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Side-by-side financial comparison of ALERUS FINANCIAL CORP (ALRS) and MESA LABORATORIES INC (MLAB). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

MESA LABORATORIES INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($65.1M vs $45.2M, roughly 1.4× ALERUS FINANCIAL CORP). MESA LABORATORIES INC runs the higher net margin — 5.6% vs -73.2%, a 78.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, ALERUS FINANCIAL CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (18.0% vs 3.6%). ALERUS FINANCIAL CORP produced more free cash flow last quarter ($58.8M vs $18.0M). Over the past eight quarters, MESA LABORATORIES INC's revenue compounded faster (5.1% CAGR vs -2.5%).

Alerus Financial Corporation, marketed as simply Alerus, is a chain of financial institutions headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota, with locations in North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Arizona. Alerus offers banking, mortgage, wealth management, and retirement services.

Mesa Laboratories Inc. develops, manufactures and sells professional quality control, calibration and monitoring instruments as well as related supporting services. Its core offerings cater to healthcare, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, industrial hygiene and environmental testing markets, helping global clients meet regulatory compliance and operational safety requirements.

ALRS vs MLAB — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MLAB
MLAB
1.4× larger
MLAB
$65.1M
$45.2M
ALRS
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ALRS
ALRS
+14.4% gap
ALRS
18.0%
3.6%
MLAB
Higher net margin
MLAB
MLAB
78.7% more per $
MLAB
5.6%
-73.2%
ALRS
More free cash flow
ALRS
ALRS
$40.8M more FCF
ALRS
$58.8M
$18.0M
MLAB
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MLAB
MLAB
Annualised
MLAB
5.1%
-2.5%
ALRS

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Revenue
$45.2M
$65.1M
Net Profit
$-33.1M
$3.6M
Gross Margin
64.2%
Operating Margin
-96.0%
12.2%
Net Margin
-73.2%
5.6%
Revenue YoY
18.0%
3.6%
Net Profit YoY
-49232.8%
316.6%
EPS (diluted)
$-1.27
$0.65

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
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
$45.2M
$65.1M
Q3 25
$72.6M
$60.7M
Q2 25
$74.8M
$59.5M
Q1 25
$68.8M
$62.1M
Q4 24
$72.2M
$62.8M
Q3 24
$50.9M
$57.8M
Q2 24
$51.4M
$58.2M
Q1 24
$47.5M
$58.9M
Net Profit
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
$-33.1M
$3.6M
Q3 25
$16.9M
$2.5M
Q2 25
$20.3M
$4.7M
Q1 25
$13.3M
$-7.1M
Q4 24
$-67.0K
$-1.7M
Q3 24
$5.2M
$3.4M
Q2 24
$6.2M
$3.4M
Q1 24
$6.4M
$-254.6M
Gross Margin
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
64.2%
Q3 25
61.5%
Q2 25
62.0%
Q1 25
61.8%
Q4 24
63.3%
Q3 24
61.3%
Q2 24
64.0%
Q1 24
62.1%
Operating Margin
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
-96.0%
12.2%
Q3 25
30.4%
7.8%
Q2 25
35.2%
5.1%
Q1 25
25.5%
2.4%
Q4 24
-0.8%
9.2%
Q3 24
13.4%
6.1%
Q2 24
15.8%
9.6%
Q1 24
17.9%
-460.6%
Net Margin
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
-73.2%
5.6%
Q3 25
23.3%
4.1%
Q2 25
27.1%
8.0%
Q1 25
19.4%
-11.4%
Q4 24
-0.2%
-2.7%
Q3 24
10.2%
5.9%
Q2 24
12.1%
5.8%
Q1 24
13.5%
-432.2%
EPS (diluted)
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
$-1.27
$0.65
Q3 25
$0.65
$0.45
Q2 25
$0.78
$0.85
Q1 25
$0.52
$-1.30
Q4 24
$-0.06
$-0.31
Q3 24
$0.26
$0.63
Q2 24
$0.31
$0.62
Q1 24
$0.32
$-47.26

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$67.2M
$29.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$59.2M
$68.4M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$564.9M
$186.7M
Total Assets
$5.2B
$434.8M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.10×
0.37×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
$67.2M
$29.0M
Q3 25
$92.0M
$20.4M
Q2 25
$80.9M
$21.3M
Q1 25
$83.0M
$27.3M
Q4 24
$61.2M
$27.3M
Q3 24
$66.0M
$24.3M
Q2 24
$438.1M
$28.5M
Q1 24
$545.8M
$28.2M
Total Debt
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
$59.2M
$68.4M
Q3 25
$59.2M
$69.4M
Q2 25
$59.1M
$70.3M
Q1 25
$59.1M
$71.3M
Q4 24
$59.1M
$72.2M
Q3 24
$59.0M
$73.1M
Q2 24
$59.0M
$74.1M
Q1 24
$59.0M
Stockholders' Equity
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
$564.9M
$186.7M
Q3 25
$550.7M
$178.5M
Q2 25
$533.2M
$172.5M
Q1 25
$514.2M
$159.8M
Q4 24
$495.4M
$155.2M
Q3 24
$386.5M
$161.5M
Q2 24
$373.2M
$150.7M
Q1 24
$371.6M
$145.4M
Total Assets
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
$5.2B
$434.8M
Q3 25
$5.3B
$430.4M
Q2 25
$5.3B
$435.7M
Q1 25
$5.3B
$433.3M
Q4 24
$5.3B
$433.3M
Q3 24
$4.4B
$454.1M
Q2 24
$4.4B
$440.4M
Q1 24
$4.3B
$446.8M
Debt / Equity
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
0.10×
0.37×
Q3 25
0.11×
0.39×
Q2 25
0.11×
0.41×
Q1 25
0.11×
0.45×
Q4 24
0.12×
0.47×
Q3 24
0.15×
0.45×
Q2 24
0.16×
0.49×
Q1 24
0.16×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$67.5M
$18.8M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$58.8M
$18.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
130.2%
27.7%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
19.3%
1.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
5.17×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$102.4M
$37.9M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
$67.5M
$18.8M
Q3 25
$32.8M
$8.2M
Q2 25
$10.7M
$1.9M
Q1 25
$7.7M
$12.7M
Q4 24
$21.7M
$18.1M
Q3 24
$20.2M
$5.3M
Q2 24
$-12.5M
$10.7M
Q1 24
$11.7M
$12.9M
Free Cash Flow
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
$58.8M
$18.0M
Q3 25
$30.3M
$7.1M
Q2 25
$7.6M
$884.0K
Q1 25
$5.7M
$11.9M
Q4 24
$9.4M
$17.3M
Q3 24
$17.4M
$3.5M
Q2 24
$-16.1M
$9.9M
Q1 24
$10.8M
$12.3M
FCF Margin
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
130.2%
27.7%
Q3 25
41.8%
11.7%
Q2 25
10.1%
1.5%
Q1 25
8.2%
19.2%
Q4 24
13.0%
27.6%
Q3 24
34.2%
6.0%
Q2 24
-31.4%
16.9%
Q1 24
22.8%
21.0%
Capex Intensity
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
19.3%
1.1%
Q3 25
3.4%
1.8%
Q2 25
4.2%
1.7%
Q1 25
3.0%
1.2%
Q4 24
17.1%
1.3%
Q3 24
5.4%
3.1%
Q2 24
7.2%
1.5%
Q1 24
1.9%
0.9%
Cash Conversion
ALRS
ALRS
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
5.17×
Q3 25
1.94×
3.32×
Q2 25
0.53×
0.40×
Q1 25
0.58×
Q4 24
Q3 24
3.88×
1.54×
Q2 24
-2.01×
3.17×
Q1 24
1.82×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

ALRS
ALRS

Other$17.3M38%
Retirement And Benefit Services$17.3M38%
Wealth Management$7.4M16%
Mortgage Banking$3.2M7%

MLAB
MLAB

Sterilization And Disinfection Control$24.9M38%
Biopharmaceutical Development$14.4M22%
Other$14.1M22%
Clinical Genomics$11.8M18%

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