CVR Energy, Inc. (NYSE:CVI) Accelerates Deleveraging While Momentum Supports Near-Term Strength

CVR Energy shows operational stress on margins but recent insider purchases and balance-sheet actions create a near-term constructive bias for price continuation. Technical momentum and above-average trading volume suggest continued attention despite fundamental leverage pressure.

Recent News

Feb 24–25, 2026 reports show substantial insider purchases by Carl Icahn and increased stake disclosures; the company announced a $75 million term‑loan prepayment and outlined 2026 capital expenditure plans; a private placement of senior notes was priced and expected to close in mid‑February 2026.

Technical Analysis

Directional indicators show a strong trend environment: ADX at 34.46 signals a strong trend presence and recent DI+ at 39.86 has undergone a peak‑and‑reversal, which by definition reads as a bearish shift in directional momentum even while the ADX confirms trend strength. DI‑ at 15.6 trending lower reads as a supportive element for the prior DI+ strength, but the DI+ peak‑and‑reverse dominates near‑term directional interpretation.

MACD sits at 2.10 with the signal line at 1.52 and the MACD trend increasing; the MACD has crossed above its signal line, providing a bullish momentum signal that aligns with recent price strength and moving average positioning.

MRO registers 25.9 and is increasing; a positive MRO indicates the market price sits above modeled target levels and therefore carries a measurable risk of mean reversion or a pullback despite the bullish MACD signal.

RSI at 54.18 and rising places momentum in neutral‑to‑favorable territory without overbought readings, which supports the case for continued upside room before momentum exhaustion.

Price sits above short‑ and long‑term averages: the 12‑day EMA at $30.76, 26‑day EMA at $28.40, 50‑day average at $25.26 and 200‑day average at $29.62, while the closing price registers $32.69—this alignment of price over moving averages confirms an uptrend posture. Bollinger band width and current bands (upper ~ $33.16 / $36.43, lower ~ $26.63 / $23.37) show room near the first standard deviation but increasingly tight dispersion over longer horizons.

Volume activity confirms participation: intraday volume ~2.04M exceeds 10‑day average ~1.88M and 200‑day average ~1.43M, indicating above‑average trade interest supporting the breakout momentum. Short‑term beta sits negative (42‑day -0.61) while 52‑week beta reads 0.88; the short‑term beta anomaly suggests recent decoupling from the market but the 52‑week beta indicates broadly market‑correlated returns over a full year.

 


Fundamental Analysis

Profitability metrics show operating stress: EBIT stands at -$94.0M and EBITDA at $51.0M, producing an EBIT margin of -5.19%. Quarter‑over‑quarter change in EBIT margin equals -119.64% and year‑over‑year change equals -306.32%, which reflects notable deterioration versus recent periods. The EBIT margin sits above the industry peer low but below the industry peer mean and median for refining and marketing.

EPS reported at -$0.80 versus an estimate of -$0.83 produced an EPS surprise ratio of 3.61%, a modest positive variance that reduces immediate downside from expectations but does not change negative earnings delivery. Forward EPS of $0.232 and forward P/E near 126 reflect low near‑term earnings power priced into forward expectations.

Revenue totaled $1,810,000,000 with reported revenue growth of -6.89%; revenue growth quarter‑over‑quarter shows -166.33% and year‑over‑year reads -210.84% per the supplied figures, indicating material top‑line contraction relative to the prior reference periods.

Liquidity and capital structure show mixed signals: cash and short‑term investments total $511.0M, current ratio 1.79 and quick ratio 1.13 provide working capital cover; the cash ratio equals 72.38%. Net debt stands roughly $1.199B and debt to equity equals 243.97%, with debt to EBITDA near 34.9x—leverage sits well above typical peer medians and remains the primary fundamental constraint on valuation.

Cash flow metrics report negative free cash flow of -$56.0M and free cash flow yield of -2.09%; operating cash flow reached $68.0M but free cash growth shows declines QoQ and YoY. Gross profit registers negative $59.0M and gross margin at -3.26%, reflecting margin compression in refining and fertilizer operations.

Balance‑sheet efficiency shows asset turnover of 0.47, which runs above the industry peer mean of 0.358, indicating relatively efficient asset use for revenue generation. Return on assets equals -2.86%, return on equity -15.07%, and return on invested capital negative—profitability metrics remain below what investors typically expect for sustained value creation.

Valuation: The current valuation as determined by WMDST registers as over‑valued, reflecting heavy leverage, negative margins, and negative free cash flow despite active insider support and recent financing moves that aim at deleveraging.

MOST-RECENT QUARTERLY REPORT
REPORT PERIOD ENDING: 2025-12-31
REPORT DATE: 2026-02-18
NEXT REPORT DATE: 2026-05-20
CASH FLOW  Begin Period Cash Flow 670.0 M
 Operating Cash Flow 68.0 M
 Capital Expenditures -56.00 M
 Change In Working Capital -24.00 M
 Dividends Paid
 Cash Flow Delta -159.00 M
 End Period Cash Flow 511.0 M
 
INCOME STATEMENT REVENUE
 Total Revenue 1.8 B
 Forward Revenue -96.07 M
COSTS
 Cost Of Revenue 1.9 B
 Depreciation 145.0 M
 Depreciation and Amortization 145.0 M
 Research and Development
 Total Operating Expenses 1.9 B
PROFITABILITY
 Gross Profit -59.00 M
 EBITDA 51.0 M
 EBIT -94.00 M
 Operating Income -99.00 M
 Interest Income
 Interest Expense 29.0 M
 Net Interest Income -29.00 M
 Income Before Tax -123.00 M
 Tax Provision -7.00 M
 Tax Rate 5.691 %
 Net Income -110.00 M
 Net Income From Continuing Operations -116.00 M
EARNINGS
 EPS Estimate -0.83
 EPS Actual -0.80
 EPS Difference 0.03
 EPS Surprise 3.614 %
 Forward EPS 0.23
 
BALANCE SHEET ASSETS
 Total Assets 3.7 B
 Intangible Assets
 Net Tangible Assets 730.0 M
 Total Current Assets 1.3 B
 Cash and Short-Term Investments 511.0 M
 Cash 511.0 M
 Net Receivables 235.0 M
 Inventory 472.0 M
 Long-Term Investments 389.0 M
LIABILITIES
 Accounts Payable 415.0 M
 Short-Term Debt 14.0 M
 Total Current Liabilities 706.0 M
 Net Debt 1.2 B
 Total Debt 1.8 B
 Total Liabilities 2.8 B
EQUITY
 Total Equity 730.0 M
 Retained Earnings -777.00 M
VALUATION & PER-SHARE METRICS EQUITY & PER-SHARE METRICS
 Book Value Per-Share 7.26
 Shares Outstanding 100.531 M
 Revenue Per-Share 18.00
VALUATION
 Market Capitalization 2.7 B
 Enterprise Value 3.9 B
 Enterprise Multiple 77.401
Enterprise Multiple QoQ 973.26 %
Enterprise Multiple YoY 852.251 %
Enterprise Multiple IPRWA high: 96.728
CVI: 77.401
median: 46.587
mean: 22.952
low: -113.353
 EV/R 2.181
CAPITAL STRUCTURE
 Asset To Equity 5.077
 Asset To Liability 1.32
 Debt To Capital 0.709
 Debt To Assets 0.481
Debt To Assets QoQ 3.308 %
Debt To Assets YoY 17002.135 %
Debt To Assets IPRWA high: 0.915
mean: 0.545
median: 0.524
CVI: 0.481
low: 0.233
 Debt To Equity 2.44
Debt To Equity QoQ 10.36 %
Debt To Equity YoY 14192.501 %
Debt To Equity IPRWA CVI: 2.44
high: 1.855
median: 1.855
mean: 1.665
low: 0.359
PRICE-BASED VALUATION
 Price To Book (P/B) 3.668
Price To Book QoQ -7.413 %
Price To Book YoY 30.568 %
Price To Book IPRWA CVI: 3.668
high: 1.293
median: 1.293
mean: 1.252
low: 0.968
 Price To Earnings (P/E) -33.291
Price To Earnings QoQ -140.231 %
Price To Earnings YoY -77.968 %
Price To Earnings IPRWA high: 62.479
CVI: -33.291
mean: -39.775
median: -53.798
low: -98.062
 PE/G Ratio 0.111
 Price To Sales (P/S) 1.479
Price To Sales QoQ -13.581 %
Price To Sales YoY 45.844 %
Price To Sales IPRWA high: 1.933
CVI: 1.479
mean: 1.329
median: 1.204
low: 0.738
FORWARD MULTIPLES
Forward P/E 125.977
Forward PE/G -0.42
Forward P/S -25.409
EFFICIENCY OPERATIONAL
 Operating Leverage 17.161
ASSET & SALES
 Asset Turnover Ratio 0.47
Asset Turnover Ratio QoQ -3.531 %
Asset Turnover Ratio YoY -1.687 %
Asset Turnover Ratio IPRWA high: 0.542
CVI: 0.47
median: 0.372
mean: 0.358
low: 0.065
 Receivables Turnover 7.418
Receivables Turnover Ratio QoQ -4.985 %
Receivables Turnover Ratio YoY 9.727 %
Receivables Turnover Ratio IPRWA CVI: 7.418
high: 5.931
median: 5.931
mean: 5.507
low: 3.591
 Inventory Turnover 3.81
Inventory Turnover Ratio QoQ 39.11 %
Inventory Turnover Ratio YoY 0.751 %
Inventory Turnover Ratio IPRWA high: 6.227
median: 4.478
mean: 3.967
CVI: 3.81
low: 1.183
 Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) 12.301
CASH CYCLE
 Cash Conversion Cycle Days (CCC) 16.548
Cash Conversion Cycle Days QoQ 14.068 %
Cash Conversion Cycle Days YoY 23.032 %
Cash Conversion Cycle Days IPRWA high: 91.409
mean: 18.798
CVI: 16.548
low: 10.44
median: 10.44
CAPITAL DEPLOYMENT
 Cash Conversion Ratio 3.226
 CapEx To Revenue -0.031
 CapEx To Depreciation -0.386
 
CAPITAL, LIQUIDITY & COVERAGE CAPITAL STRUCTURE
 Total Capital 2.4 B
 Net Invested Capital 2.4 B
 Invested Capital 2.4 B
 Net Tangible Assets 730.0 M
 Net Working Capital 561.0 M
LIQUIDITY
 Cash Ratio 0.724
 Current Ratio 1.795
Current Ratio QoQ -8.326 %
Current Ratio YoY 8.032 %
Current Ratio IPRWA high: 2.109
CVI: 1.795
mean: 1.381
median: 1.38
low: 0.735
 Quick Ratio 1.126
Quick Ratio QoQ -12.262 %
Quick Ratio YoY -6.474 %
Quick Ratio IPRWA high: 1.582
CVI: 1.126
mean: 0.812
median: 0.784
low: 0.562
COVERAGE & LEVERAGE
 Debt To EBITDA 34.922
 Cost Of Debt 1.504 %
 Interest Coverage Ratio -3.241
Interest Coverage Ratio QoQ -115.765 %
Interest Coverage Ratio YoY -238.916 %
Interest Coverage Ratio IPRWA high: 14.134
median: 1.894
mean: 1.073
CVI: -3.241
low: -10.404
 Operating Cash Flow Ratio 0.096
TIMING / LIQUIDITY
 Days Payables Outstanding (DPO) 28.047
DIVIDENDS
 Dividend Coverage Ratio
 Dividend Payout Ratio
 Dividend Rate
 Dividend Yield
PERFORMANCE GROWTH
 Asset Growth Rate -7.164 %
 Revenue Growth -6.893 %
Revenue Growth QoQ -166.33 %
Revenue Growth YoY -210.838 %
Revenue Growth IPRWA high: 117.712 %
median: 42.573 %
mean: 32.173 %
CVI: -6.893 %
low: -15.662 %
 Earnings Growth -300.0 %
Earnings Growth QoQ 9.524 %
Earnings Growth YoY 305.405 %
Earnings Growth IPRWA high: 112.5 %
median: -85.938 %
mean: -108.197 %
CVI: -300.0 %
low: -315.0 %
MARGINS
 Gross Margin -3.26 %
Gross Margin QoQ -111.357 %
Gross Margin YoY -213.352 %
Gross Margin IPRWA high: 46.536 %
mean: 9.314 %
median: 8.198 %
low: -0.289 %
CVI: -3.26 %
 EBIT Margin -5.193 %
EBIT Margin QoQ -119.641 %
EBIT Margin YoY -306.317 %
EBIT Margin IPRWA high: 10.009 %
median: 3.523 %
mean: 1.15 %
CVI: -5.193 %
low: -20.367 %
 Return On Sales (ROS) -5.47 %
Return On Sales QoQ -120.608 %
Return On Sales YoY -317.322 %
Return On Sales IPRWA high: 10.896 %
median: 2.023 %
mean: 0.366 %
CVI: -5.47 %
low: -11.82 %
CASH FLOW
 Free Cash Flow (FCF) -56.00 M
 Free Cash Flow Yield -2.092 %
Free Cash Flow Yield QoQ -158.014 %
Free Cash Flow Yield YoY -214.756 %
Free Cash Flow Yield IPRWA high: 8.36 %
mean: 3.094 %
median: 2.25 %
low: 1.84 %
CVI: -2.092 %
 Free Cash Growth -146.667 %
Free Cash Growth QoQ -85.664 %
Free Cash Growth YoY -173.333 %
Free Cash Growth IPRWA high: 587.417 %
mean: 43.21 %
median: -4.508 %
CVI: -146.667 %
low: -707.133 %
 Free Cash To Net Income 0.509
 Cash Flow Margin 3.757 %
 Cash Flow To Earnings -0.618
VALUE & RETURNS
 Economic Value Added 0.03
 Return On Assets (ROA) -2.858 %
Return On Assets QoQ -130.476 %
Return On Assets YoY -501.404 %
Return On Assets IPRWA high: 3.001 %
median: -0.489 %
mean: -0.649 %
CVI: -2.858 %
low: -4.6 %
 Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) -3.133 %
 Return On Equity (ROE) -0.151
Return On Equity QoQ -133.842 %
Return On Equity YoY -465.285 %
Return On Equity IPRWA high: 0.093
mean: -0.007
median: -0.014
low: -0.143
CVI: -0.151
 DuPont ROE -14.012 %
 Return On Invested Capital (ROIC) -3.633 %
Return On Invested Capital QoQ -122.755 %
Return On Invested Capital YoY -8.489 %
Return On Invested Capital IPRWA high: 6.931 %
median: 0.961 %
mean: 0.299 %
CVI: -3.633 %
low: -6.081 %

Six-Week Outlook

Near‑term bias favors continuation of the current momentum: bullish MACD crossover, price above multiple EMAs, rising RSI and elevated ADX favor continued upside exploration. Counterbalance emerges from a positive MRO that signals price sitting above target levels and from elevated leverage metrics (debt/equity and debt/EBITDA) that raise vulnerability to macro shocks or commodity cycle swings. Key catalysts over the next six weeks include execution of deleveraging actions (term‑loan paydown and note placement) and any additional insider or ownership moves; increased volume supports a scenario of extension, but watch for mean‑reversion pressure that could materialize while MRO remains positive.

About CVR Energy, Inc.

CVR Energy, Inc. (NYSE:CVI), headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, plays a significant role in the energy sector, concentrating on petroleum refining and nitrogen fertilizer production. Through its Petroleum segment, CVR Energy refines crude oil into essential products like gasoline, diesel, and other refined fuels. The company operates refineries strategically located in southeast Kansas and Wynnewood, Oklahoma, ensuring a steady supply to a wide range of clients, including retailers, railroads, and farm cooperatives. Its logistics network supports efficient distribution, enhancing its market reach. In the Nitrogen Fertilizer segment, CVR Energy utilizes pet coke gasification technology to manufacture nitrogen-based fertilizers. Facilities in North America and East Dubuque, Illinois, produce ammonia, urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), and other agricultural inputs vital for crop yield enhancement. These products serve both agricultural and industrial markets, underscoring their importance in the agricultural supply chain. As a subsidiary of Icahn Enterprises Holdings L.P., CVR Energy integrates a long-standing legacy with contemporary practices, contributing to the energy and agricultural sectors’ growth and sustainability.



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