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Side-by-side financial comparison of C3.ai, Inc. (AI) and System1, Inc. (SST). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

C3.ai, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($75.1M vs $51.9M, roughly 1.4× System1, Inc.). System1, Inc. runs the higher net margin — -26.0% vs -139.3%, a 113.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, C3.ai, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-20.3% vs -31.3%). Over the past eight quarters, C3.ai, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (-2.1% CAGR vs -21.8%).

C3.ai, Inc. is a leading enterprise artificial intelligence software provider that develops and delivers scalable AI applications, platform tools, and industry-specific solutions for clients across sectors including manufacturing, energy, financial services, healthcare and public sector. Its offerings help organizations optimize operations, reduce costs, mitigate risks, and realize data-driven decision making.

System1 is an American Internet advertising company. Formerly known as OpenMail, it was founded in 2013. It describes itself as operating a "Responsive Acquisition Marketing Platform", and cites privacy as one of its principal foci, although it has been criticized for its influence on privacy-focused properties, including search engine Startpage.com. It is headquartered in Marina del Rey, California.

AI vs SST — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
AI
AI
1.4× larger
AI
$75.1M
$51.9M
SST
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
AI
AI
+10.9% gap
AI
-20.3%
-31.3%
SST
Higher net margin
SST
SST
113.3% more per $
SST
-26.0%
-139.3%
AI
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
AI
AI
Annualised
AI
-2.1%
-21.8%
SST

Income Statement — Q2 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
AI
AI
SST
SST
Revenue
$75.1M
$51.9M
Net Profit
$-104.7M
$-13.5M
Gross Margin
40.4%
41.0%
Operating Margin
-149.2%
-33.6%
Net Margin
-139.3%
-26.0%
Revenue YoY
-20.3%
-31.3%
Net Profit YoY
-58.7%
4.8%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.75
$-3.58

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
AI
AI
SST
SST
Q4 25
$75.1M
$51.9M
Q3 25
$70.3M
$61.6M
Q2 25
$108.7M
$78.1M
Q1 25
$98.8M
$74.5M
Q4 24
$94.3M
$75.6M
Q3 24
$87.2M
$88.8M
Q2 24
$86.6M
$94.6M
Q1 24
$78.4M
$84.9M
Net Profit
AI
AI
SST
SST
Q4 25
$-104.7M
$-13.5M
Q3 25
$-116.8M
$-18.5M
Q2 25
$-79.7M
$-17.5M
Q1 25
$-80.2M
$-15.9M
Q4 24
$-66.0M
$-14.2M
Q3 24
$-62.8M
$-23.6M
Q2 24
$-72.9M
$-26.4M
Q1 24
$-72.6M
$-10.5M
Gross Margin
AI
AI
SST
SST
Q4 25
40.4%
41.0%
Q3 25
37.6%
36.9%
Q2 25
62.1%
35.7%
Q1 25
59.1%
38.2%
Q4 24
61.3%
42.1%
Q3 24
59.8%
28.0%
Q2 24
59.6%
27.6%
Q1 24
57.8%
21.9%
Operating Margin
AI
AI
SST
SST
Q4 25
-149.2%
-33.6%
Q3 25
-177.7%
-25.3%
Q2 25
-81.8%
-20.4%
Q1 25
-88.7%
-17.6%
Q4 24
-79.8%
-15.7%
Q3 24
-83.2%
-24.6%
Q2 24
-95.1%
-30.8%
Q1 24
-105.3%
-30.4%
Net Margin
AI
AI
SST
SST
Q4 25
-139.3%
-26.0%
Q3 25
-166.2%
-30.1%
Q2 25
-73.3%
-22.4%
Q1 25
-81.2%
-21.3%
Q4 24
-69.9%
-18.7%
Q3 24
-72.0%
-26.6%
Q2 24
-84.2%
-27.9%
Q1 24
-92.6%
-12.4%
EPS (diluted)
AI
AI
SST
SST
Q4 25
$-0.75
$-3.58
Q3 25
$-0.86
$-2.30
Q2 25
$-0.60
$-2.23
Q1 25
$-0.62
$-0.21
Q4 24
$-0.52
$-3.41
Q3 24
$-0.50
$-3.37
Q2 24
$-0.59
$-3.80
Q1 24
$-0.60
$-0.16

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
AI
AI
SST
SST
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$675.0M
$86.9M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$305.1M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$771.9M
$30.5M
Total Assets
$961.3M
$405.0M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
10.01×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
AI
AI
SST
SST
Q4 25
$675.0M
$86.9M
Q3 25
$711.9M
$54.6M
Q2 25
$742.7M
$63.6M
Q1 25
$724.3M
$43.9M
Q4 24
$730.4M
$63.6M
Q3 24
$762.5M
$69.1M
Q2 24
$750.4M
$75.7M
Q1 24
$723.3M
$69.9M
Total Debt
AI
AI
SST
SST
Q4 25
$305.1M
Q3 25
$259.2M
Q2 25
$263.3M
Q1 25
$267.4M
Q4 24
$255.1M
Q3 24
$259.2M
Q2 24
$263.3M
Q1 24
$268.6M
Stockholders' Equity
AI
AI
SST
SST
Q4 25
$771.9M
$30.5M
Q3 25
$798.8M
$42.7M
Q2 25
$838.3M
$58.2M
Q1 25
$860.2M
$67.2M
Q4 24
$859.0M
$80.3M
Q3 24
$874.9M
$90.3M
Q2 24
$873.4M
$109.4M
Q1 24
$898.0M
$131.7M
Total Assets
AI
AI
SST
SST
Q4 25
$961.3M
$405.0M
Q3 25
$968.7M
$385.2M
Q2 25
$1.0B
$429.2M
Q1 25
$1.1B
$419.2M
Q4 24
$1.0B
$459.1M
Q3 24
$1.1B
$479.3M
Q2 24
$1.0B
$511.3M
Q1 24
$1.1B
$521.1M
Debt / Equity
AI
AI
SST
SST
Q4 25
10.01×
Q3 25
6.07×
Q2 25
4.53×
Q1 25
3.98×
Q4 24
3.18×
Q3 24
2.87×
Q2 24
2.41×
Q1 24
2.04×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
AI
AI
SST
SST
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-46.5M
$-10.6M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-46.9M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-62.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
0.5%
0.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-93.2M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
AI
AI
SST
SST
Q4 25
$-46.5M
$-10.6M
Q3 25
$-33.5M
$-2.1M
Q2 25
$11.3M
$24.5M
Q1 25
$-22.0M
$-15.9M
Q4 24
$-38.7M
$772.0K
Q3 24
$8.0M
$-5.0K
Q2 24
$21.3M
$10.0M
Q1 24
$-39.1M
$-16.0M
Free Cash Flow
AI
AI
SST
SST
Q4 25
$-46.9M
Q3 25
$-34.3M
Q2 25
$10.3M
Q1 25
$-22.4M
$-16.0M
Q4 24
$-39.5M
Q3 24
$7.1M
$-36.0K
Q2 24
$18.8M
Q1 24
$-45.1M
FCF Margin
AI
AI
SST
SST
Q4 25
-62.4%
Q3 25
-48.8%
Q2 25
9.5%
Q1 25
-22.7%
-21.5%
Q4 24
-41.9%
Q3 24
8.2%
-0.0%
Q2 24
21.7%
Q1 24
-57.6%
Capex Intensity
AI
AI
SST
SST
Q4 25
0.5%
0.0%
Q3 25
1.1%
0.0%
Q2 25
0.9%
0.0%
Q1 25
0.4%
0.1%
Q4 24
0.9%
0.0%
Q3 24
1.1%
0.0%
Q2 24
2.9%
0.0%
Q1 24
7.8%
0.0%

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

AI
AI

License And Service$70.2M93%
Professional Services$4.9M7%

SST
SST

Segment breakdown not available.

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