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Cytek Biosciences (CTKB)
NASDAQ:CTKB

Cytek Biosciences (CTKB) AI Stock Analysis

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CTKB

Cytek Biosciences

(NASDAQ:CTKB)

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Neutral 52 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:52Neutral
Price Target:
$4.50
▲(2.27% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:02/27/26
The score is held back primarily by deteriorating profitability and inconsistent cash generation, reinforced by weak technical momentum. These are partially offset by a strong low-debt balance sheet and an earnings call that points to modest growth and continued positive adjusted EBITDA, driven by recurring revenue and installed base expansion, despite margin and cost headwinds.
Positive Factors
Balance sheet strength
Extremely low leverage (debt-to-equity ~0.04) and a cash-rich position give Cytek durable financial flexibility to fund R&D, support the manufacturing transition, underwrite operating volatility, and pursue strategic initiatives without reliance on new debt over the next several quarters.
Recurring revenue expansion
Recurring lines (service, reagents, software) now comprise a material and growing portion of sales (34%, +21% YoY). That recurring mix increases revenue visibility, improves lifetime customer value, and supports margin stability over time as the installed base and cross-sell deepen.
Installed base and unit momentum
Added 208 instruments in Q4 and 3,664 total installed units (22% unit growth) creates a structural driver for consumables, service contracts, and software adoption. A larger installed base supports sustainable pull-through revenue and customer stickiness over multiple quarters.
Negative Factors
Gross margin compression
Material margin erosion—GAAP gross margin fell notably year-over-year—reflects higher materials, tariffs, and duplicate manufacturing costs during an overseas transition. These structural cost pressures can persist and constrain long-term profitability until supply-chain or pricing improvements are realized.
Volatile cash generation
Operating and free cash flow swings undermine predictability: a strong 2024 flipped to negative in 2025. This inconsistency weakens the company’s ability to fund growth, absorb shocks, or sustainably finance buybacks and investments without tapping reserves or altering strategy.
Deteriorating profitability and expense pressures
Large GAAP losses, amplified by a substantial deferred tax valuation allowance, plus rising operating expenses and legal costs, indicate weakened earnings power. Persistent negative net income and elevated OPEX reduce reinvestment capacity and prolong the timeline to consistent GAAP profitability.

Cytek Biosciences (CTKB) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Cytek Biosciences Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionCytek Biosciences, Inc., a cell analysis solutions company, provides cell analysis tools that facilitates scientific advances in biomedical research and clinical applications. It offers aurora and northern lights systems, which are spectrum flow cytometers that delivers cell analysis by utilizing the fluorescence signatures from multiple lasers to distinguish fluorescent tags on single cells; and aurora cell sorter system, which leverages full spectrum profiling technology to further broaden potential applications across cell analysis. The company also provides reagents and kits, including cFluor reagents, which are fluorochrome conjugated antibodies used to identify cells of interest for analysis on its instruments, as well as 25-color immunoprofiling assay that provides turnkey solutions for identifying major human immune subpopulations for TBNK cells, monocytes, dendritic cells, and basophils. In addition, it offers automated micro-sampling system and automated sample loader system, which are automated plate loaders to integrate seamlessly into the aurora and northern lights systems; SpectroFlo software that provides intuitive workflow from quality control to data analysis for aurora and northern lights systems; and customer support tools. The company serves pharmaceutical and biopharma companies, academic research centers, and clinical research organizations. It distributes its products through direct sales force and support organizations in North America, Europe, China, and the Asia-Pacific region; and through distributors or sales agents in European, Latin American, the Middle Eastern, and the Asia-Pacific countries. The company was formerly known as Cytoville, Inc. and changed its name to Cytek Biosciences, Inc. in August 2015. Cytek Biosciences, Inc. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Fremont, California.
How the Company Makes MoneyCytek Biosciences generates revenue primarily through the sale of its flow cytometry instruments, reagents, and related consumables. The company’s revenue model is based on a combination of product sales and recurring revenue from consumables and service contracts. Key revenue streams include direct sales of the Aurora and Northern Lights systems, which are marketed to research institutions, clinical laboratories, and pharmaceutical companies. Additionally, Cytek benefits from partnerships with other biotech and pharmaceutical firms that may involve joint development initiatives or co-marketing agreements, further enhancing its market reach and revenue potential.

Cytek Biosciences Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Feb 26, 2026
(Q4-2025)
|
Next Earnings Date:May 13, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The call balances meaningful operational and commercial progress (record Q4 revenue, installed base growth, strong recurring revenue, reagent and service momentum, product launches and digital adoption) against significant near-term financial and margin headwinds (GAAP net losses amplified by a large deferred tax valuation allowance, margin compression from tariffs and manufacturing transition, increased operating expenses and lower adjusted EBITDA). Management provided cautious optimism with 2026 guidance ($205M–$212M) reflecting continued recovery but retained contingencies for uncertainty.
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Q4 Record Revenue and Sequential Acceleration
Fourth quarter 2025 revenue of $62.1 million, up 8% year-over-year, the highest revenue historically recorded by Cytek; company achieved sequential acceleration through 2025 (Q1 -8% YoY, Q2 -2%, Q3 +2%, Q4 +8%).
Full Year Revenue Growth and Return to Growth in H2
Full year 2025 revenue of $201.5 million, up 1% year-over-year; second half 2025 revenue up ~5% vs. second half 2024, reflecting a pivot from H1 weakness to H2 growth.
Installed Base and Unit Volume Expansion
Installed base increased by 208 instruments in Q4 to 3,664 units; unit volume grew 22% for 2025 vs prior year and accelerated to 26% growth in Q4 year-over-year.
Successful New Product Launches and Awards
Aurora Evo launched in May 2025 and contributed to 21% unit growth in the combined Aurora category in Q4 vs Q4 2024; Muse Micro System received 2025 Biotech Breakthrough Award (Drug Discovery Solution of the Year).
Strong Recurring Revenue and Service Momentum
Recurring revenue represented 34% of total revenue for 2025 and grew 21% year-over-year; service revenue grew 25% in Q4 and ~21% for the full year, driven by installed base growth and higher usage.
Reagents and Applications Growth
Reagent revenue grew more than 20% in Q4 in all geographic regions except the U.S., and grew >25% for full year 2025, supported by faster delivery times, expanded catalog and dedicated sales efforts.
Digital / Bioinformatics Adoption
Cytek Cloud users grew to over 24,000 by year-end 2025, an increase of more than 50% YoY, representing nearly 8 users per installed FSP instrument and supporting reagent and service uptake.
Operational Actions and Balance Sheet
New Singapore manufacturing facility began generating revenue in under 100 days, supporting regional manufacturing strategy; cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaled $261.5 million at Dec 31, 2025, and the company repurchased $15.1 million of stock during 2025.
Negative Updates
Margin Compression
GAAP gross margin declined to 53% in Q4 2025 from 59% in Q4 2024; adjusted gross margin fell to 55% in Q4 2025 from 61% prior year. Full year GAAP gross margin declined to 52% in 2025 from 55% in 2024; adjusted gross margin declined to 55% from 59%.
Significant GAAP Net Loss Driven by Tax Valuation Allowance
Q4 2025 GAAP net loss of $44.1 million included a $38.1 million valuation allowance against deferred tax assets; full year 2025 GAAP net loss was $66.5 million and included a $33.1 million valuation allowance—noncash accounting items that materially increased GAAP losses.
Operating Expense Increase and Profitability Pressures
Q4 2025 operating expenses rose to $38.5 million, up 25% YoY (increase of $7.8 million); excluding a $2.6 million one-time reduction in prior year, the increase was $5.2 million. Full year operating expenses rose to $144.8 million from $131.6 million, with G&A notably higher due to legal and other costs.
Declines in Reported Profitability Metrics
Adjusted EBITDA declined to $4.5 million in Q4 2025 from $12.5 million in Q4 2024 (or from $9.9 million excluding a prior nonrecurring benefit). Full year adjusted EBITDA fell to $5.0 million in 2025 from $22.4 million in 2024; adjusted EBITDA excluding investment income was negative $3.1 million.
Product Gross Margin and Manufacturing Headwinds
Product gross margin pressured by higher material costs, tariffs, and higher manufacturing overhead related to transitioning production overseas (including duplicate costs), contributing to lower product gross margin in Q4 and for the full year.
Biopharma / Pharma Instrument Weakness
Revenue from biotech, pharma and CRO customers declined in Q4: biopharma revenue down 6% YoY in the quarter, with U.S. instrument sales to biotech/pharma weaker after strong Q3 purchases.
Early 2025 Demand Weakness and Volatility
2025 started weak with Q1 revenue down 8% YoY and first half revenue down almost 5% YoY, reflecting public policy impacts and uncertain life-science spending; recovery concentrated in H2.
Legal and One-Time Charges
Higher G&A driven in part by patent litigation legal expenses; one-time nonrecurring items and an ATM offering cost write-off affected reported operating results and added volatility to expense comparisons.
Company Guidance
Cytek guided 2026 revenue of $205–$212 million on a constant‑currency basis (implying roughly 2%–5% growth versus 2025's $201.5M), explicitly not assuming any material tariff benefit, and expects to sustain positive adjusted EBITDA (2025 adjusted EBITDA was $5M); the outlook assumes continued strong APAC instrument growth and rebounds in U.S. and EMEA, continued rapid expansion in recurring lines (recurring revenue was 34% of total and grew 21% YoY in 2025), robust service and reagent momentum (service grew ~21% for 2025 and 25% in Q4; reagents grew >25% for 2025 and >20% in Q4), a modest/flat instrument revenue profile, and builds on Q4 strength ($62.1M, +8% YoY), an installed base of 3,664 units (added 208 in Q4), and a Cytek Cloud user base >24,000 (up >50% YoY).

Cytek Biosciences Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Balance sheet strength (very low leverage) supports resilience, but operating results are weak: revenue growth has slowed to low single digits, losses widened sharply in 2025, and cash flow flipped back to negative after a strong 2024.
Income Statement
46
Neutral
Revenue growth has slowed materially over time (from ~60% in 2020 to ~0% in 2024, then ~2% in 2025), while profitability has deteriorated. Gross margin remains solid (~52% in 2025), but operating performance is weak with ongoing losses and a sharp step-down in net margin (about -3% in 2024 to about -33% in 2025). Overall, the top line is relatively stable, but the company has not translated that into sustainable earnings and saw a meaningful setback in the latest year.
Balance Sheet
72
Positive
The balance sheet is a clear strength: leverage is low and consistent (debt-to-equity ~0.04 in 2023–2025), providing flexibility. However, equity has declined from 2022 to 2025, and returns on equity are negative in recent years, reflecting that losses are eroding shareholder value. Net: financially resilient structure with limited debt risk, but weakening equity trajectory tied to profitability challenges.
Cash Flow
49
Neutral
Cash generation is volatile. The company produced strong positive operating and free cash flow in 2024, but both turned negative again in 2025, which raises questions about consistency of underlying cash earnings. Free cash flow growth appears high in 2024–2025, but that is influenced by large swings year-to-year (including negative periods), so the trend is not yet reliable. Overall, cash flow performance is mixed and less dependable than the balance sheet.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue201.49M200.45M193.01M164.04M127.95M
Gross Profit104.46M111.11M109.43M100.97M79.14M
EBITDA-40.38M-10.03M-4.41M9.49M8.92M
Net Income-66.54M-6.02M-12.15M2.58M3.00M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets461.54M499.50M494.46M519.48M463.31M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments261.53M277.86M262.41M341.15M364.62M
Total Debt14.04M17.02M14.14M18.09M0.00
Total Liabilities119.80M103.76M101.39M93.93M57.92M
Stockholders Equity341.74M395.74M393.06M425.30M405.04M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-8.77M21.85M454.00K-22.10M266.00K
Operating Cash Flow-4.69M25.38M5.28M-12.23M4.63M
Investing Cash Flow10.12M-82.97M-93.89M-55.91M-20.99M
Financing Cash Flow-13.43M-15.82M-41.81M5.51M213.56M

Cytek Biosciences Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Neutral
Last Price4.40
Price Trends
50DMA
4.94
Negative
100DMA
4.78
Negative
200DMA
4.14
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.20
Negative
RSI
39.91
Neutral
STOCH
75.51
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CTKB, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 4.4 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 4.52, below the 50-day MA of 4.94, and above the 200-day MA of 4.14, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.20 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 39.91 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 75.51 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for CTKB.

Cytek Biosciences Risk Analysis

Cytek Biosciences disclosed 71 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Cytek Biosciences reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Cytek Biosciences Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (51)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
64
Neutral
$721.70M77.924.97%1.58%
56
Neutral
$663.45M-35.75-12.91%23.27%43.90%
55
Neutral
$745.18M-41.42%16.04%28.91%
52
Neutral
$557.49M-43.22-3.36%-2.18%-30.96%
52
Neutral
$564.39M-8.19-13.95%4.14%-45.29%
51
Neutral
$7.86B-0.30-43.30%2.27%22.53%-2.21%
46
Neutral
$501.17M-0.89-213.45%-10.72%-16.00%
* Healthcare Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
CTKB
Cytek Biosciences
4.40
-0.09
-2.00%
PACB
Pacific Biosciences
1.78
0.33
22.76%
VREX
Varex Imaging
13.52
0.66
5.13%
SIBN
SI-Bone
16.23
-1.89
-10.43%
BFLY
Butterfly Network
4.67
1.05
29.01%
BVS
Bioventus
8.86
-1.28
-12.62%
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Feb 27, 2026