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Side-by-side financial comparison of Clearfield, Inc. (CLFD) and MESA LABORATORIES INC (MLAB). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

MESA LABORATORIES INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($65.1M vs $34.3M, roughly 1.9× Clearfield, Inc.). MESA LABORATORIES INC runs the higher net margin — 5.6% vs -1.8%, a 7.4% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, MESA LABORATORIES INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (3.6% vs -3.2%). MESA LABORATORIES INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($18.0M vs $-2.4M). Over the past eight quarters, MESA LABORATORIES INC's revenue compounded faster (5.1% CAGR vs -3.5%).

Clearfield, Inc. is a company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company produces fiber optic products.

Mesa Laboratories Inc. develops, manufactures and sells professional quality control, calibration and monitoring instruments as well as related supporting services. Its core offerings cater to healthcare, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, industrial hygiene and environmental testing markets, helping global clients meet regulatory compliance and operational safety requirements.

CLFD vs MLAB — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MLAB
MLAB
1.9× larger
MLAB
$65.1M
$34.3M
CLFD
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MLAB
MLAB
+6.8% gap
MLAB
3.6%
-3.2%
CLFD
Higher net margin
MLAB
MLAB
7.4% more per $
MLAB
5.6%
-1.8%
CLFD
More free cash flow
MLAB
MLAB
$20.4M more FCF
MLAB
$18.0M
$-2.4M
CLFD
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MLAB
MLAB
Annualised
MLAB
5.1%
-3.5%
CLFD

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Revenue
$34.3M
$65.1M
Net Profit
$-614.0K
$3.6M
Gross Margin
33.2%
64.2%
Operating Margin
-5.3%
12.2%
Net Margin
-1.8%
5.6%
Revenue YoY
-3.2%
3.6%
Net Profit YoY
67.8%
316.6%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.04
$0.65

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
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
$34.3M
$65.1M
Q3 25
$23.4M
$60.7M
Q2 25
$49.9M
$59.5M
Q1 25
$47.2M
$62.1M
Q4 24
$29.7M
$62.8M
Q3 24
$5.6M
$57.8M
Q2 24
$48.8M
$58.2M
Q1 24
$36.9M
$58.9M
Net Profit
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
$-614.0K
$3.6M
Q3 25
$-9.1M
$2.5M
Q2 25
$1.6M
$4.7M
Q1 25
$1.3M
$-7.1M
Q4 24
$-1.9M
$-1.7M
Q3 24
$3.4M
Q2 24
$-447.0K
$3.4M
Q1 24
$-5.9M
$-254.6M
Gross Margin
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
33.2%
64.2%
Q3 25
53.2%
61.5%
Q2 25
30.5%
62.0%
Q1 25
30.1%
61.8%
Q4 24
29.2%
63.3%
Q3 24
61.3%
Q2 24
21.9%
64.0%
Q1 24
7.7%
62.1%
Operating Margin
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
-5.3%
12.2%
Q3 25
10.3%
7.8%
Q2 25
3.0%
5.1%
Q1 25
0.6%
2.4%
Q4 24
-6.9%
9.2%
Q3 24
6.1%
Q2 24
-4.7%
9.6%
Q1 24
-26.4%
-460.6%
Net Margin
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
-1.8%
5.6%
Q3 25
-38.8%
4.1%
Q2 25
3.2%
8.0%
Q1 25
2.8%
-11.4%
Q4 24
-6.4%
-2.7%
Q3 24
5.9%
Q2 24
-0.9%
5.8%
Q1 24
-16.0%
-432.2%
EPS (diluted)
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
$-0.04
$0.65
Q3 25
$-0.65
$0.45
Q2 25
$0.11
$0.85
Q1 25
$0.09
$-1.30
Q4 24
$-0.13
$-0.31
Q3 24
$0.63
Q2 24
$-0.04
$0.62
Q1 24
$-0.40
$-47.26

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$96.4M
$29.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$68.4M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$249.7M
$186.7M
Total Assets
$268.1M
$434.8M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.37×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
$96.4M
$29.0M
Q3 25
$106.0M
$20.4M
Q2 25
$117.2M
$21.3M
Q1 25
$112.0M
$27.3M
Q4 24
$113.0M
$27.3M
Q3 24
$129.0M
$24.3M
Q2 24
$123.8M
$28.5M
Q1 24
$142.9M
$28.2M
Total Debt
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
$68.4M
Q3 25
$69.4M
Q2 25
$70.3M
Q1 25
$71.3M
Q4 24
$72.2M
Q3 24
$2.2M
$73.1M
Q2 24
$2.1M
$74.1M
Q1 24
Stockholders' Equity
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
$249.7M
$186.7M
Q3 25
$256.2M
$178.5M
Q2 25
$264.5M
$172.5M
Q1 25
$265.9M
$159.8M
Q4 24
$267.4M
$155.2M
Q3 24
$275.8M
$161.5M
Q2 24
$274.6M
$150.7M
Q1 24
$279.2M
$145.4M
Total Assets
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
$268.1M
$434.8M
Q3 25
$306.2M
$430.4M
Q2 25
$314.7M
$435.7M
Q1 25
$310.9M
$433.3M
Q4 24
$303.2M
$433.3M
Q3 24
$315.3M
$454.1M
Q2 24
$318.1M
$440.4M
Q1 24
$315.4M
$446.8M
Debt / Equity
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
0.37×
Q3 25
0.39×
Q2 25
0.41×
Q1 25
0.45×
Q4 24
0.47×
Q3 24
0.01×
0.45×
Q2 24
0.01×
0.49×
Q1 24

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-1.4M
$18.8M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-2.4M
$18.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-7.1%
27.7%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.9%
1.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
5.17×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$37.9M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
$-1.4M
$18.8M
Q3 25
$8.2M
Q2 25
$7.9M
$1.9M
Q1 25
$3.0M
$12.7M
Q4 24
$7.2M
$18.1M
Q3 24
$22.2M
$5.3M
Q2 24
$4.0M
$10.7M
Q1 24
$-5.7M
$12.9M
Free Cash Flow
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
$-2.4M
$18.0M
Q3 25
$7.1M
Q2 25
$7.5M
$884.0K
Q1 25
$654.0K
$11.9M
Q4 24
$5.1M
$17.3M
Q3 24
$18.2M
$3.5M
Q2 24
$2.8M
$9.9M
Q1 24
$-7.7M
$12.3M
FCF Margin
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
-7.1%
27.7%
Q3 25
11.7%
Q2 25
15.1%
1.5%
Q1 25
1.4%
19.2%
Q4 24
17.1%
27.6%
Q3 24
323.0%
6.0%
Q2 24
5.8%
16.9%
Q1 24
-20.8%
21.0%
Capex Intensity
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
2.9%
1.1%
Q3 25
2.0%
1.8%
Q2 25
0.8%
1.7%
Q1 25
5.1%
1.2%
Q4 24
7.0%
1.3%
Q3 24
71.4%
3.1%
Q2 24
2.5%
1.5%
Q1 24
5.3%
0.9%
Cash Conversion
CLFD
CLFD
MLAB
MLAB
Q4 25
5.17×
Q3 25
3.32×
Q2 25
4.93×
0.40×
Q1 25
2.30×
Q4 24
Q3 24
1.54×
Q2 24
3.17×
Q1 24

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CLFD
CLFD

Segment breakdown not available.

MLAB
MLAB

Sterilization And Disinfection Control$24.9M38%
Biopharmaceutical Development$14.4M22%
Other$14.1M22%
Clinical Genomics$11.8M18%

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