.79M |
| Change in Receivables | 56.35K | 779K | 1.11M | 3.67M | -136K | -716K | 1.37M | -3.93M | 997K | 2.17M | -4.25M | 4.08M | 8.88M | -2.05M | -16.95M | 13.7M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -177.02M | 29.3M | 34.71M | -204.85M | -97.13M | 1.19M | 3.39M | 22.29M | 21.57M | 1.37M | -13.35M | -8.32M |
| Change in Inventory | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.87M | -8.2M | -27.46M | -13.66M | -4.5M | -36M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -17.31M | 53.47M | 21.46M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Payables | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -45K | -380K | -508K | -3.92M | 3.04M | 912K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 329.23M | 129.07M | 60.81M | 529.89M | 684.27M | 429.25M | 165.86M | 30.43M | -4.2M | 15.23M | 54.44M | 38.23M |
| Cash from Investing | -27.42M | -29.61M | -16.85M | 6.46M | 100.94M | -8.6M | 4.01M | -6.47M | 20.05M | 24.56M | -8.77M | 26.19M | -16.72M | 60.03M | 45.97M | 28.97M | 349.69M | 636.27M | 619.73M | -141.45M | -163.17M | -260.69M | -519.94M | -733.67M | -369.18M | -214.63M | -40.21M | -40.79M | -96.1M | -103.7M | -58.07M |
| Capital Expenditures | -2.13M | -1.62M | -709K | -205K | 26.46M | -830K | -213K | -212K | 0 | 4.55M | -645K | -203K | 4.66M | -1.13M | -170K | -1.34M | -1.51M | -2M | -3.89M | 0 | -43.36M | -19.34M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -5.56M | -22.81M | -92.13M | -2.52M | -6.35M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 1.45% | 1.18% | 0.63% | 0.19% | 23.07% | 1.02% | 0.31% | 0.31% | - | 2.35% | 0.37% | 0.13% | 2.48% | 0.65% | 0.11% | 0.59% | 0.61% | 0.44% | 0.26% | - | 2.26% | 1.01% | - | - | 0% | 0% | 1.4% | 6.83% | 40.16% | 1.83% | 7.33% |
| Acquisitions | -26.61M | -29.03M | -18.92M | 1.19M | 23.93M | -12.64M | 2.23M | -3.45M | 5.04M | -8.33M | -3.61M | -10.31M | -5.01M | 9.84M | 16.48M | -100K | 293.82M | 43.86M | 43.85M | -44.72M | -22.41M | -11.89M | 0 | 0 | -23.44M | -1.47M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | -1.78M | -46K | 0 | -14.49M | 55M | 365K | 0 | 0 | 8.84M | 1.02M | 1.25M | 44.92M | -16.71M | 62.2M | 46.13M | 31.82M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -21M | -115.77M | 0 | -13.86M | -28.32M | -2.88M | -8.06M | -16.13M | 1.52M | 5.14M | 0 | 583.66K |
| Cash from Financing | 26.73M | 32.75M | 11.44M | -39.96M | -37.93M | -540K | 13.6M | 1.31M | -4.09M | 2.23M | 9.13M | -12.92M | 6.78M | -437K | -3.94M | -7.94M | -188.75M | -37.31M | -213.24M | 106.29M | 14.62M | 10.88M | 69.62M | 176.93M | 82.29M | 126.08M | -9.62M | 20.95M | 55.93M | 73.02M | 27.21M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 10.76M | 11.06M | 13.02M | -43.91M | 1.04M | -8.15M | 13.93M | 1.4M | -4.39M | 1.88M | -1.22M | 0 | -14.36M | -12.54M | -4.07M | -8.29M | -124.19M | -8.41M | -34.85M | 129.05M | 0 | 17.38M | -1.09M | 94.92M | 81.68M | -4.42M | -9.63M | 31.97M | 56.38M | 0 | -1.09M |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 18.03M | 23.26M | 5.75M | -3.2M | -396K | 1.75M | -83K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.35M | 0 | 6.33M | 12.1M | 132K | 350K | 848K | -27.05M | -5.08M | -7.05M | -13.24M | 2.93M | 2.43M | 83.11M | 609.79K | 130.5M | 13K | -11.02M | -390.64K | 73.02M | 28.31M |
| Dividends Paid | -1.19M | -1.02M | -13K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -780K | 0 | 0 | -329K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.85M | -15.46M | -15.71M | -12.99M | -9.43M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | -6.3K | -345K | -2.5M | -3.2M | -396K | 0 | -83K | 0 | -376K | 0 | -125K | -12.92M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -27.05M | -5.17M | -8.13M | -16.25M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -11.02M | -390.64K | -1.12M | 0 |
| Other Financing | -879.49K | -542K | -7.31M | 7.15M | -38.58M | 5.86M | -243K | -89K | 302K | 345K | 0 | -12.59M | 14.8M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -65.41M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40.84M | 0 | 63.04M | -1.09M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -65.11K | 0 | -1 |
| Net Change in Cash | 1.09M | 3.13M | -4.36M | -59.73M | 47.33M | -17.6M | 19.28M | -5.92M | 5.82M | 7.81M | -15.23M | -19.53M | -24.56M | 17.78M | -4.67M | -55.08M | 90.99M | -5.2M | -55.98M | 31.93M | 18.67M | 23.93M | -30.1M | -80.23M | 94.47M | 41.68M | 11.85M | 3.38M | 911.49K | 1.12M | 2.04M |
| Free Cash Flow | -346K | -1.62M | 358K | -26.39M | 11.89M | -6.74M | 1.46M | -971K | -10.14M | -14.43M | -16.23M | -33.01M | -9.97M | -42.94M | -46.87M | -77.46M | -71.45M | -668.32M | -466.36M | -99.32M | 123.87M | 254.41M | 125.77M | 22.84M | 41.88M | 24.46M | 56.13M | 413.41K | -51.04M | 29.28M | 26.56M |
| FCF Margin % | -0.23% | -1.19% | 0.32% | -24.51% | 10.36% | -8.28% | 2.13% | -1.42% | -23.26% | -7.47% | -9.19% | -20.79% | -5.31% | -24.94% | -29.35% | -33.89% | -28.8% | -147.63% | -31.6% | -4.88% | 6.46% | 13.23% | 6.2% | 1.18% | 3.63% | 4.15% | 14.15% | 0.12% | -22.25% | 21.34% | 30.67% |
| FCF Growth % | 77.96% | -552.79% | 101.36% | -322.02% | 276.42% | -561.82% | 250.26% | 90.43% | 29.7% | 11.12% | 50.82% | -231.14% | 76.79% | 8.38% | 39.5% | -8.4% | 89.31% | -43.31% | -369.56% | -180.18% | -51.31% | 102.28% | 450.73% | -45.47% | 71.25% | -56.43% | 13476.5% | 100.81% | -274.33% | 10.25% | 255.09% |
| FCF per Share | -0.01 | -0.06 | 0.01 | -1.00 | 0.47 | -0.30 | 0.07 | -0.04 | -0.47 | -0.67 | -0.81 | -1.67 | -0.57 | -3.04 | -3.56 | -5.92 | -5.49 | -49.56 | -33.76 | -7.01 | 8.72 | 17.86 | 8.91 | 1.73 | 3.37 | 2.60 | 6.55 | 0.05 | -5.57 | 3.44 | 3.12 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 0.03x | 0.00x | -0.12x | -1.11x | -0.59x | 17.27x | -0.25x | 0.13x | 0.38x | 1.23x | -19.41x | -29.63x | 1.14x | 1.13x | 0.90x | 3.78x | 1.83x | 2.30x | 1.14x | 5.36x | 1.36x | 2.03x | 1.15x | 0.35x | 0.83x | 0.87x | 3.37x | 2.48x | 2.04x | 2.05x | 4.03x |
| Interest Paid | 0 | 5.25M | 0 | 24.58M | 1.43M | 0 | 7.82M | 8.48M | 11.37M | 12.13M | 7.3M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.53M | 24.88M | 29.98M | 36.58M | 36.24M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 0 | 237K | 0 | 1.89M | 501K | 0 | 81K | 138K | 381K | 37K | 10K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13.1M | 13.96M | 20.64M | 5.59M | 38.89M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Persistent Operating Margin Deficit
Based on reported financial data, Kingsway's operating cash flow frequently diverges from net losses, with the OCF/NI ratio fluctuating wildly, including a notable 9.23x reading in 2023Q4, which suggests that net income is a poor proxy for the company's actual cash-generating capacity in this holding structure.
The persistent gap between net losses and operating cash flow indicates that non-cash charges, such as depreciation and amortization, are significant components of the company's financial profile. Investors should monitor whether the cash flow volatility is driven by the timing of warranty premium collections or the inherent instability of the underlying micro-cap subsidiaries.
As reported in quarterly filings, Kingsway's free cash flow trajectory remains highly inconsistent, with margins swinging from a -63.9% low in 2023Q4 to a marginal 2.1% peak in 2025Q3, highlighting the difficulty in achieving sustainable cash generation within the current acquisition-led business model.
The inability to maintain positive free cash flow suggests that the capital required to sustain the Search Xcelerator platform often outpaces the cash generated by the acquired units. This pattern may indicate that the company is currently in a capital-intensive growth phase where cash burn is an expected, albeit risky, feature of the strategy.
According to recent SEC filings, working capital changes have been a major source of cash flow volatility, ranging from a $1.5 million inflow in 2025Q3 to an $18.1 million outflow in 2023Q4, reflecting the unpredictable nature of cash cycles within the company's diverse service-oriented business segments.
These swings suggest that the company's cash position is highly sensitive to the timing of warranty-related payables and receivables. The significant outflows in certain periods may imply that the company is absorbing the working capital requirements of its newly acquired subsidiaries, which could continue to pressure liquidity.
Based on the provided cash flow statements, Kingsway has prioritized aggressive acquisition activity, with net acquisition outflows reaching as high as $15.9 million in 2025Q3, while simultaneously maintaining modest dividend payments despite the company's ongoing struggle to generate consistent positive free cash flow from operations.
The decision to pay dividends while reporting net losses and inconsistent operating cash flow warrants further investigation into the company's long-term capital allocation priorities. It appears that management is attempting to signal stability to shareholders, even as the core business remains in a cash-consuming phase of its lifecycle.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying KFS stock.
Kingsway Financial Services Inc. (KFS) generated $-0.0M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Kingsway Financial Services Inc. (KFS) reported negative free cash flow of $1.6M in 2025, indicating capital requirements exceeded cash from operations.
Kingsway Financial Services Inc. (KFS) spent $1.6M 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, Kingsway Financial Services Inc. (KFS) returned $1.0M to shareholders via cash dividends and spent $0.3M on share repurchases. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.