Winmark demonstrates high cash conversion efficiency with minimal capital intensity, as evidenced by CapEx to revenue ratios consistently remaining below 1.0% over the last ten quarters.
| 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 | 41.7M | 44.9M | 42.16M | 43.99M | 43.79M | 48.35M | 43.22M | 50.65M | 34.94M | 25.16M | 25.66M | 22.3M | 17.98M | 21.65M | 18.17M | 20.59M | 12.4M | 13.67M | 8.98M | 6.25M | 5.09M | 5.12M | 4.71M | 5.09M | 5.39M | 7.44M | 10.15M | 1.4M | 3.2M | 6.1M | 7.5M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 52.17% | 51.86% | 52.85% | 53.79% | 61.81% | 65.43% | 69.1% | 48.18% | 36.07% | 38.54% | 32.11% | 29.39% | 38.85% | 34.98% | 40.1% | 30.09% | 36.66% | 25.36% | 20.07% | 18.61% | 19.25% | 17.31% | 16.31% | 16.13% | 20.61% | 21.34% | 2.1% | 3.32% | 6.87% | 8.2% |
| Operating CF Growth % | -9.32% | 6.5% | -4.17% | 0.47% | -9.43% | 11.86% | -14.66% | 44.97% | 38.87% | -1.97% | 15.08% | 24% | -16.93% | 19.13% | -11.73% | 66.03% | -9.32% | 52.21% | 43.65% | 22.81% | -0.54% | 8.76% | -7.59% | -5.5% | -27.52% | -26.7% | 624.76% | -56.25% | -47.54% | -18.67% | 475% |
| Net Income | 40.95M | 41.65M | 39.95M | 40.18M | 39.42M | 39.92M | 29.82M | 32.15M | 30.13M | 24.57M | 22.22M | 21.8M | 20.07M | 18.23M | 12.94M | 14.1M | 10.33M | 5.85M | 1.14M | 3.04M | 3.42M | 2.1M | 4.08M | 4.01M | 3.83M | 3.2M | -350.7K | -8.6M | 7.2M | 3.2M | 2.6M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 843.4K | 746.7K | 799.3K | 1.06M | 869.1K | 674.9K | 853.6K | 745.5K | 314.1K | 355.4K | 420.5K | 432.6K | 412K | 431.5K | 433.3K | 479.1K | 466.2K | 530.1K | 390.4K | 308.8K | 202.7K | 178.2K | 121.6K | 198.5K | 533.1K | 952K | 2.23M | 2.3M | 2.1M | 1.9M | 1.8M |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 2.36M | 2.28M | 1.99M | 1.95M | 1.65M | 1.44M | 1.32M | 1.67M | 1.98M | 1.96M | 1.78M | 1.69M | 1.42M | 1.15M | 930.2K | 755.7K | 725.5K | 768.4K | 830.2M | 0 | 788.6M | 1.05B | 0 | 196M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | -195.6K | -195.6K | -159.4K | -512K | -287.7K | -1.36M | -1.22M | -1.82M | 827.8K | -1.38M | -305.4K | -2.14M | 111.9K | -499.2K | 324.3K | 3.33M | 1.03M | 1.81M | 691.7K | -155.3K | 128.4K | -463.2M | 146.9K | 303.9K | 458.2K | 692K | -215.8K | -400K | -200K | 200K | -300K |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 2.18M | 1.97M | 1.62M | 1.13M | 791K | 2.29M | 15.71M | 21.02M | 123.1K | 891.8K | 3.9K | -7.4K | -130.6K | -388K | 2.71M | 1.25M | -218.7K | 3.09M | 5.33M | 295.7K | -788.47M | -585.12M | 646.4K | 251.1K | 117K | 334.1K | -201.6K | 1.5M | 0 | 200K | -100K |
| Working Capital Changes | -4.44M | -1.56M | -2.05M | 180.1K | 1.34M | 5.39M | -3.26M | -3.12M | 1.57M | -1.24M | 2.16M | 521.9K | -3.89M | 2.72M | 836.1K | 676.7K | 65.5K | 1.63M | 600.7K | 2.76M | 1.21M | 563.1K | -289.5K | 327.7K | 453.5K | 2.26M | 8.68M | -1.1M | -5.9M | 600K | 3.5M |
| Change in Receivables | 583.9K | -147.1K | 138.9K | 519.3K | 3.31M | 10.39M | 87.6K | -116.4K | 242.9K | -316.8K | -62.3K | -88.7K | -122.7K | 31.6K | 79.1K | 734.3K | -437.1K | 1.27M | -332K | 567.7K | -415.1K | -104.4K | -20.8K | 338.7K | 690.5K | 3.06M | 5.82M | 2.9M | -300K | 400K | 2.9M |
| Change in Inventory | -83.2K | 35.1K | -11.5K | 384.5K | -445.4K | -218.6K | -20.6K | 21.6K | -10.5K | -9.6K | -42.3K | 48.3K | 3.2K | -25.5K | -2.7K | 17.4K | 25.5K | 30.1K | 3.5K | -76.3K | -1.7K | 352.6K | 109K | 192.3K | 363.3K | 283.1K | 592.4K | 6M | -6.3M | -1.5M | 1.6M |
| Change in Payables | -486.6K | 111.7K | -157.4K | -402.6K | 23K | 329.4K | 754.6K | -336.8K | -721.2K | 381K | 48.7K | -312.2K | -485.9K | 237.7K | 743.4K | 186.1K | -141K | 307K | -305.9M | -194M | 451.7M | 92.6M | 0 | -151.6M | -151.7M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -155.7K | -192.3K | -194.9K | -383.9K | -3.67M | -283.1K | -4.16M | -9.18M | 453.9K | 85.2K | -3.22M | 4.5M | -7.05M | -3.99M | -6.15M | -2.25M | 5.36M | 2.4M | -7.59M | -22.1M | -12.24M | -5.58M | -4.35M | -4.41M | -4.8M | -2.98M | 2.96M | -3.2M | -900K | -7M | 100K |
| Capital Expenditures | -155.7K | -192.3K | -194.9K | -383.9K | -3.68M | -283.1K | -4.16M | -9.18M | -23.8M | -25.48M | -26.28M | -22.33M | -28M | -21.12M | -23.98M | -20.55M | -15.7M | -16.25M | -22.09M | -33.96M | -16.32M | -6.56M | -225.3K | -84.4K | -130.1K | -49.5K | -724.9K | -2.8M | -2.3M | -400K | -300K |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 0.18% | 0.22% | 0.24% | 0.46% | 4.52% | 0.36% | 6.3% | 12.52% | 32.82% | 36.53% | 39.47% | 32.15% | 45.77% | 37.9% | 46.17% | 40.02% | 38.11% | 43.56% | 62.36% | 108.98% | 59.64% | 24.66% | 0.83% | 0.27% | 0.39% | 0.14% | 1.52% | 4.2% | 2.39% | 0.45% | 0.33% |
| Acquisitions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.4K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.88B | 230M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 91K | 14.4K | 101.54M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -191.55M | 25.34M | 23.01M | 26.6M | 20.72M | 17.76M | -6.88B | -230M | 20.02M | 1.8K | 14.93M | 9.81M | 3.97M | 757.5K | -1.73M | -61.8K | -62K | 0 | 3.68M | -400K | 1.4M | -6.6M | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | -43.58M | -46.57M | -43.02M | -43.9M | -37.88M | -43.31M | -57.56M | -18.86M | -33.98M | -25.42M | -22.2M | -27.88M | -19.49M | -9.25M | -18.81M | -11.57M | -24.99M | -8.72M | -508.3K | 16.06M | 5.24M | -2.58M | 1.47M | -1.26M | 1.04M | -5.41M | -11.1M | -600K | -2.9M | 2.6M | -6.3M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 0 | 0 | -9.19M | -4.25M | 25.75M | 25.75M | -2.59M | -2.31M | -32.78M | 23.94M | -21M | 47.9M | 18.5M | -10.08M | 12.22M | -8.8M | -21.71M | -3.87M | -2.83M | 21.28M | 15.98M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -199.5K | -5.36M | -12.03M | -1.2M | 11.6M | 6.1M | -200K |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 5.78M | 2.54M | 5.03M | 4.01M | -49.12M | -44.22M | -48.99M | -24.03M | -1.85M | -49.9M | -1.57M | -74.85M | -11.56M | -1.85M | -7.22M | -3.53M | -4M | -5.28M | -1.72M | -5.46M | -11.49M | -2.91M | 1.47M | -1.26M | 1.24M | -43.9K | 928.4K | 500K | -14.5M | -3.5M | -6.2M |
| Dividends Paid | -49.36M | -49.11M | -38.87M | -43.66M | -19.26M | -33.16M | -14.23M | -3.45M | -2.17M | -1.76M | -1.53M | -1.23M | -26.93M | -964.3K | -26.12M | -547.6K | -301.2K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | -168.8K | -2.42M | 0 | 0 | -49.12M | -44.22M | -48.99M | -24.03M | -1.85M | -49.9M | -1.57M | -74.85M | -11.56M | -1.85M | -7.22M | -3.53M | -4M | -5.28M | -1.72M | -5.56M | -12.28M | -3.96M | -5K | -1.88M | 0 | -66.8K | 0 | 0 | -16.5M | -4.2M | -6.3M |
| Other Financing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.75M | 8.32M | 8.25M | 10.92M | 2.82M | 2.31M | 1.91M | 299.9K | 509.1K | 3.65M | 2.31M | 1.3M | 1.01M | 433.6K | 4.04M | 233.4K | 752K | 333.2K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100K | 0 | 0 | 100K |
| Net Change in Cash | -2.04M | -1.87M | -1.06M | -294.1K | 2.24M | 4.75M | -18.5M | 22.6M | 1.41M | -179.7K | 246.2K | -1.08M | -8.55M | 8.41M | -6.79M | 6.76M | -7.23M | 7.35M | 887K | 215.2K | -1.91M | -3.04M | 1.83M | -576.7K | 1.63M | -952.1K | -11.1M | -600K | -2.9M | 2.6M | -6.3M |
| Free Cash Flow | 41.54M | 44.7M | 41.96M | 43.61M | 40.11M | 48.06M | 39.06M | 41.47M | 11.14M | -318.1K | -617.4K | -27.2K | -10.02M | 525.4K | -5.81M | 41.4K | -3.3M | -2.57M | -13.11M | -27.71M | -11.23M | -1.44M | 4.48M | 5.01M | 5.26M | 7.39M | 9.42M | -1.4M | 900K | 5.7M | 7.2M |
| FCF Margin % | 48.88% | 51.95% | 51.62% | 52.39% | 49.27% | 61.45% | 59.13% | 56.57% | 15.36% | -0.46% | -0.93% | -0.04% | -16.37% | 0.94% | -11.18% | 0.08% | -8.02% | -6.9% | -37% | -88.91% | -41.03% | -5.41% | 16.48% | 16.04% | 15.74% | 20.47% | 19.82% | -2.1% | 0.93% | 6.42% | 7.87% |
| FCF Growth % | -4.55% | 6.53% | -3.78% | 8.73% | -16.55% | 23.04% | -5.8% | 272.29% | 3601.63% | 48.48% | -2169.85% | 99.73% | -2006.51% | 109.04% | -14130.92% | 101.25% | -28.36% | 80.37% | 52.7% | -146.73% | -680.49% | -132.1% | -10.54% | -4.77% | -28.8% | -21.58% | 772.99% | -255.56% | -84.21% | -20.83% | 267.44% |
| FCF per Share | 11.20 | 12.13 | 11.44 | 11.98 | 11.17 | 12.61 | 10.11 | 10.11 | 2.68 | -0.07 | -0.14 | -0.01 | -1.92 | 0.10 | -1.11 | 0.01 | -0.63 | -0.48 | -2.37 | -4.96 | -1.87 | -0.23 | 0.69 | 0.79 | 0.87 | 1.28 | 1.75 | -0.27 | 0.15 | 0.93 | 1.10 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 1.01x | 1.08x | 1.06x | 1.09x | 1.11x | 1.21x | 1.45x | 1.58x | 1.16x | 1.02x | 1.16x | 1.02x | 0.90x | 1.19x | 1.40x | 1.46x | 1.20x | 2.34x | 7.88x | 2.05x | 1.49x | 2.44x | 1.15x | 1.27x | 1.41x | 2.33x | -28.93x | -0.16x | 0.44x | 1.91x | 2.88x |
| Interest Paid | 2.42M | 2.42M | 2.85M | 3.05M | 2.72M | 1.39M | 1.74M | 1.71M | 2.5M | 2.18M | 2.3M | 1.49M | 421.2K | 217.5K | 341.1K | 162.5K | 2.26M | 2.7M | 2.68M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 11.83M | 11.81M | 11.17M | 10.87M | 11.31M | 11.56M | 9.55M | 11.12M | 6.73M | 13.59M | 11.8M | 14.65M | 16.23M | 10.14M | 10.29M | 5.2M | 6.59M | 1.22M | 1.56M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Franchise system saturation risk
According to quarterly financial data, Winmark's operating cash flow to net income ratio fluctuates significantly, ranging from 0.79 to 1.52, which suggests that while the business is highly profitable, the timing of working capital movements often creates a disconnect between reported earnings and actual cash generation.
The volatility in the OCF/NI ratio indicates that investors should not view net income as a perfect proxy for immediate cash availability. This variance appears driven by the timing of royalty collections and leasing receivables, which can cause temporary divergence between accounting profit and cash inflows.
As reported in recent filings, Winmark's free cash flow margins exhibit notable swings, oscillating between 40.3% and 68.6% over the last ten quarters, reflecting the impact of periodic large-scale capital returns to shareholders rather than a fundamental shift in the underlying operational efficiency of the franchise model.
The high FCF margins confirm the capital-light nature of the business, as the company requires minimal reinvestment to maintain its royalty streams. However, the inconsistency in these margins suggests that cash flow is heavily influenced by the timing of discretionary capital allocation decisions rather than purely operational performance.
Based on the provided figures, Winmark maintains an exceptionally low capital intensity, with CapEx to revenue ratios consistently remaining below 1.0%, which underscores the company's structural advantage as a franchisor that avoids the heavy asset requirements typical of traditional retail and equipment leasing competitors.
The negligible capital expenditure requirements allow the firm to convert nearly all operating cash flow into free cash flow. This structural efficiency suggests that the company is well-positioned to continue its strategy of returning capital to shareholders without compromising its core operational support infrastructure.
As evidenced by historical cash flow statements, Winmark frequently utilizes its robust free cash flow to fund significant special dividends, such as the $39.1M payout in 2025Q4, indicating a management priority of returning excess liquidity to shareholders rather than pursuing aggressive, capital-intensive expansion or acquisitions.
The pattern of large, irregular dividend payments suggests that management views the business as a mature cash cow rather than a high-growth vehicle. Investors should monitor whether this reliance on special dividends limits the company's ability to pivot toward new digital initiatives or international growth opportunities.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying WINA stock.
Winmark Corporation (WINA) generated $44.9M in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
Winmark Corporation (WINA) generated $44.7M 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.
Winmark Corporation (WINA) spent $0.2M 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, Winmark Corporation (WINA) returned $49.1M to shareholders via cash dividends and spent $2.4M on share repurchases. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.