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Side-by-side financial comparison of AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING HOLDINGS INC (AXL) and Kontoor Brands, Inc. (KTB). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING HOLDINGS INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.4B vs $853.2M, roughly 1.6× Kontoor Brands, Inc.). Kontoor Brands, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 4.3% vs -5.4%, a 9.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Kontoor Brands, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (27.3% vs 0.2%). Kontoor Brands, Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($55.8M vs $54.7M). Over the past eight quarters, Kontoor Brands, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (14.2% CAGR vs -7.2%).

American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc. (AAM), headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, is an American manufacturer of automobile driveline and drivetrain components and systems.

Kontoor Brands is an American clothing company. It was a spin off from the VF Corporation in May 2019, and markets clothing under the Lee, Wrangler and Helly Hansen brand names.

AXL vs KTB — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
AXL
AXL
1.6× larger
AXL
$1.4B
$853.2M
KTB
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
KTB
KTB
+27.1% gap
KTB
27.3%
0.2%
AXL
Higher net margin
KTB
KTB
9.8% more per $
KTB
4.3%
-5.4%
AXL
More free cash flow
KTB
KTB
$1.1M more FCF
KTB
$55.8M
$54.7M
AXL
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
KTB
KTB
Annualised
KTB
14.2%
-7.2%
AXL

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2025

Metric
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Revenue
$1.4B
$853.2M
Net Profit
$-75.3M
$36.9M
Gross Margin
10.2%
41.3%
Operating Margin
-2.4%
7.5%
Net Margin
-5.4%
4.3%
Revenue YoY
0.2%
27.3%
Net Profit YoY
-449.6%
-47.6%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.62
$0.66

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
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Q4 25
$1.4B
Q3 25
$1.5B
$853.2M
Q2 25
$1.5B
$658.3M
Q1 25
$1.4B
$622.9M
Q4 24
$1.4B
$699.3M
Q3 24
$1.5B
$670.2M
Q2 24
$1.6B
$606.9M
Q1 24
$1.6B
$631.2M
Net Profit
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Q4 25
$-75.3M
Q3 25
$9.2M
$36.9M
Q2 25
$39.3M
$73.9M
Q1 25
$7.1M
$42.9M
Q4 24
$-13.7M
$64.0M
Q3 24
$10.0M
$70.5M
Q2 24
$18.2M
$51.8M
Q1 24
$20.5M
$59.5M
Gross Margin
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Q4 25
10.2%
Q3 25
12.6%
41.3%
Q2 25
13.1%
46.3%
Q1 25
12.3%
47.5%
Q4 24
11.2%
43.7%
Q3 24
11.4%
44.7%
Q2 24
13.3%
44.7%
Q1 24
12.4%
45.2%
Operating Margin
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Q4 25
-2.4%
Q3 25
3.2%
7.5%
Q2 25
3.6%
11.9%
Q1 25
3.0%
11.8%
Q4 24
2.6%
12.1%
Q3 24
2.8%
14.7%
Q2 24
5.3%
12.4%
Q1 24
4.8%
13.4%
Net Margin
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Q4 25
-5.4%
Q3 25
0.6%
4.3%
Q2 25
2.6%
11.2%
Q1 25
0.5%
6.9%
Q4 24
-1.0%
9.1%
Q3 24
0.7%
10.5%
Q2 24
1.1%
8.5%
Q1 24
1.3%
9.4%
EPS (diluted)
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Q4 25
$-0.62
Q3 25
$0.07
$0.66
Q2 25
$0.32
$1.32
Q1 25
$0.06
$0.76
Q4 24
$-0.11
$1.13
Q3 24
$0.08
$1.26
Q2 24
$0.15
$0.92
Q1 24
$0.17
$1.05

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$708.9M
$82.4M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$4.0B
$1.3B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$640.0M
$529.6M
Total Assets
$6.7B
$2.9B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
6.31×
2.53×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Q4 25
$708.9M
Q3 25
$714.1M
$82.4M
Q2 25
$586.5M
$107.5M
Q1 25
$549.2M
$356.7M
Q4 24
$552.9M
$334.1M
Q3 24
$542.5M
$269.4M
Q2 24
$519.9M
$224.3M
Q1 24
$469.8M
$215.1M
Total Debt
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Q4 25
$4.0B
Q3 25
$2.6B
$1.3B
Q2 25
$2.6B
$1.4B
Q1 25
$2.6B
$735.6M
Q4 24
$2.6B
$740.3M
Q3 24
$2.6B
$745.0M
Q2 24
$2.7B
$749.7M
Q1 24
$2.7B
$779.2M
Stockholders' Equity
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Q4 25
$640.0M
Q3 25
$718.4M
$529.6M
Q2 25
$673.0M
$498.3M
Q1 25
$596.3M
$426.7M
Q4 24
$562.8M
$400.1M
Q3 24
$616.3M
$356.9M
Q2 24
$609.6M
$367.2M
Q1 24
$621.4M
$387.2M
Total Assets
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Q4 25
$6.7B
Q3 25
$5.3B
$2.9B
Q2 25
$5.3B
$2.7B
Q1 25
$5.1B
$1.7B
Q4 24
$5.1B
$1.7B
Q3 24
$5.3B
$1.7B
Q2 24
$5.3B
$1.6B
Q1 24
$5.4B
$1.7B
Debt / Equity
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Q4 25
6.31×
Q3 25
3.61×
2.53×
Q2 25
3.86×
2.74×
Q1 25
4.38×
1.72×
Q4 24
4.58×
1.85×
Q3 24
4.28×
2.09×
Q2 24
4.42×
2.04×
Q1 24
4.40×
2.01×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$120.5M
$64.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$54.7M
$55.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
4.0%
6.5%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
4.8%
1.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.74×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$155.1M
$228.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Q4 25
$120.5M
Q3 25
$143.3M
$64.1M
Q2 25
$91.9M
$25.7M
Q1 25
$55.9M
$77.6M
Q4 24
$151.2M
$82.0M
Q3 24
$143.6M
$133.6M
Q2 24
$142.8M
$96.2M
Q1 24
$17.8M
$56.5M
Free Cash Flow
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Q4 25
$54.7M
Q3 25
$79.2M
$55.8M
Q2 25
$34.6M
$22.4M
Q1 25
$-13.4M
$74.9M
Q4 24
$73.2M
$75.0M
Q3 24
$70.4M
$129.9M
Q2 24
$94.0M
$92.6M
Q1 24
$-30.2M
$52.0M
FCF Margin
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Q4 25
4.0%
Q3 25
5.3%
6.5%
Q2 25
2.3%
3.4%
Q1 25
-0.9%
12.0%
Q4 24
5.3%
10.7%
Q3 24
4.7%
19.4%
Q2 24
5.8%
15.3%
Q1 24
-1.9%
8.2%
Capex Intensity
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Q4 25
4.8%
Q3 25
4.3%
1.0%
Q2 25
3.7%
0.5%
Q1 25
4.9%
0.4%
Q4 24
5.6%
1.0%
Q3 24
4.9%
0.6%
Q2 24
3.0%
0.6%
Q1 24
3.0%
0.7%
Cash Conversion
AXL
AXL
KTB
KTB
Q4 25
Q3 25
15.58×
1.74×
Q2 25
2.34×
0.35×
Q1 25
7.87×
1.81×
Q4 24
1.28×
Q3 24
14.36×
1.89×
Q2 24
7.85×
1.86×
Q1 24
0.87×
0.95×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

AXL
AXL

Driveline$748.4M54%
Other$345.7M25%
Metal Forming$289.8M21%

KTB
KTB

International Member$292.0M34%
CTC Triangle B.V$192.7M23%
Lee Segment$186.7M22%
Helly Hansen Segment$185.9M22%

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