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CBL Stock Analysis - CBL & ASSOCIATES PROPERTIES INC AI Rating

CBL NYSE Real Estate Investment Trusts DE CIK: 0000910612
Recently Updated • Analysis: Mar 21, 2026 • SEC Data: 2025-12-31
AI Rating
SELL
75% Confidence

📊 CBL Key Takeaways

Revenue: $578.4M
Net Margin: 23.5%
Free Cash Flow: $249.7M
Current Ratio: N/A
Debt/Equity: 5.79x
EPS: $4.34
AI Rating: SELL with 75% confidence

Investment Thesis

CBL exhibits concerning financial distress with an interest coverage ratio of 0.9x, indicating inability to service debt from operating income. The massive 3460.8% YoY revenue spike is likely a one-time accounting event rather than organic growth, and the 5.79x debt-to-equity ratio represents unsustainable leverage for a REIT with only $42.3M in cash reserves against $2.2B in long-term debt.

CBL Strengths

  • + Strong operating cash flow generation at $249.7M with 43.2% FCF margin
  • + Elevated net margin of 23.5% and operating margin of 17.4%
  • + Positive net income of $136.0M demonstrating profitability on paper

CBL Risks

  • ! Critical debt servicing crisis: 0.9x interest coverage ratio means operating income cannot cover interest expenses
  • ! Extreme leverage at 5.79x debt-to-equity with only $42.3M cash for $2.2B debt obligations
  • ! Suspicious revenue metrics: 3460.8% YoY spike suggests one-time gain or accounting adjustment rather than sustainable business growth
  • ! Minimal liquidity with current/quick ratios unavailable, indicating potential working capital constraints
  • ! High insider trading activity (21 Form 4 filings in 90 days) may signal management uncertainty

Key Metrics to Watch

CBL Financial Metrics

Revenue
$578.4M
Net Income
$136.0M
EPS (Diluted)
$4.34
Free Cash Flow
$249.7M
Total Assets
$2.7B
Cash Position
$42.3M

💡 AI Analyst Insight

The 43.2% free cash flow margin provides substantial flexibility for dividends, buybacks, and strategic investments. The current ratio below 1.0x warrants monitoring of short-term liquidity.

CBL Profitability Ratios

Gross Margin N/A
Operating Margin 17.4%
Net Margin 23.5%
ROE 36.3%
ROA 5.0%
FCF Margin 43.2%

CBL vs Default Sector

How CBL & ASSOCIATES PROPERTIES INC compares to Default sector averages

Net Margin
CBL 23.5%
vs
Sector Avg 12.0%
CBL Sector
ROE
CBL 36.3%
vs
Sector Avg 15.0%
CBL Sector
Current Ratio
CBL 0.0x
vs
Sector Avg 1.8x
CBL Sector
Debt/Equity
CBL 5.8x
vs
Sector Avg 0.7x
CBL Sector

Sector benchmarks are approximate industry averages. Actual sector performance may vary.

CBL Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Current Ratio
N/A
Quick Ratio
N/A
Debt/Equity
5.79x
Debt/Assets
86.6%
Interest Coverage
0.85x
Long-term Debt
$2.2B

CBL 5-Year Financial Trend

CBL 5-year financial data: Year 2021: Revenue $25.2M, Net Income -$108.8M, EPS N/A. Year 2022: Revenue $18.5M, Net Income -$295.1M, EPS $-1.75. Year 2023: Revenue $18.9M, Net Income -$470.6M, EPS $-2.39. Year 2024: Revenue $18.9M, Net Income -$93.5M, EPS $-3.20. Year 2025: Revenue $18.9M, Net Income $6.5M, EPS $0.17.
Revenue
Net Income
EPS (right axis)

5-Year Trend Summary: CBL & ASSOCIATES PROPERTIES INC's revenue has declined by 25% over the 5-year period, indicating business contraction. The most recent EPS of $0.17 reflects profitable operations.

CBL Growth Metrics (YoY)

Revenue Growth
N/A
Year-over-year
Net Income Growth
N/A
Year-over-year
EPS Growth
N/A
Earnings per share
FCF Margin
43.2%
Free cash flow / Revenue

CBL Quarterly Performance

Quarterly financial performance data for CBL & ASSOCIATES PROPERTIES INC including revenue, net income, and earnings per share.
Quarter Revenue Net Income EPS
Q3 2025 $4.0M $16.2M $0.52
Q2 2025 $3.9M $2.8M $0.08
Q1 2025 $3.6M $50.0K $-0.01
Q3 2024 $4.0M -$5.3M $-0.19
Q2 2024 $4.3M $4.7M $0.14
Q1 2024 $4.6M $50.0K $-0.01
Q3 2023 $4.0M -$5.3M $-0.19
Q2 2023 $4.3M -$18.5M $-0.61

Data sourced from SEC EDGAR 10-Q quarterly filings. Figures may represent quarterly or cumulative values.

CBL Capital Allocation

Operating Cash Flow
$249.7M
Cash generated from operations
Stock Buybacks
$18.1M
Shares repurchased (TTM)
Dividends Paid
$77.1M
Returned to shareholders

CBL SEC Filings

Access official SEC EDGAR filings for CBL & ASSOCIATES PROPERTIES INC (CIK: 0000910612)

📋 Recent SEC Filings

Date Form Document Action
Mar 19, 2026 8-K cbl-20260313.htm View →
Mar 3, 2026 10-K cbl-20251231.htm View →
Feb 18, 2026 4 xslF345X05/ownership.xml View →
Feb 18, 2026 4 xslF345X05/ownership.xml View →
Feb 18, 2026 4 xslF345X05/ownership.xml View →

Frequently Asked Questions about CBL

What is the AI rating for CBL?

CBL & ASSOCIATES PROPERTIES INC (CBL) has an AI rating of SELL with 75% confidence, based on fundamental analysis of SEC EDGAR filings.

What are CBL's key strengths?

Strong operating cash flow generation at $249.7M with 43.2% FCF margin. Elevated net margin of 23.5% and operating margin of 17.4%.

What are the risks of investing in CBL?

Critical debt servicing crisis: 0.9x interest coverage ratio means operating income cannot cover interest expenses. Extreme leverage at 5.79x debt-to-equity with only $42.3M cash for $2.2B debt obligations.

What is CBL's revenue and growth?

CBL & ASSOCIATES PROPERTIES INC reported revenue of $578.4M.

Does CBL pay dividends?

CBL & ASSOCIATES PROPERTIES INC pays dividends, with $77.1M distributed to shareholders in the trailing twelve months.

Where can I find CBL SEC filings?

Official SEC filings for CBL & ASSOCIATES PROPERTIES INC (CIK: 0000910612) including 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K reports are available on SEC EDGAR.

What is CBL's EPS?

CBL & ASSOCIATES PROPERTIES INC has a diluted EPS of $4.34.

How is the AI analysis conducted?

Our AI (Claude) analyzes publicly available SEC EDGAR filings including 10-K annual reports and 10-Q quarterly reports to evaluate financial health, profitability ratios, balance sheet strength, and growth metrics.

Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by Claude AI based on publicly available SEC EDGAR filings. It does not include stock price data and should not be considered financial advice. All fundamental data is sourced from SEC public domain filings. Always conduct your own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Data Source: SEC EDGAR | Analysis Date: Mar 21, 2026 | Data as of: 2025-12-31 | Powered by Claude AI