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Side-by-side financial comparison of APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC. (AAOI) and FOSTER L B CO (FSTR). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

FOSTER L B CO is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($160.4M vs $134.3M, roughly 1.2× APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.). On growth, APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (33.9% vs 25.1%). FOSTER L B CO produced more free cash flow last quarter ($19.8M vs $-104.6M). Over the past eight quarters, APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.'s revenue compounded faster (81.7% CAGR vs 13.6%).

Applied Optoelectronics Inc. is an American semiconductor company that focuses on optical devices. It was founded in 1997 at the University of Houston and is headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas.

Foster L B Co. is a U.S.-headquartered industrial manufacturing firm that develops, produces and distributes engineered access solutions, construction components, and rail infrastructure products. It serves commercial construction, transportation, and industrial end markets across North America and selected international regions.

AAOI vs FSTR — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
FSTR
FSTR
1.2× larger
FSTR
$160.4M
$134.3M
AAOI
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
AAOI
AAOI
+8.8% gap
AAOI
33.9%
25.1%
FSTR
More free cash flow
FSTR
FSTR
$124.4M more FCF
FSTR
$19.8M
$-104.6M
AAOI
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
AAOI
AAOI
Annualised
AAOI
81.7%
13.6%
FSTR

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Revenue
$134.3M
$160.4M
Net Profit
$2.4M
Gross Margin
31.2%
19.7%
Operating Margin
-8.6%
4.9%
Net Margin
1.5%
Revenue YoY
33.9%
25.1%
Net Profit YoY
1098.3%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.02
$0.22

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
$134.3M
$160.4M
Q3 25
$118.6M
$138.3M
Q2 25
$103.0M
$143.6M
Q1 25
$99.9M
$97.8M
Q4 24
$100.3M
$128.2M
Q3 24
$65.2M
$137.5M
Q2 24
$43.3M
$140.8M
Q1 24
$40.7M
$124.3M
Net Profit
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
$2.4M
Q3 25
$-17.9M
$4.4M
Q2 25
$-9.1M
$2.9M
Q1 25
$-9.2M
$-2.1M
Q4 24
$-242.0K
Q3 24
$-17.8M
$35.9M
Q2 24
$-26.1M
$2.8M
Q1 24
$-23.2M
$4.4M
Gross Margin
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
31.2%
19.7%
Q3 25
28.0%
22.5%
Q2 25
30.3%
21.5%
Q1 25
30.6%
20.6%
Q4 24
28.7%
22.3%
Q3 24
24.4%
23.8%
Q2 24
22.1%
21.7%
Q1 24
18.7%
21.1%
Operating Margin
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
-8.6%
4.9%
Q3 25
-15.3%
6.0%
Q2 25
-15.5%
5.3%
Q1 25
-8.9%
-2.0%
Q4 24
-6.5%
2.4%
Q3 24
-25.4%
5.3%
Q2 24
-60.7%
3.2%
Q1 24
-53.2%
4.5%
Net Margin
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
1.5%
Q3 25
-15.1%
3.1%
Q2 25
-8.8%
2.0%
Q1 25
-9.2%
-2.2%
Q4 24
-0.2%
Q3 24
-27.3%
26.1%
Q2 24
-60.4%
2.0%
Q1 24
-57.0%
3.6%
EPS (diluted)
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
$-0.02
$0.22
Q3 25
$-0.28
$0.40
Q2 25
$-0.16
$0.27
Q1 25
$-0.18
$-0.20
Q4 24
$-2.82
$-0.04
Q3 24
$-0.42
$3.27
Q2 24
$-0.66
$0.26
Q1 24
$-0.60
$0.40

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$206.1M
$4.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$34.0M
$42.6M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$733.9M
$175.3M
Total Assets
$1.2B
$330.4M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.05×
0.24×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
$206.1M
$4.3M
Q3 25
$137.0M
$3.4M
Q2 25
$64.7M
$4.2M
Q1 25
$51.1M
$2.6M
Q4 24
$67.4M
$2.5M
Q3 24
$34.1M
$3.1M
Q2 24
$10.7M
$4.0M
Q1 24
$8.4M
$3.1M
Total Debt
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
$34.0M
$42.6M
Q3 25
$58.6M
Q2 25
$81.4M
Q1 25
$22.1M
$82.3M
Q4 24
$26.7M
$46.8M
Q3 24
$29.5M
$68.4M
Q2 24
$22.5M
$87.0M
Q1 24
$24.1M
$77.9M
Stockholders' Equity
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
$733.9M
$175.3M
Q3 25
$559.1M
$174.8M
Q2 25
$425.0M
$174.4M
Q1 25
$309.0M
$170.8M
Q4 24
$229.1M
$178.3M
Q3 24
$212.1M
$181.9M
Q2 24
$186.5M
$147.1M
Q1 24
$195.7M
$144.6M
Total Assets
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
$1.2B
$330.4M
Q3 25
$978.5M
$333.9M
Q2 25
$796.9M
$349.9M
Q1 25
$644.7M
$342.8M
Q4 24
$547.0M
$334.6M
Q3 24
$410.0M
$344.5M
Q2 24
$348.0M
$333.3M
Q1 24
$350.9M
$326.4M
Debt / Equity
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
0.05×
0.24×
Q3 25
0.33×
Q2 25
0.47×
Q1 25
0.07×
0.48×
Q4 24
0.12×
0.26×
Q3 24
0.14×
0.38×
Q2 24
0.12×
0.59×
Q1 24
0.12×
0.54×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-29.6M
$22.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-104.6M
$19.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-77.9%
12.3%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
55.9%
1.5%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
9.18×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-353.6M
$25.2M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
$-29.6M
$22.2M
Q3 25
$-28.5M
$29.2M
Q2 25
$-65.5M
$10.4M
Q1 25
$-50.9M
$-26.1M
Q4 24
$-24.6M
$24.3M
Q3 24
$-14.4M
$24.7M
Q2 24
$-2.0M
$-5.0M
Q1 24
$-28.5M
$-21.4M
Free Cash Flow
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
$-104.6M
$19.8M
Q3 25
$-78.7M
$26.4M
Q2 25
$-91.0M
$7.7M
Q1 25
$-79.3M
$-28.7M
Q4 24
$-53.0M
$22.3M
Q3 24
$-20.7M
$21.7M
Q2 24
$-5.0M
$-7.0M
Q1 24
$-34.2M
$-24.2M
FCF Margin
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
-77.9%
12.3%
Q3 25
-66.3%
19.1%
Q2 25
-88.3%
5.4%
Q1 25
-79.4%
-29.4%
Q4 24
-52.9%
17.4%
Q3 24
-31.8%
15.8%
Q2 24
-11.5%
-5.0%
Q1 24
-84.2%
-19.4%
Capex Intensity
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
55.9%
1.5%
Q3 25
42.4%
2.0%
Q2 25
24.7%
1.9%
Q1 25
28.4%
2.6%
Q4 24
28.3%
1.5%
Q3 24
9.7%
2.2%
Q2 24
6.9%
1.5%
Q1 24
14.2%
2.2%
Cash Conversion
AAOI
AAOI
FSTR
FSTR
Q4 25
9.18×
Q3 25
6.70×
Q2 25
3.61×
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
0.69×
Q2 24
-1.74×
Q1 24
-4.83×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

AAOI
AAOI

Data Center$74.9M56%
CATV$54.0M40%
Telecom$5.1M4%

FSTR
FSTR

Rail Technologies And Services Segment$98.0M61%
Over Time Output Method$26.3M16%
Services$19.4M12%
Rail Technologies Products$10.0M6%
Over Time Input Method$8.3M5%

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