Mercer International Inc. (MERC) Cash Flow Statement
Where MERC’s cash came from and went, 2025
December 31, 2025 · U.S. dollars- Cash from operations
- $8.6M −90.5% vs 2024
- Capital expenditures
- $88.6M 4.7% of revenue
- Free cash flow
- −$80.0M −4.3% margin
- Returned to shareholders
- $10.0M
- Change in cash
- $1.9M cash at year-end $186.8M
Drawn to scale: where the cash came from and how it was used. Hover for values.
MERC operating cash flow, capex and free cash flow
MERC cash flow trends, 2016–2025
| Metric | Trend | Then | Latest | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating cash flow | $140.8M2016 | $8.6M2025 | −26.7%/yr | |
| Capital expenditures | $44.4M2016 | $88.6M2025 | +8.0%/yr | |
| Free cash flow | $96.4M2016 | −$80.0M2025 | — | |
| Free cash flow margin | 10.3%2016 | −4.3%2025 | −14.6 pts | |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 4.032016 | 1.462022 | −2.57 | |
| Stock-based compensation | $4.7M2016 | $2.3M2025 | −7.6%/yr | |
| Dividends paid | $29.7M2016 | $10.0M2025 | −11.4%/yr | |
| Share buybacks (net) | $754,0002019 | $02021 | −100.0% | |
| Capex / revenue | 4.8%2016 | 4.7%2025 | 0.0 pts |
Change is the average annual growth (CAGR) or the difference between the first and latest year.
MERC cash flow by activity
MERC 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).
MERC cash flow statement
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||
| Net income | −$308.7M | −$85.1M | −$242.1M | $247.0M | $171.0M | −$17.2M | −$9.6M | $128.6M | $70.5M | $34.9M |
| Depreciation & amortization | $160.0M | $170.8M | $172.5M | $144.2M | $132.2M | $128.9M | $126.4M | $96.7M | $85.3M | $72.0M |
| Stock-based compensation | $2.3M | $3.9M | $5.9M | $6.7M | $2.4M | $928,000 | $3.0M | $3.9M | $2.9M | $4.7M |
| Change in working capital | $58.2M | −$24.9M | −$64.2M | −$25.0M | −$154.9M | −$77.0M | $106.5M | −$34.6M | −$52.1M | $7.7M |
| Other non-cash items | $96.8M | $25.6M | $58.8M | −$12.3M | $31.5M | $5.9M | $18.0M | $42.0M | $35.4M | $21.5M |
| Cash from operating activities | $8.6M | $90.2M | −$69.0M | $360.7M | $182.2M | $41.6M | $244.3M | $236.7M | $141.9M | $140.8M |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$88.6M | −$84.3M | −$136.3M | −$179.2M | −$160.8M | −$79.2M | −$132.7M | −$87.6M | −$59.7M | −$44.4M |
| Investments (net) | — | −$67.0M | −$153.7M | −$425.7M | −$187.1M | $17.5M | −$139.4M | −$467.5M | −$121.6M | −$44.3M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | $7.3M | $84.3M | $90.2M | $179.2M | $160.8M | $1.8M | $132.7M | $87.6M | $59.7M | $44.4M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$81.3M | −$67.0M | −$199.9M | −$425.7M | −$187.1M | −$59.8M | −$139.4M | −$467.5M | −$121.6M | −$44.3M |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$10.0M | −$20.1M | −$19.9M | −$19.8M | −$17.2M | −$21.9M | −$35.3M | −$40.7M | −$29.9M | −$29.7M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | — | — | — | — | $0 | −$162,000 | −$754,000 | — | — | — |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | $89.7M | −$128.0M | $253.5M | $105.3M | $17.0M | $52.7M | $43.2M | $69.1M | $337.3M | −$23.1M |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | $138,000 | −$4.7M | −$4.9M | −$3.5M | −$9.4M | −$4.3M | −$1.1M | −$13.5M | −$18.7M | −$9.6M |
| Cash from financing activities | $79.8M | −$152.8M | $228.6M | $82.0M | −$9.5M | $26.3M | $6.1M | $14.9M | $288.8M | −$62.4M |
| Summary | ||||||||||
| Net change in cash | $1.9M | −$129.1M | −$40.0M | $8.4M | −$15.5M | $10.0M | $110.6M | −$220.2M | $319.8M | $32.0M |
| Cash at end of period | $186.8M | $184.9M | $314.0M | $354.0M | $345.6M | $361.1M | $351.1M | $240.5M | $460.7M | $140.9M |
| Free cash flow | −$80.0M | $5.9M | −$205.3M | $181.4M | $21.4M | −$37.6M | $111.6M | $149.1M | $82.2M | $96.4M |
| Free cash flow margin | −4.3% | 0.3% | −10.3% | 8.0% | 1.2% | −2.6% | 6.9% | 10.2% | 7.0% | 10.3% |
| Capex / revenue | 4.7% | 4.1% | 6.8% | 7.9% | 8.9% | 5.6% | 8.2% | 6.0% | 5.1% | 4.8% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | — | — | — | 1.46 | 1.07 | — | — | 1.84 | 2.01 | 4.03 |
| 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 | −$76.0M | −$52.0M | −$308.7M | −$80.8M | −$86.1M | −$22.3M | $16.7M | −$17.6M | −$67.6M | −$16.7M | −$87.2M | −$26.0M |
| Depreciation & amortization | $38.0M | $40.7M | $42.7M | $39.5M | $37.5M | $40.4M | $48.8M | $41.6M | $39.9M | $40.4M | $43.8M | $41.0M |
| Stock-based compensation | −$857,000 | $788,000 | −$1.1M | $1.3M | $1.0M | $1.0M | −$993,000 | $1.4M | $1.4M | $2.0M | $1.6M | $1.8M |
| Change in working capital | $6.2M | −$84.3M | $58.0M | $1.8M | $21.1M | −$22.7M | $24.7M | −$36.0M | $48.7M | −$62.3M | −$14.4M | −$37.6M |
| Other non-cash items | $17.5M | $9.1M | $255.2M | $8.1M | $21.9M | $709,000 | −$18.1M | −$3.5M | $39.7M | $7.4M | $47.5M | −$4.5M |
| Cash from operating activities | −$15.1M | −$85.7M | $46.2M | −$30.1M | −$4.5M | −$3.0M | $71.2M | −$13.9M | $62.2M | −$29.2M | −$8.7M | −$25.3M |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$12.2M | −$13.2M | −$14.2M | −$30.0M | −$24.3M | −$20.1M | −$20.7M | −$27.3M | −$17.9M | −$18.5M | −$26.0M | −$37.4M |
| Investments (net) | — | — | — | −$27.6M | −$22.8M | −$19.9M | −$6.5M | −$22.9M | −$20.2M | −$17.5M | −$20.2M | −$29.3M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | $5.6M | $341,000 | $3.1M | $30.0M | $24.3M | $20.1M | $20.7M | $27.3M | $17.9M | $18.5M | $26.0M | $37.4M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$6.5M | −$12.8M | −$11.1M | −$27.6M | −$22.8M | −$19.9M | −$6.5M | −$22.9M | −$20.2M | −$17.5M | −$20.2M | −$29.3M |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||||
| Dividends paid | $0 | — | $0 | −$5.0M | −$5.0M | — | −$10.0M | −$5.0M | −$5.0M | — | −$10.0M | −$5.0M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | $20.4M | $2.3M | $52.9M | $16.4M | $1.2M | $19.2M | −$105.0M | $17.8M | — | — | — | $194.8M |
| Shares issued | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | −$4.6M | −$527,000 | $18,000 | −$425,000 | $545,000 | $0 | −$4.0M | −$23,000 | −$48.3M | $6.8M | $8.0M | −$4.7M |
| Cash from financing activities | $15.8M | $1.8M | $52.9M | $11.0M | −$3.3M | $19.2M | −$119.1M | $12.7M | −$53.3M | $6.8M | −$1.9M | $185.2M |
| Summary | ||||||||||||
| Net change in cash | −$5.8M | −$97.3M | $88.7M | −$48.4M | −$35.0M | −$3.5M | −$54.1M | −$24.2M | −$11.1M | −$39.7M | −$29.7M | $130.4M |
| Cash at end of period | $83.8M | $89.5M | $186.8M | $98.1M | $146.5M | $181.5M | $184.9M | $239.0M | $263.2M | $274.3M | $314.0M | $343.7M |
| Free cash flow | −$27.3M | −$98.8M | $32.0M | −$60.1M | −$28.9M | −$23.1M | $50.4M | −$41.2M | $44.3M | −$47.7M | −$34.7M | −$62.7M |
| Free cash flow margin | −5.9% | −20.2% | 7.1% | −13.1% | −6.4% | −4.6% | 10.3% | −8.2% | 8.9% | −8.6% | −7.4% | −13.3% |
| Capex / revenue | 2.6% | 2.7% | 3.1% | 6.6% | 5.4% | 4.0% | 4.2% | 5.4% | 3.6% | 3.3% | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4.26 | — | — | — | — | — |
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.
MERC cash generation
In fiscal 2025 (ended December 31, 2025), Mercer International generated $8.6 million of cash from operations (down 90.5%) and spent $88.6 million on capital expenditures, leaving free cash flow of -$80.0 million, −4.3% of revenue. It returned $10.0 million to shareholders through dividends ($10.0 million) and net share buybacks ($0). Cash and equivalents rose by $1.9 million over the year.
Related: MERC income statement, MERC balance sheet, MERC dividend history. See the MERC stock overview for the latest quote and news.
MERC cash flow FAQ
What is Mercer International's free cash flow?
Mercer International's free cash flow was -$80.0 million in fiscal 2025: $8.6 million of operating cash flow minus $88.6 million of capital expenditures It was $5.9 million a year earlier..
How much cash does Mercer International generate from operations?
Mercer International generated $8.6 million of cash from operating activities in fiscal 2025.
How much does Mercer International spend on capital expenditures?
Mercer International spent $88.6 million on capital expenditures in fiscal 2025, 4.7% of revenue, compared with $84.3 million the year before.
How much does Mercer International pay in dividends?
Mercer International paid $10.0 million in dividends in fiscal 2025.