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Side-by-side financial comparison of AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS INC (AEO) and Childrens Place, Inc. (PLCE). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.4B vs $339.5M, roughly 4.0× Childrens Place, Inc.). AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS INC runs the higher net margin — 6.7% vs -1.3%, a 8.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (5.7% vs -13.0%). AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($-2.5M vs $-3.4M). Over the past eight quarters, AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS INC's revenue compounded faster (2.8% CAGR vs -13.6%).

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. is an American clothing and accessories retailer headquartered at SouthSide Works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1977 by brothers Jerry and Mark Silverman as a subsidiary of Retail Ventures, Inc., a company that also owned and operated Silverman's Menswear. The Silvermans sold half their ownership interests in 1980 to the Schottenstein family and the remainder in 1991. American Eagle Outfitters is the parent company of Aerie, Unsubscribed, and T...

The Children’s Place is a retailer of clothing for children. It sells its products primarily under its proprietary brands The Children’s Place, Gymboree, Sugar & Jade, PJ Place and Crazy 8. The company has about 525 stores in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, and also sells via two online outlets and through five franchise partners in 15 countries. Its product line includes tops, skirts, dresses, jackets, shoes, bottoms, sleepwear and backpacks. The Children’s Place is headquartered in Secauc...

AEO vs PLCE — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
AEO
AEO
4.0× larger
AEO
$1.4B
$339.5M
PLCE
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
AEO
AEO
+18.7% gap
AEO
5.7%
-13.0%
PLCE
Higher net margin
AEO
AEO
8.0% more per $
AEO
6.7%
-1.3%
PLCE
More free cash flow
AEO
AEO
$891.0K more FCF
AEO
$-2.5M
$-3.4M
PLCE
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
AEO
AEO
Annualised
AEO
2.8%
-13.6%
PLCE

Income Statement — Q3 2026 vs Q4 2026

Metric
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Revenue
$1.4B
$339.5M
Net Profit
$91.3M
$-4.3M
Gross Margin
40.5%
33.1%
Operating Margin
8.3%
1.1%
Net Margin
6.7%
-1.3%
Revenue YoY
5.7%
-13.0%
Net Profit YoY
14.2%
-121.5%
EPS (diluted)
$0.53
$-0.19

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
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$1.4B
$339.5M
Q3 25
$1.3B
$298.0M
Q2 25
$1.1B
$242.1M
Q1 25
$408.6M
Q4 24
$1.3B
$390.2M
Q3 24
$1.3B
$319.7M
Q2 24
$1.1B
$267.9M
Q1 24
$1.7B
$455.0M
Net Profit
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$91.3M
$-4.3M
Q3 25
$77.6M
$-5.4M
Q2 25
$-64.9M
$-34.0M
Q1 25
$-8.0M
Q4 24
$80.0M
$20.1M
Q3 24
$77.3M
$-32.1M
Q2 24
$67.8M
$-37.8M
Q1 24
$6.3M
$-128.8M
Gross Margin
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
40.5%
33.1%
Q3 25
38.9%
34.0%
Q2 25
29.6%
29.2%
Q1 25
28.5%
Q4 24
40.9%
35.5%
Q3 24
38.6%
35.0%
Q2 24
40.6%
34.6%
Q1 24
36.6%
21.8%
Operating Margin
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
8.3%
1.1%
Q3 25
8.0%
1.4%
Q2 25
-7.8%
-10.0%
Q1 25
1.7%
Q4 24
8.2%
7.5%
Q3 24
7.8%
-6.8%
Q2 24
6.8%
-10.4%
Q1 24
0.6%
-13.6%
Net Margin
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
6.7%
-1.3%
Q3 25
6.0%
-1.8%
Q2 25
-6.0%
-14.1%
Q1 25
-2.0%
Q4 24
6.2%
5.1%
Q3 24
6.0%
-10.0%
Q2 24
5.9%
-14.1%
Q1 24
0.4%
-28.3%
EPS (diluted)
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$0.53
$-0.19
Q3 25
$0.45
$-0.24
Q2 25
$-0.36
$-1.57
Q1 25
$-0.60
Q4 24
$0.41
$1.57
Q3 24
$0.39
$-2.51
Q2 24
$0.34
$-2.98
Q1 24
$0.03
$-10.24

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$112.8M
$7.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$107.4M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.6B
$-8.6M
Total Assets
$4.2B
$762.5M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$112.8M
$7.3M
Q3 25
$126.8M
$7.8M
Q2 25
$87.9M
$5.7M
Q1 25
$5.3M
Q4 24
$160.2M
$5.7M
Q3 24
$191.8M
$9.6M
Q2 24
$300.5M
$13.0M
Q1 24
$454.1M
$13.6M
Total Debt
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$107.4M
Q3 25
$107.2M
Q2 25
$107.0M
Q1 25
$166.0M
Q4 24
$0
$165.7M
Q3 24
$0
$165.4M
Q2 24
$0
$166.6M
Q1 24
$0
$49.8M
Stockholders' Equity
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$1.6B
$-8.6M
Q3 25
$1.5B
$-4.9M
Q2 25
$1.5B
$1.4M
Q1 25
$-59.4M
Q4 24
$1.7B
$-49.6M
Q3 24
$1.7B
$-68.9M
Q2 24
$1.8B
$-34.9M
Q1 24
$1.7B
$-9.0M
Total Assets
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$4.2B
$762.5M
Q3 25
$4.1B
$805.1M
Q2 25
$3.8B
$779.6M
Q1 25
$747.6M
Q4 24
$3.7B
$888.8M
Q3 24
$3.5B
$921.4M
Q2 24
$3.6B
$848.3M
Q1 24
$3.6B
$800.3M
Debt / Equity
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
Q3 25
Q2 25
75.63×
Q1 25
Q4 24
0.00×
Q3 24
0.00×
Q2 24
0.00×
Q1 24
0.00×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$67.1M
$6.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-2.5M
$-3.4M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-0.2%
-1.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
5.1%
2.8%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.74×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-169.8M
$39.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$67.1M
$6.2M
Q3 25
$27.8M
$-30.5M
Q2 25
$-54.7M
$-43.0M
Q1 25
$121.3M
Q4 24
$-44.2M
Q3 24
$78.3M
$-83.9M
Q2 24
$-38.1M
$-110.8M
Q1 24
$296.4M
$135.4M
Free Cash Flow
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$-2.5M
$-3.4M
Q3 25
$-43.1M
$-31.9M
Q2 25
$-116.3M
$-46.4M
Q1 25
$121.2M
Q4 24
$-47.7M
Q3 24
$17.5M
$-91.7M
Q2 24
$-74.3M
$-115.5M
Q1 24
$256.8M
$132.2M
FCF Margin
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
-0.2%
-1.0%
Q3 25
-3.4%
-10.7%
Q2 25
-10.7%
-19.2%
Q1 25
29.7%
Q4 24
-12.2%
Q3 24
1.4%
-28.7%
Q2 24
-6.5%
-43.1%
Q1 24
15.3%
29.1%
Capex Intensity
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
5.1%
2.8%
Q3 25
5.5%
0.5%
Q2 25
5.7%
1.4%
Q1 25
0.0%
Q4 24
0.9%
Q3 24
4.7%
2.4%
Q2 24
3.2%
1.8%
Q1 24
2.4%
0.7%
Cash Conversion
AEO
AEO
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
0.74×
Q3 25
0.36×
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
-2.20×
Q3 24
1.01×
Q2 24
-0.56×
Q1 24
46.93×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

AEO
AEO

American Eagle Brand$800.4M59%
Aerie Brand$429.1M31%
Other$133.2M10%

PLCE
PLCE

The Childrens Place US$307.4M91%
The Childrens Place International$32.1M9%
Gift Cards$1.7M1%

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