NG (Novagold Resources) Free Cash Flow: $-18.60 Mil (TTM As of May. 2026)

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NG Novagold Resources Inc NG
30 GF Score
Price $7.50
! 1 Warning Sign
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What is Novagold Resources Free Cash Flow?

Novagold Resources NG -1.45% 30 Free Cash Flow is $-18.60 Mil as of May. 2026. GuruFocus rates NG with a GF Score™ of 30/100. The stock has 1 warning sign investors should review.

Novagold Resources's total free cash flow for the months ended in May. 2026 was $-6.40 Mil. Its total free cash flow for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in May. 2026 was $-18.60 Mil.

Novagold Resources's Free Cash Flow per Share for the months ended in May. 2026 was $-0.02. Its free cash flow per share for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in May. 2026 was $-0.05.

During the past 3 years, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was -2.00% per year. During the past 5 years, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was -6.00% per year. During the past 10 years, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was -2.70% per year. Please click Growth Rate Calculation Example (GuruFocus) to see how GuruFocus calculates Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT)'s revenue growth rate. You can apply the same method to get the Free Cash Flow Growth Rate using Free Cash Flow per Share data.

During the past 13 years, Novagold Resources's highest 3-Year average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was 60.90% per year. The lowest was -101.30% per year. And the median was 4.90% per year.


Novagold Resources  (AMEX:NG) Free Cash Flow Explanation

Free Cash Flow is very close to Warren Buffett's definition of Owner's Earnings, except that in Warren Buffett's Owner's Earnings, the spending for Property, Plant, and Equipment is only for maintenance (replacement), while in the Free Cash Flow calculation, the cost of new Property, Plant, and Equipment due to business expansion is also deducted. There, Free Cash Flow is more conservative than Owner's Earnings.

In Don Yacktman's calculation of forward rate of return, he uses Free Cash Flow for the calculation. Yacktman explained the forward rate of return concept in detail in his interview with GuruFocus. Yacktman defines forward rate of return as the normalized free cash flow yield plus real growth plus inflation.

This is what Yacktman said in his March 2012 interview - when the S&P 500 was at 1400:

If the business is stable, this calculation is fairly straightforward. For instance, on the S&P 500 we would normalize earnings. We would then calculate what percentage of those earnings are not reinvested in the underlying businesses and are therefore free. Historically, for the S&P 500, this has been just under 50% of earnings. Currently, we expect the S&P to earn about 70 on a normalized basis, a number which is far below reported earnings due to our adjusting for record high profit margins. $70 X ½ / 1400 gives you a normalized free cash flow yield of approximately 2.5%.

The historical real growth rate of the S&P 500 (companies) is about 1.5%. Assuming an inflation rate of 2.5%, the forward rate of return on an investment in the S&P 500 is about 6.5% today (2.5% free cash flow yield plus 1.5% real growth plus 2.5% inflation).

For the growth part of the Forward Rate of Return calculation, GuruFocus uses the 5-year average growth rate of EBITDA per share as the growth rate, and the growth rate is always capped at 20%. For the Free Cash Flow we use per share data averaged over five years. The reason we use five years is because research shows that five years is the length of the typical business cycle.

Therefore, as of May26, Novagold Resources's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % is

Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % (May26)=Normalized Free Cash Flow/Price+5-Year EBITDA Growth Rate
=0/8.57+0
=0.00 %

* 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.


Be Aware

Free Cash Flow within a report period can be affected by management's decisions of capital spending. Therefore, it is important to look at long term when it comes to Free Cash Flow.


Novagold Resources Free Cash Flow Related Terms


Novagold Resources Free Cash Flow Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Novagold Resources's Free 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.

Novagold Resources Free Cash Flow Chart

Novagold Resources Annual Data
Trend Nov16 Nov17 Nov18 Nov19 Nov20 Nov21 Nov22 Nov23 Nov24 Nov25
Free Cash Flow
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -9.86 -12.37 -7.79 -12.64 -14.03

Novagold Resources Quarterly Data
Aug21 Nov21 Feb22 May22 Aug22 Nov22 Feb23 May23 Aug23 Nov23 Feb24 May24 Aug24 Nov24 Feb25 May25 Aug25 Nov25 Feb26 May26
Free Cash Flow Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -1.63 -0.90 -6.04 -5.26 -6.40
NG
30GF Score
Novagold Resources Inc NG
Free Cash Flow is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Novagold Resources Free Cash Flow Calculation

Free Cash Flow is considered one of the most important parameters to measure a company's earnings power by value investors because it is not subject to estimates of Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization (DDA). However, when we look at the Free Cash Flow, we should look from a long term perspective, because any year's Free Cash Flow can be drastically affected by the spending on Property, Plant, & Equipment (PPE) of the business in that year. Over the long term, Free Cash Flow should give pretty good picture on the real earnings power of the company.

Novagold Resources's Free Cash Flow for the fiscal year that ended in Nov. 2025 is calculated as

Free Cash Flow (A: Nov. 2025 )=Cash Flow from Operations+Capital Expenditure
=-14.028+0
=-14.03

Novagold Resources's Free Cash Flow for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 is calculated as

Free Cash Flow (Q: May. 2026 )=Cash Flow from Operations+Capital Expenditure
=-6.401+0
=-6.40

Free Cash Flow for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in May. 2026 adds up the quarterly data reported by the company within the most recent 12 months, which was $-18.60 Mil.

* 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.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Free Cash Flow →
What does a Free Cash Flow of $-18.60 Mil mean?
Novagold Resources (NG) has a Free Cash Flow of $-18.60 Mil as of May. 2026. Free cash flow represents the total amount of cash a company has on hand following operating and capital expenditures. View historial data for Novagold Resources and its competitors.
Is Novagold Resources' Free Cash Flow too high?
Novagold Resources' current Free Cash Flow is $-18.60 Mil. Overall, Novagold Resources has a GF Score™ of 30/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Novagold Resources' Free Cash Flow compare to NEM and AU?
Novagold Resources' Free Cash Flow of $-18.60 Mil can be compared against companies in the Metals & Mining industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Free Cash Flow for a Metals & Mining company?
A good Free Cash Flow depends on the Metals & Mining industry context. However, Free Cash Flow should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Free Cash Flow mean?
A high Free Cash Flow can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Free cash flow represents the total amount of cash a company has on hand following operating and capital expenditures. View historial data for Novagold Resources and its competitors. Novagold Resources's current Free Cash Flow is $-18.60 Mil. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Novagold Resources stock overvalued right now?
Novagold Resources (NG) has a current Free Cash Flow of $-18.60 Mil. The current Free Cash Flow is $-18.60 Mil. Novagold Resources' overall GF Score™ is 30/100 with 1 warning sign to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Free Cash Flow calculated?
Free Cash Flow is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Novagold Resources (NG), the current Free Cash Flow is $-18.60 Mil as of May. 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.

Novagold Resources Business Description

Address 201 South Main Street, Suite 400, Salt Lake City, UT, USA, 84111
Novagold Resources Inc operates in the gold mining industry, focused on advancing the Donlin Gold project in Alaska. The Donlin Gold project is held by Donlin Gold LLC (Donlin Gold), a limited liability company owned equally by wholly owned subsidiaries of NOVAGOLD and Barrick Gold Corporation (Barrick). The company includes exploration and development activities of gold and other precious metals.
30GF Score

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$7.50
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