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Side-by-side financial comparison of CAVA GROUP, INC. (CAVA) and CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC (CWST). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($469.1M vs $280.6M, roughly 1.7× CAVA GROUP, INC.). CAVA GROUP, INC. runs the higher net margin — 6.5% vs -0.5%, a 7.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, CAVA GROUP, INC. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (20.2% vs 9.7%). CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($39.3M vs $19.2M).

Cava, also referred to as Cava Grill, is an American Mediterranean fast casual restaurant chain with locations across the United States. Cava is owned by the publicly traded Cava Group, which purchased Zoës Kitchen in August 2018. The combined company is the largest restaurant operator in the Mediterranean category in the U.S. restaurant industry. Cava also produces a line of Mediterranean dips, spreads, and dressings that are sold in grocery stores across the US. As of May 2023, all Zoës Kit...

Casella Waste Systems, Inc. is a waste management company based in Rutland, Vermont, United States. Founded in 1975 with a single truck, Casella is a regional, vertically integrated solid waste services company. Casella provides resource management expertise and services to residential, commercial, municipal and industrial customers, primarily in the areas of solid waste collection and disposal, transfer, recycling and organics services. The company provides integrated solid waste services in...

CAVA vs CWST — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CWST
CWST
1.7× larger
CWST
$469.1M
$280.6M
CAVA
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CAVA
CAVA
+10.5% gap
CAVA
20.2%
9.7%
CWST
Higher net margin
CAVA
CAVA
7.1% more per $
CAVA
6.5%
-0.5%
CWST
More free cash flow
CWST
CWST
$20.1M more FCF
CWST
$39.3M
$19.2M
CAVA

Income Statement — Q2 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Revenue
$280.6M
$469.1M
Net Profit
$18.4M
$-2.5M
Gross Margin
33.3%
Operating Margin
7.0%
2.5%
Net Margin
6.5%
-0.5%
Revenue YoY
20.2%
9.7%
Net Profit YoY
-7.0%
-151.5%
EPS (diluted)
$0.16
$-0.04

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
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Q4 25
$469.1M
Q3 25
$280.6M
$485.4M
Q2 25
$331.8M
$465.3M
Q1 25
$417.1M
Q4 24
$427.5M
Q3 24
$233.5M
$411.6M
Q2 24
$259.0M
$377.2M
Q1 24
$341.0M
Net Profit
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Q4 25
$-2.5M
Q3 25
$18.4M
$10.0M
Q2 25
$25.7M
$5.2M
Q1 25
$-4.8M
Q4 24
$4.9M
Q3 24
$19.7M
$5.8M
Q2 24
$14.0M
$7.0M
Q1 24
$-4.1M
Gross Margin
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Q4 25
33.3%
Q3 25
35.0%
Q2 25
33.8%
Q1 25
32.8%
Q4 24
33.2%
Q3 24
26.7%
35.1%
Q2 24
25.2%
35.4%
Q1 24
32.3%
Operating Margin
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Q4 25
2.5%
Q3 25
7.0%
6.1%
Q2 25
4.7%
4.1%
Q1 25
0.8%
Q4 24
4.3%
Q3 24
6.9%
5.9%
Q2 24
3.6%
6.1%
Q1 24
2.0%
Net Margin
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Q4 25
-0.5%
Q3 25
6.5%
2.1%
Q2 25
7.7%
1.1%
Q1 25
-1.2%
Q4 24
1.1%
Q3 24
8.5%
1.4%
Q2 24
5.4%
1.9%
Q1 24
-1.2%
EPS (diluted)
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Q4 25
$-0.04
Q3 25
$0.16
$0.16
Q2 25
$0.22
$0.08
Q1 25
$-0.08
Q4 24
$0.08
Q3 24
$0.17
$0.10
Q2 24
$0.12
$0.12
Q1 24
$-0.07

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$290.2M
$123.8M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.1B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$750.7M
$1.6B
Total Assets
$1.3B
$3.3B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.72×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Q4 25
$123.8M
Q3 25
$290.2M
$192.7M
Q2 25
$289.4M
$217.8M
Q1 25
$267.7M
Q4 24
$358.3M
Q3 24
$343.7M
$519.0M
Q2 24
$329.1M
$208.5M
Q1 24
$189.5M
Total Debt
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Q4 25
$1.1B
Q3 25
$1.1B
Q2 25
$1.1B
Q1 25
$1.1B
Q4 24
$1.1B
Q3 24
$1.0B
Q2 24
$976.6M
Q1 24
$980.9M
Stockholders' Equity
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Q4 25
$1.6B
Q3 25
$750.7M
$1.6B
Q2 25
$726.2M
$1.6B
Q1 25
$1.5B
Q4 24
$1.6B
Q3 24
$595.4M
$1.5B
Q2 24
$580.8M
$1.0B
Q1 24
$1.0B
Total Assets
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Q4 25
$3.3B
Q3 25
$1.3B
$3.3B
Q2 25
$1.2B
$3.3B
Q1 25
$3.2B
Q4 24
$3.2B
Q3 24
$1.0B
$3.1B
Q2 24
$1.0B
$2.5B
Q1 24
$2.5B
Debt / Equity
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Q4 25
0.72×
Q3 25
0.72×
Q2 25
0.72×
Q1 25
0.72×
Q4 24
0.70×
Q3 24
0.68×
Q2 24
0.94×
Q1 24
0.96×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$60.3M
$96.6M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$19.2M
$39.3M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
6.8%
8.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
14.7%
12.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
3.28×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$49.3M
$84.7M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Q4 25
$96.6M
Q3 25
$60.3M
$93.6M
Q2 25
$38.6M
$89.5M
Q1 25
$50.1M
Q4 24
$109.8M
Q3 24
$48.9M
$91.8M
Q2 24
$38.4M
$72.1M
Q1 24
$7.7M
Free Cash Flow
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Q4 25
$39.3M
Q3 25
$19.2M
$27.6M
Q2 25
$2.7M
$23.1M
Q1 25
$-5.4M
Q4 24
$32.9M
Q3 24
$22.7M
$40.4M
Q2 24
$4.7M
$27.5M
Q1 24
$-22.6M
FCF Margin
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Q4 25
8.4%
Q3 25
6.8%
5.7%
Q2 25
0.8%
5.0%
Q1 25
-1.3%
Q4 24
7.7%
Q3 24
9.7%
9.8%
Q2 24
1.8%
7.3%
Q1 24
-6.6%
Capex Intensity
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Q4 25
12.2%
Q3 25
14.7%
13.6%
Q2 25
10.8%
14.3%
Q1 25
13.3%
Q4 24
18.0%
Q3 24
11.2%
12.5%
Q2 24
13.0%
11.8%
Q1 24
8.9%
Cash Conversion
CAVA
CAVA
CWST
CWST
Q4 25
Q3 25
3.28×
9.37×
Q2 25
1.50×
17.19×
Q1 25
Q4 24
22.51×
Q3 24
2.48×
15.91×
Q2 24
2.74×
10.29×
Q1 24

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CAVA
CAVA

Restaurant Revenue$278.2M99%
Rewards$2.8M1%
CPG Revenue And Other$2.4M1%

CWST
CWST

Transferred Over Time$120.9M26%
Resource Solutions Region$92.9M20%
Collection$90.9M19%
Mid Atlantic Region$89.6M19%
National Accounts$60.9M13%
Landfill Revenue$8.3M2%
Processing Services$2.1M0%
Transportation$1.4M0%

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