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Side-by-side financial comparison of CHEESECAKE FACTORY INC (CAKE) and PAPA JOHNS INTERNATIONAL INC (PZZA). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
CHEESECAKE FACTORY INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($907.2M vs $498.2M, roughly 1.8× PAPA JOHNS INTERNATIONAL INC). CHEESECAKE FACTORY INC runs the higher net margin — 3.5% vs 1.4%, a 2.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, CHEESECAKE FACTORY INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (0.4% vs -6.1%). CHEESECAKE FACTORY INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($69.2M vs $2.1M). Over the past eight quarters, CHEESECAKE FACTORY INC's revenue compounded faster (2.3% CAGR vs -1.5%).
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.
Papa John's International, Inc., trading as Papa Johns, is an American pizza restaurant chain. As of 2023, it is the fourth largest pizza delivery restaurant chain in the United States, with headquarters in the Louisville, Kentucky and Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan areas.
CAKE vs PZZA — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q3 2025 vs Q4 2025
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $907.2M | $498.2M |
| Net Profit | $31.9M | $7.1M |
| Gross Margin | — | — |
| Operating Margin | 4.1% | 4.9% |
| Net Margin | 3.5% | 1.4% |
| Revenue YoY | 0.4% | -6.1% |
| Net Profit YoY | -39.2% | -52.2% |
| EPS (diluted) | $0.66 | $0.22 |
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.
| Q4 25 | — | $498.2M | ||
| Q3 25 | $907.2M | $508.2M | ||
| Q2 25 | $927.2M | $529.2M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $518.3M | ||
| Q4 24 | $865.5M | $530.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | $904.0M | $506.8M | ||
| Q2 24 | $891.2M | $507.9M | ||
| Q1 24 | $877.0M | $513.9M |
| Q4 25 | — | $7.1M | ||
| Q3 25 | $31.9M | $4.7M | ||
| Q2 25 | $32.9M | $9.5M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $9.2M | ||
| Q4 24 | $30.0M | $14.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | $52.4M | $41.8M | ||
| Q2 24 | $33.2M | $12.2M | ||
| Q1 24 | $12.7M | $14.6M |
| Q4 25 | — | 4.9% | ||
| Q3 25 | 4.1% | 3.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 5.6% | 4.6% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 4.6% | ||
| Q4 24 | 3.9% | 5.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | 6.5% | 12.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | 4.4% | 5.6% | ||
| Q1 24 | 0.9% | 6.6% |
| Q4 25 | — | 1.4% | ||
| Q3 25 | 3.5% | 0.9% | ||
| Q2 25 | 3.6% | 1.8% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 1.8% | ||
| Q4 24 | 3.5% | 2.8% | ||
| Q3 24 | 5.8% | 8.2% | ||
| Q2 24 | 3.7% | 2.4% | ||
| Q1 24 | 1.4% | 2.8% |
| Q4 25 | — | $0.22 | ||
| Q3 25 | $0.66 | $0.13 | ||
| Q2 25 | $0.67 | $0.28 | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $0.27 | ||
| Q4 24 | $0.61 | $0.46 | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.08 | $1.27 | ||
| Q2 24 | $0.68 | $0.37 | ||
| Q1 24 | $0.27 | $0.44 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $190.0M | $34.6M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | — | $722.3M |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $425.3M | $-444.8M |
| Total Assets | $3.2B | $837.5M |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | — | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | — | $34.6M | ||
| Q3 25 | $190.0M | $39.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $135.4M | $33.3M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $44.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $52.2M | $38.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $40.7M | $17.6M | ||
| Q2 24 | $60.2M | $24.3M | ||
| Q1 24 | $56.3M | $27.8M |
| Q4 25 | — | $722.3M | ||
| Q3 25 | — | — | ||
| Q2 25 | — | — | ||
| Q1 25 | — | — | ||
| Q4 24 | — | — | ||
| Q3 24 | — | — | ||
| Q2 24 | — | — | ||
| Q1 24 | — | — |
| Q4 25 | — | $-444.8M | ||
| Q3 25 | $425.3M | $-439.3M | ||
| Q2 25 | $339.4M | $-432.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $-431.9M | ||
| Q4 24 | $396.4M | $-429.5M | ||
| Q3 24 | $374.0M | $-430.9M | ||
| Q2 24 | $332.4M | $-461.7M | ||
| Q1 24 | $318.1M | $-461.9M |
| Q4 25 | — | $837.5M | ||
| Q3 25 | $3.2B | $884.1M | ||
| Q2 25 | $3.1B | $890.4M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $898.1M | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.9B | $889.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $2.9B | $860.9M | ||
| Q2 24 | $2.8B | $838.4M | ||
| Q1 24 | $2.8B | $847.2M |
Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency
How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $147.5M | $19.8M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $69.2M | $2.1M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | 7.6% | 0.4% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 8.6% | 3.6% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 4.62× | 2.80× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $129.5M | $61.3M |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | — | $19.8M | ||
| Q3 25 | $147.5M | $39.3M | ||
| Q2 25 | $78.9M | $35.5M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $31.3M | ||
| Q4 24 | $79.9M | $50.7M | ||
| Q3 24 | $27.7M | $13.9M | ||
| Q2 24 | $66.7M | $30.0M | ||
| Q1 24 | $67.9M | $12.0M |
| Q4 25 | — | $2.1M | ||
| Q3 25 | $69.2M | $22.7M | ||
| Q2 25 | $36.1M | $17.4M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $19.1M | ||
| Q4 24 | $25.7M | $25.2M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-1.5M | $-3.8M | ||
| Q2 24 | $29.6M | $13.9M | ||
| Q1 24 | $16.2M | $-1.1M |
| Q4 25 | — | 0.4% | ||
| Q3 25 | 7.6% | 4.5% | ||
| Q2 25 | 3.9% | 3.3% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 3.7% | ||
| Q4 24 | 3.0% | 4.7% | ||
| Q3 24 | -0.2% | -0.8% | ||
| Q2 24 | 3.3% | 2.7% | ||
| Q1 24 | 1.8% | -0.2% |
| Q4 25 | — | 3.6% | ||
| Q3 25 | 8.6% | 3.3% | ||
| Q2 25 | 4.6% | 3.4% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 2.4% | ||
| Q4 24 | 6.3% | 4.8% | ||
| Q3 24 | 3.2% | 3.5% | ||
| Q2 24 | 4.2% | 3.2% | ||
| Q1 24 | 5.9% | 2.5% |
| Q4 25 | — | 2.80× | ||
| Q3 25 | 4.62× | 8.36× | ||
| Q2 25 | 2.40× | 3.73× | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 3.40× | ||
| Q4 24 | 2.66× | 3.43× | ||
| Q3 24 | 0.53× | 0.33× | ||
| Q2 24 | 2.01× | 2.45× | ||
| Q1 24 | 5.35× | 0.82× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
CAKE
| The Cheesecake Factory | $651.4M | 72% |
| Other | $94.4M | 10% |
| North Italia | $83.5M | 9% |
| Other Fox Restaurant Concepts Llc | $78.0M | 9% |
PZZA
| Commissary | $236.8M | 48% |
| Company Owned Restaurant Sales | $154.4M | 31% |
| Franchisor | $47.5M | 10% |
| Advertising | $37.2M | 7% |
| Other | $22.2M | 4% |
