Covenant Logistics Group, Inc. (CVLG) Cash Flow Statement
Where CVLG’s cash came from and went, 2025
December 31, 2025 · U.S. dollars- Cash from operations
- $113.6M −7.5% vs 2024
- Capital expenditures
- $147.6M 12.7% of revenue
- Free cash flow
- −$33.9M −2.9% margin
- Returned to shareholders
- $43.7M
- Change in cash
- −$30.7M cash at year-end $4.9M
Drawn to scale: where the cash came from and how it was used. Hover for values.
CVLG operating cash flow, capex and free cash flow
CVLG cash flow trends, 2016–2025
| Metric | Trend | Then | Latest | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating cash flow | $102.4M2016 | $113.6M2025 | +1.2%/yr | |
| Capital expenditures | $112.8M2016 | $147.6M2025 | +3.0%/yr | |
| Free cash flow | −$10.4M2016 | −$33.9M2025 | — | |
| Free cash flow margin | −1.5%2016 | −2.9%2025 | −1.4 pts | |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 6.082016 | 15.702025 | +9.62 | |
| Stock-based compensation | $1.4M2016 | $3.6M2025 | +11.2%/yr | |
| Dividends paid | $4.3M2019 | $7.2M2025 | +8.9%/yr | |
| Share buybacks (net) | $1.1M2016 | $36.6M2025 | +47.0%/yr | |
| Capex / revenue | 16.8%2016 | 12.7%2025 | −4.1 pts |
Change is the average annual growth (CAGR) or the difference between the first and latest year.
CVLG cash flow by activity
CVLG net income vs operating cash flow
Operating cash flow above net income usually means earnings are backed by cash (depreciation and stock-based pay are non-cash expenses).
CVLG cash flow statement
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||
| Net income | $7.2M | $35.9M | $54.6M | $108.7M | $60.7M | −$42.7M | $8.5M | $42.5M | $55.4M | $16.8M |
| Depreciation & amortization | $92.7M | $86.5M | $69.9M | $57.5M | $53.9M | $65.5M | $80.5M | $75.9M | $72.4M | $71.6M |
| Stock-based compensation | $3.6M | $3.7M | $7.1M | $6.6M | $9.1M | $2.3M | $819,000 | $5.2M | $1.2M | $1.4M |
| Change in working capital | $1.4M | $2.9M | −$39.5M | $23.5M | −$52.8M | −$7.2M | −$20.9M | −$7.5M | −$26.7M | $13.3M |
| Other non-cash items | $8.8M | −$6.2M | −$7.4M | −$37.0M | $2.3M | $45.2M | −$4.9M | $8.8M | −$19.5M | −$691,000 |
| Cash from operating activities | $113.6M | $122.9M | $84.8M | $159.2M | $73.2M | $63.0M | $64.0M | $124.8M | $82.9M | $102.4M |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$147.6M | −$153.0M | −$217.6M | −$100.5M | −$35.3M | −$94.0M | −$138.3M | −$75.1M | −$110.8M | −$112.8M |
| Investments (net) | −$956,000 | −$107.7M | −$181.0M | −$86.2M | $1.5M | $138.0M | −$1.4M | −$120.9M | −$62.1M | −$47.3M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | $8.5M | $153.0M | $162.7M | $100.5M | $44.1M | $94.0M | $46.6M | $75.1M | $110.8M | $112.8M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$140.1M | −$107.7M | −$235.9M | −$86.2M | $10.3M | $138.0M | −$93.0M | −$120.9M | −$62.1M | −$47.3M |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$7.2M | −$5.8M | −$5.8M | −$4.3M | −$4.3M | −$4.3M | −$4.3M | — | — | — |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$36.6M | $0 | −$25.4M | −$84.7M | −$10.3M | −$17.5M | −$1.1M | −$242,000 | −$785,000 | −$1.1M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | $45.8M | $30.0M | $129.7M | $77.5M | −$71.9M | −$218.5M | $50.6M | $4.1M | −$12.2M | −$50.7M |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | −$6.3M | −$6.1M | −$13.7M | −$1.2M | $3.0M | $4.0M | $4.3M | −$10,000 | −$160,000 | −$76,000 |
| Cash from financing activities | −$4.3M | $18.1M | $84.7M | −$12.8M | −$83.6M | −$236.3M | $49.5M | $3.9M | −$13.2M | −$51.9M |
| Summary | ||||||||||
| Net change in cash | −$30.7M | $33.3M | −$66.4M | $60.3M | $5,000 | −$35.2M | $20.5M | $7.8M | $7.6M | $3.3M |
| Cash at end of period | $4.9M | $35.6M | $2.3M | $68.7M | $8.4M | $8.4M | $43.6M | $23.1M | $15.4M | $7.8M |
| Free cash flow | −$33.9M | −$30.1M | −$132.8M | $58.8M | $37.9M | −$31.0M | −$74.2M | $49.7M | −$27.9M | −$10.4M |
| Free cash flow margin | −2.9% | −2.7% | −12.0% | 4.8% | 3.6% | −3.7% | −8.4% | 5.6% | −4.0% | −1.5% |
| Capex / revenue | 12.7% | 13.5% | 19.7% | 8.3% | 3.4% | 11.2% | 15.6% | 8.5% | 15.7% | 16.8% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 15.70 | 3.42 | 1.55 | 1.47 | 1.21 | — | 7.55 | 2.94 | 1.49 | 6.08 |
| Jun '26 | Mar '26 | Dec '25 | Sep '25 | Jun '25 | Mar '25 | Dec '24 | Sep '24 | Jun '24 | Mar '24 | Dec '23 | Sep '23 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||||
| Net income | $8.5M | $4.4M | −$18.3M | $9.1M | $9.8M | $6.6M | $6.7M | $13.0M | $12.2M | $4.0M | $12.6M | $13.5M |
| Depreciation & amortization | $22.8M | $24.0M | $24.9M | $23.0M | $23.1M | $21.8M | $22.1M | $21.2M | $22.1M | $21.1M | $18.2M | $18.2M |
| Stock-based compensation | $228,000 | $934,000 | $574,000 | $1.1M | $920,000 | $1.0M | $991,000 | $988,000 | $765,000 | $947,000 | $1.9M | $1.9M |
| Change in working capital | −$37.6M | $2.1M | $5.0M | $4.0M | −$9.4M | $1.7M | −$3.3M | $22.9M | −$20.9M | $4.2M | −$9.2M | $1.1M |
| Other non-cash items | −$4.9M | −$2.4M | $13.3M | $4.2M | −$2.6M | −$6.2M | −$4.5M | −$1.3M | $8.2M | −$8.6M | $8.3M | $5.9M |
| Cash from operating activities | −$10.9M | $29.0M | $25.5M | $41.4M | $21.9M | $24.8M | $21.9M | $56.9M | $22.4M | $21.7M | $31.9M | $40.6M |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$33.8M | −$11.4M | −$119.0M | −$49.2M | −$36.4M | −$33.4M | −$21.5M | −$32.6M | −$50.5M | −$48.4M | −$105.6M | −$53.0M |
| Investments (net) | −$579,000 | −$18,000 | −$168,000 | −$35.7M | −$29.4M | −$24.1M | −$3.5M | −$17.7M | −$43.0M | −$43.5M | −$91.3M | −$31.3M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | $9.4M | $35.6M | $68.3M | $49.2M | $36.4M | $33.4M | $21.5M | $32.6M | $50.5M | $48.4M | $105.6M | $53.0M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$25.0M | $24.2M | −$50.9M | −$35.7M | −$29.4M | −$24.1M | −$3.5M | −$17.7M | −$43.0M | −$43.5M | −$91.3M | −$31.3M |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$1.8M | −$1.8M | −$1.8M | −$1.8M | −$1.8M | −$1.9M | −$1.5M | −$1.4M | −$1.4M | −$1.4M | −$1.4M | −$1.4M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | — | — | $7,000 | −$1.0M | −$35.6M | — | $0 | $339,000 | $0 | −$339,000 | $58,000 | $0 |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | $35.3M | −$44.8M | $30.0M | $467,000 | $33.9M | −$18.6M | −$16.7M | −$3.9M | — | — | — | — |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | −$6.3M | −$355,000 | −$678,000 | −$862,000 | −$100,000 | −$4.7M | $77,000 | −$201,000 | $20.4M | $24.2M | $55.7M | −$8.3M |
| Cash from financing activities | $27.2M | −$46.9M | $27.6M | −$3.2M | −$3.6M | −$25.1M | −$18.0M | −$5.2M | $18.9M | $22.4M | $54.4M | −$9.8M |
| Summary | ||||||||||||
| Net change in cash | −$8.6M | $6.3M | $2.3M | $2.5M | −$11.1M | −$24.4M | $422,000 | $33.9M | −$1.7M | $658,000 | −$5.1M | −$429,000 |
| Cash at end of period | $2.6M | $11.2M | $4.9M | $2.7M | $143,000 | $11.2M | $35.6M | $35.2M | $1.3M | $3.0M | $2.3M | $7.4M |
| Free cash flow | −$44.7M | $17.6M | $144.6M | −$7.8M | −$14.5M | −$8.6M | $464,000 | $24.3M | −$28.1M | −$26.7M | −$73.7M | −$12.4M |
| Free cash flow margin | −13.4% | 5.7% | 49.0% | −2.6% | −4.8% | −3.2% | 0.2% | 8.4% | −9.8% | −9.6% | −26.9% | −4.3% |
| Capex / revenue | 10.2% | 3.7% | 40.3% | 16.6% | 12.0% | 12.4% | 7.7% | 11.3% | 17.6% | 17.3% | 38.5% | 18.3% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | −1.27 | 6.55 | — | 4.55 | 2.23 | 3.78 | 3.26 | 4.36 | 1.84 | 5.46 | 2.52 | 3.01 |
Negative numbers are cash paid out. Quarterly columns are labeled by the month the quarter ended. Figures in U.S. dollars as reported; data from EODHD.
CVLG cash generation
In fiscal 2025 (ended December 31, 2025), Covenant Logistics generated $113.6 million of cash from operations (down 7.5%) and spent $147.6 million on capital expenditures, leaving free cash flow of -$33.9 million, −2.9% of revenue. It returned $43.7 million to shareholders through dividends ($7.2 million) and net share buybacks ($36.6 million). Cash and equivalents fell by $30.7 million over the year.
Related: CVLG income statement, CVLG balance sheet, CVLG dividend history. See the CVLG stock overview for the latest quote and news.
CVLG cash flow FAQ
What is Covenant Logistics's free cash flow?
Covenant Logistics's free cash flow was -$33.9 million in fiscal 2025: $113.6 million of operating cash flow minus $147.6 million of capital expenditures It was -$30.1 million a year earlier..
How much cash does Covenant Logistics generate from operations?
Covenant Logistics generated $113.6 million of cash from operating activities in fiscal 2025, 15.70 times its net income of $7.2 million.
How much does Covenant Logistics spend on capital expenditures?
Covenant Logistics spent $147.6 million on capital expenditures in fiscal 2025, 12.7% of revenue, compared with $153.0 million the year before.
How much stock does Covenant Logistics buy back?
Covenant Logistics spent $36.6 million on net share repurchases in fiscal 2025.
How much does Covenant Logistics pay in dividends?
Covenant Logistics paid $7.2 million in dividends in fiscal 2025.