Phunware, Inc. (NASDAQ:PHUN) Struggles with Capital Efficiency Compared to Peers

Font: Financial Modeling Prep  • Nov 19, 2025

• Phunware's Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) is -17.56%, indicating it is not generating sufficient returns to cover its cost of capital.
• Remark Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:MARK) and Exela Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:XELA) show positive ROIC, highlighting more effective capital utilization.
• Phunware's significantly negative ROIC compared to peers suggests a need for strategic improvements in capital efficiency.

Phunware, Inc. (NASDAQ:PHUN) is a technology company that provides a fully integrated enterprise cloud platform for mobile applications. It offers services such as location-based services, mobile engagement, and content management. Despite its innovative offerings, Phunware faces challenges in capital efficiency, as seen in its financial metrics.

Phunware's Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) is -17.56%, which is below its Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) of 16.20%. This negative ROIC indicates that the company is not generating sufficient returns to cover its cost of capital, which is a red flag for investors. The ROIC to WACC ratio of -1.08 further highlights this inefficiency.

In comparison, Remark Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:MARK) shows a positive ROIC of 37.09% against a WACC of 25.14%, resulting in a favorable ROIC to WACC ratio of 1.48. This suggests that Remark Holdings is effectively utilizing its capital to generate returns above its cost, unlike Phunware.

Exela Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:XELA) stands out with a ROIC of 52.56% and a WACC of 17.86%, leading to the highest ROIC to WACC ratio of 2.94 among the peers. This indicates that Exela is efficiently using its capital to create value, contrasting sharply with Phunware's current performance.

Vinco Ventures, Inc. (NASDAQ:BBIG) and Camber Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:CEI) also struggle with negative ROIC to WACC ratios of -0.14 and -1.28, respectively. However, Phunware's situation is more concerning due to its significantly negative ROIC, which suggests a need for strategic improvements to enhance capital efficiency.