Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.
SantosSTOSF +5.50%75 Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow is 1.03 as of Jun. 2026, which is 98% above its 10-year median of 0.52. GuruFocus rates STOSF with a GF Score™ of 75/100 and a GF Value™ of $4.44 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 10 warning signs investors should review. Among 656 Oil & Gas companies, Santos ranks worse than 71.19% on this metric.
Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow assesses how much of a company’s cash flow from operations is being devoted to capital expenditure. It’s also useful to distinguish whether the company is capital intensive or not.
Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow ratio assesses how much of a company’s Cash Flow from Operations is being devoted to Capital Expenditure. It is a good indicator in terms of how much the company is focused on growth. In general, a high Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow ratio indicates that the company is investing more in physical assets and is focused on growth and expansion. Conversely, lower ratio could indicate that a company has reached maturity and is no longer pursuing aggressive growth.
Moreover, the ratio is also useful to distinguish whether the company is capital intensive or not. If the ratio is large, then the company tends to be capital intensive. Lower ratio suggests that it’s a capital-light business. The ratio can be combined with ROIC % to identify whether the company is an asset-light business that has a high return on invested capital. This is one question investors commonly ask to see if a company qualifies as a good company.
Santos Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow Related Terms
Santos Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Santos's Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
STOSF vs COP, EOG, OXY: Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow Comparison
For the Oil & Gas E&P subindustry, Santos's Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow, along with its competitors' market caps and Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Santos Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow vs Oil & Gas Industry
For the Oil & Gas industry and Energy sector, Santos's Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Santos's Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
What does a Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow of 1.03 mean?
Santos (STOSF) has a Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow of 1.03 as of Jun. 2026. Capex to Operating Cash Flow ratio assesses how much of a company’s cash flow from operations is being devoted to capital expenditure. View historical data on Santos and its competitors. This is 98% above median its historical median of 0.52. Over the past decade, Santos' Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow has ranged from 0.05 to 0.85. According to the industry distribution chart, Santos ranks #467 out of 656 companies in the Oil & Gas industry, placing it in the top 71.2%.
Is Santos' Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow too high?
Santos' current Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow of 1.03 is 98% above median its 10-year median of 0.52. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.05 to a high of 0.85. The Oil & Gas industry median Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow is 0.54. Santos' value of 1.03 is 90.7% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Santos ranks #467 out of 656 companies in the Oil & Gas industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Santos has a GF Score™ of 75/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Santos' Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow compare to COP and EOG?
According to the Oil & Gas industry distribution chart, Santos ranks #467 out of 656 companies for Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow. This places Santos in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow is 0.54. Santos' value of 1.03 is 90.7% above this benchmark. Historically, Santos' own Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow has ranged from 0.05 to 0.85 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 0.52 vs. the industry median of 0.54, Santos has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow for an Oil & Gas company?
The median Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow among Oil & Gas companies is 0.54, based on 656 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Santos's current Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow of 1.03 is 90.7% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow mean?
A high Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Capex to Operating Cash Flow ratio assesses how much of a company’s cash flow from operations is being devoted to capital expenditure. View historical data on Santos and its competitors. For the Oil & Gas industry, the median Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow is 0.54 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Santos's current Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow is 1.03, which is 98% above median its own 10-year median of 0.52. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Santos stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Santos (STOSF) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $4.44, compared to a current price of $6.33 — trading 42.6% above its estimated fair value. The current Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow is 1.03, which is 98% above median its 10-year median of 0.52 and 90.7% above the Oil & Gas industry median of 0.54. Santos' overall GF Score™ is 75/100 with 10 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow calculated?
Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Santos (STOSF), the current Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow is 1.03 as of Jun. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Santos (STOSF) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Santos stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $6.33 is trading 42.6% above its estimated GF Value™ of $4.44.
GuruFocus considers Santos to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for STOSF:
Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow: 1.03 (98% above median its 10-year median of 0.52)
GF Value™: $4.44 vs. price of $6.33 (42.6% above fair value)
Industry Position: 90.7% above the Oil & Gas median (#467 of 656)
No single metric tells the full story. See the STOSF stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Santos was founded in 1954. The company's name is an acronym for South Australia Northern Territory Oil Search. The first Cooper Basin gas discovery came in 1963, with initial supplies in 1969. Santos became a major enterprise, though over-reliance on the Cooper Basin, along with the Moomba field's inexorable decline, saw it struggle to maintain relevance in the first decade of the 21st century. However, the stage was set for a renaissance via conversion of coal seam gas into LNG in Queensland and conventional gas to LNG in PNG.
75GF Score
Get the complete analysis for STOSF
Capex-to-Operating-Cash-Flow is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
STOSF has been successfully added to your 
