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Side-by-side financial comparison of CHEESECAKE FACTORY INC (CAKE) and NOODLES & Co (NDLS). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

CHEESECAKE FACTORY INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($907.2M vs $122.1M, roughly 7.4× NOODLES & Co). CHEESECAKE FACTORY INC runs the higher net margin — 3.5% vs -7.5%, a 11.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, CHEESECAKE FACTORY INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (0.4% vs -4.1%). CHEESECAKE FACTORY INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($69.2M vs $-2.8M). Over the past eight quarters, CHEESECAKE FACTORY INC's revenue compounded faster (2.3% CAGR vs -1.2%).

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated is an American restaurant company and distributor of cheesecakes based in the United States. It operates 370 full-service restaurants: 218 under the Cheesecake Factory brand, 47 under the North Italia brand, and 105 under other brands. The Cheesecake Factory also operates two bakery production facilities—in Calabasas, California, and Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

Noodles & Company is an American fast-casual restaurant that offers international and American noodle dishes in addition to soups and salads. Noodles & Company was founded in 1995 by Aaron Kennedy and is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado. The company went public in 2013 and recorded a $457 million revenue in 2017. In mid-2022, there were 458 Noodles & Company locations across 31 states.

CAKE vs NDLS — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CAKE
CAKE
7.4× larger
CAKE
$907.2M
$122.1M
NDLS
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CAKE
CAKE
+4.5% gap
CAKE
0.4%
-4.1%
NDLS
Higher net margin
CAKE
CAKE
11.0% more per $
CAKE
3.5%
-7.5%
NDLS
More free cash flow
CAKE
CAKE
$72.0M more FCF
CAKE
$69.2M
$-2.8M
NDLS
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
CAKE
CAKE
Annualised
CAKE
2.3%
-1.2%
NDLS

Income Statement — Q3 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2025

Metric
CAKE
CAKE
NDLS
NDLS
Revenue
$907.2M
$122.1M
Net Profit
$31.9M
$-9.2M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
4.1%
-5.2%
Net Margin
3.5%
-7.5%
Revenue YoY
0.4%
-4.1%
Net Profit YoY
-39.2%
32.8%
EPS (diluted)
$0.66
$-0.20

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
CAKE
CAKE
NDLS
NDLS
Q3 25
$907.2M
$122.1M
Q2 25
$927.2M
$123.8M
Q4 24
$865.5M
$122.8M
Q3 24
$904.0M
$127.4M
Q2 24
$891.2M
$121.4M
Q1 24
$877.0M
$124.3M
Q4 23
$830.2M
$127.9M
Q3 23
$866.2M
$125.2M
Net Profit
CAKE
CAKE
NDLS
NDLS
Q3 25
$31.9M
$-9.2M
Q2 25
$32.9M
$-9.1M
Q4 24
$30.0M
$-6.8M
Q3 24
$52.4M
$-13.6M
Q2 24
$33.2M
$-6.1M
Q1 24
$12.7M
$-6.1M
Q4 23
$17.9M
$700.0K
Q3 23
$42.7M
$-1.3M
Operating Margin
CAKE
CAKE
NDLS
NDLS
Q3 25
4.1%
-5.2%
Q2 25
5.6%
-5.2%
Q4 24
3.9%
-3.9%
Q3 24
6.5%
-9.0%
Q2 24
4.4%
-3.4%
Q1 24
0.9%
-3.7%
Q4 23
2.3%
1.6%
Q3 23
5.5%
-0.2%
Net Margin
CAKE
CAKE
NDLS
NDLS
Q3 25
3.5%
-7.5%
Q2 25
3.6%
-7.3%
Q4 24
3.5%
-5.5%
Q3 24
5.8%
-10.7%
Q2 24
3.7%
-5.1%
Q1 24
1.4%
-4.9%
Q4 23
2.2%
0.5%
Q3 23
4.9%
-1.0%
EPS (diluted)
CAKE
CAKE
NDLS
NDLS
Q3 25
$0.66
$-0.20
Q2 25
$0.67
$-0.20
Q4 24
$0.61
$-0.15
Q3 24
$1.08
$-0.30
Q2 24
$0.68
$-0.14
Q1 24
$0.27
$-1.64
Q4 23
$0.37
$0.02
Q3 23
$0.87
$-0.03

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CAKE
CAKE
NDLS
NDLS
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$190.0M
$4.7M
Total DebtLower is stronger
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$425.3M
$-38.9M
Total Assets
$3.2B
$280.6M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CAKE
CAKE
NDLS
NDLS
Q3 25
$190.0M
$4.7M
Q2 25
$135.4M
$1.4M
Q4 24
$52.2M
$3.3M
Q3 24
$40.7M
$1.8M
Q2 24
$60.2M
$1.3M
Q1 24
$56.3M
$3.0M
Q4 23
$64.0M
$2.5M
Q3 23
$91.6M
$3.1M
Stockholders' Equity
CAKE
CAKE
NDLS
NDLS
Q3 25
$425.3M
$-38.9M
Q2 25
$339.4M
$-13.9M
Q4 24
$396.4M
$3.7M
Q3 24
$374.0M
$9.6M
Q2 24
$332.4M
$21.9M
Q1 24
$318.1M
$27.2M
Q4 23
$321.6M
$32.5M
Q3 23
$325.9M
$36.1M
Total Assets
CAKE
CAKE
NDLS
NDLS
Q3 25
$3.2B
$280.6M
Q2 25
$3.1B
$319.4M
Q4 24
$2.9B
$340.5M
Q3 24
$2.9B
$346.3M
Q2 24
$2.8B
$360.4M
Q1 24
$2.8B
$368.1M
Q4 23
$2.8B
$368.8M
Q3 23
$2.8B
$357.6M

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
CAKE
CAKE
NDLS
NDLS
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$147.5M
$4.3M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$69.2M
$-2.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
7.6%
-2.3%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
8.6%
5.8%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
4.62×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$129.5M
$-7.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CAKE
CAKE
NDLS
NDLS
Q3 25
$147.5M
$4.3M
Q2 25
$78.9M
$4.0M
Q4 24
$79.9M
$5.8M
Q3 24
$27.7M
$4.7M
Q2 24
$66.7M
$7.0M
Q1 24
$67.9M
$164.0K
Q4 23
$49.0M
$16.9M
Q3 23
$36.5M
$3.2M
Free Cash Flow
CAKE
CAKE
NDLS
NDLS
Q3 25
$69.2M
$-2.8M
Q2 25
$36.1M
$1.1M
Q4 24
$25.7M
$-1.3M
Q3 24
$-1.5M
$-4.5M
Q2 24
$29.6M
$-1.6M
Q1 24
$16.2M
$-15.2M
Q4 23
$11.8M
$4.1M
Q3 23
$11.8M
$-10.3M
FCF Margin
CAKE
CAKE
NDLS
NDLS
Q3 25
7.6%
-2.3%
Q2 25
3.9%
0.9%
Q4 24
3.0%
-1.1%
Q3 24
-0.2%
-3.5%
Q2 24
3.3%
-1.4%
Q1 24
1.8%
-12.2%
Q4 23
1.4%
3.2%
Q3 23
1.4%
-8.2%
Capex Intensity
CAKE
CAKE
NDLS
NDLS
Q3 25
8.6%
5.8%
Q2 25
4.6%
2.4%
Q4 24
6.3%
5.8%
Q3 24
3.2%
7.2%
Q2 24
4.2%
7.1%
Q1 24
5.9%
12.3%
Q4 23
4.5%
10.0%
Q3 23
2.9%
10.8%
Cash Conversion
CAKE
CAKE
NDLS
NDLS
Q3 25
4.62×
Q2 25
2.40×
Q4 24
2.66×
Q3 24
0.53×
Q2 24
2.01×
Q1 24
5.35×
Q4 23
2.73×
24.21×
Q3 23
0.85×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CAKE
CAKE

The Cheesecake Factory$651.4M72%
Other$94.4M10%
North Italia$83.5M9%
Other Fox Restaurant Concepts Llc$78.0M9%

NDLS
NDLS

Food And Beverage$119.6M98%
Franchise$2.5M2%

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