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Side-by-side financial comparison of A. O. Smith (AOS) and CARTERS INC (CRI). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

A. O. Smith is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($945.6M vs $757.8M, roughly 1.2× CARTERS INC). A. O. Smith runs the higher net margin — 12.5% vs 1.5%, a 10.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, CARTERS INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-0.1% vs -2.0%).

A. O. Smith Corporation is an American manufacturer of both residential and commercial water heaters and boilers, and the largest manufacturer and marketer of water heaters in North America. It also supplies water treatment and purification products in the Asian market. The company has 27 locations worldwide, including five manufacturing facilities in North America, as well as plants in Bengaluru in India, Nanjing in China and Veldhoven in The Netherlands.

Carter's, Inc. is a major American designer and marketer of children's apparel. It was founded in 1865 by William Carter.

AOS vs CRI — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
AOS
AOS
1.2× larger
AOS
$945.6M
$757.8M
CRI
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CRI
CRI
+1.9% gap
CRI
-0.1%
-2.0%
AOS
Higher net margin
AOS
AOS
10.9% more per $
AOS
12.5%
1.5%
CRI

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Revenue
$945.6M
$757.8M
Net Profit
$118.0M
$11.6M
Gross Margin
38.7%
45.1%
Operating Margin
3.8%
Net Margin
12.5%
1.5%
Revenue YoY
-2.0%
-0.1%
Net Profit YoY
-14.0%
-80.1%
EPS (diluted)
$0.85
$0.32

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
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Q1 26
$945.6M
Q4 25
$912.5M
Q3 25
$942.5M
$757.8M
Q2 25
$1.0B
$585.3M
Q1 25
$963.9M
$629.8M
Q4 24
$912.4M
Q3 24
$902.6M
Q2 24
$1.0B
Net Profit
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Q1 26
$118.0M
Q4 25
$125.4M
Q3 25
$132.0M
$11.6M
Q2 25
$152.2M
$446.0K
Q1 25
$136.6M
$15.5M
Q4 24
$109.7M
Q3 24
$120.1M
Q2 24
$156.2M
Gross Margin
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Q1 26
38.7%
Q4 25
38.4%
Q3 25
38.7%
45.1%
Q2 25
39.3%
48.1%
Q1 25
38.9%
46.2%
Q4 24
37.1%
Q3 24
37.4%
Q2 24
38.7%
Operating Margin
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Q1 26
Q4 25
17.9%
Q3 25
18.6%
3.8%
Q2 25
20.4%
0.7%
Q1 25
19.1%
4.1%
Q4 24
10.1%
Q3 24
19.5%
Q2 24
21.9%
Net Margin
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Q1 26
12.5%
Q4 25
13.7%
Q3 25
14.0%
1.5%
Q2 25
15.0%
0.1%
Q1 25
14.2%
2.5%
Q4 24
12.0%
Q3 24
13.3%
Q2 24
15.2%
EPS (diluted)
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Q1 26
$0.85
Q4 25
$0.89
Q3 25
$0.94
$0.32
Q2 25
$1.07
$0.01
Q1 25
$0.95
$0.43
Q4 24
$0.75
Q3 24
$0.82
Q2 24
$1.06

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$185.2M
$184.2M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$574.2M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.9B
$864.6M
Total Assets
$3.7B
$2.5B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.31×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Q1 26
$185.2M
Q4 25
$193.2M
Q3 25
$172.8M
$184.2M
Q2 25
$177.9M
$338.2M
Q1 25
$200.2M
$320.8M
Q4 24
$276.1M
Q3 24
$255.6M
Q2 24
$233.3M
Total Debt
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Q1 26
$574.2M
Q4 25
$155.0M
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
$193.2M
Q3 24
Q2 24
Stockholders' Equity
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Q1 26
$1.9B
Q4 25
$1.9B
Q3 25
$1.8B
$864.6M
Q2 25
$1.8B
$853.9M
Q1 25
$1.9B
$847.2M
Q4 24
$1.9B
Q3 24
$1.9B
Q2 24
$1.9B
Total Assets
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Q1 26
$3.7B
Q4 25
$3.1B
Q3 25
$3.2B
$2.5B
Q2 25
$3.2B
$2.5B
Q1 25
$3.3B
$2.3B
Q4 24
$3.2B
Q3 24
$3.2B
Q2 24
$3.2B
Debt / Equity
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Q1 26
0.31×
Q4 25
0.08×
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
0.10×
Q3 24
Q2 24

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-128.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-144.1M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-19.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.1%
2.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-11.04×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Q1 26
Q4 25
$183.1M
Q3 25
$255.4M
$-128.0M
Q2 25
$139.6M
$40.3M
Q1 25
$38.7M
$-48.6M
Q4 24
$221.9M
Q3 24
$195.9M
Q2 24
$57.4M
Free Cash Flow
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Q1 26
Q4 25
$165.5M
Q3 25
$240.6M
$-144.1M
Q2 25
$122.5M
$24.1M
Q1 25
$17.4M
$-59.0M
Q4 24
$191.3M
Q3 24
$163.4M
Q2 24
$34.5M
FCF Margin
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Q1 26
Q4 25
18.1%
Q3 25
25.5%
-19.0%
Q2 25
12.1%
4.1%
Q1 25
1.8%
-9.4%
Q4 24
21.0%
Q3 24
18.1%
Q2 24
3.4%
Capex Intensity
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Q1 26
1.1%
Q4 25
1.9%
Q3 25
1.6%
2.1%
Q2 25
1.7%
2.8%
Q1 25
2.2%
1.6%
Q4 24
3.4%
Q3 24
3.6%
Q2 24
2.2%
Cash Conversion
AOS
AOS
CRI
CRI
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.46×
Q3 25
1.93×
-11.04×
Q2 25
0.92×
90.37×
Q1 25
0.28×
-3.13×
Q4 24
2.02×
Q3 24
1.63×
Q2 24
0.37×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

AOS
AOS

Segment breakdown not available.

CRI
CRI

Sales Channel Directly To Consumer$362.3M48%
Sales Channel Through Intermediary$283.8M37%
Other$110.4M15%
Gift Cards$1.3M0%

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