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

Clearfield, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($34.3M vs $33.5M, roughly 1.0× NELNET INC). NELNET INC runs the higher net margin — 172.3% vs -1.8%, a 174.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, NELNET INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (79.6% vs -3.2%). NELNET INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($396.7M vs $-2.4M). Over the past eight quarters, NELNET INC's revenue compounded faster (62.0% CAGR vs -3.5%).

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

Nelnet, Inc. is a United States–based conglomerate that primarily focuses on financial services including student and consumer loan origination and servicing. Additionally, the company operates an investing arm, an internet bank and has a 26% stake in Allo Fiber, a cable and internet provider. The company is headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska.

CLFD vs NNI — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CLFD
CLFD
1.0× larger
CLFD
$34.3M
$33.5M
NNI
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
NNI
NNI
+82.8% gap
NNI
79.6%
-3.2%
CLFD
Higher net margin
NNI
NNI
174.0% more per $
NNI
172.3%
-1.8%
CLFD
More free cash flow
NNI
NNI
$399.2M more FCF
NNI
$396.7M
$-2.4M
CLFD
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
NNI
NNI
Annualised
NNI
62.0%
-3.5%
CLFD

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CLFD
CLFD
NNI
NNI
Revenue
$34.3M
$33.5M
Net Profit
$-614.0K
$57.8M
Gross Margin
33.2%
50.5%
Operating Margin
-5.3%
Net Margin
-1.8%
172.3%
Revenue YoY
-3.2%
79.6%
Net Profit YoY
67.8%
-8.5%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.04
$1.62

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
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
$34.3M
$33.5M
Q3 25
$23.4M
$23.2M
Q2 25
$49.9M
$26.1M
Q1 25
$47.2M
$24.7M
Q4 24
$29.7M
$18.7M
Q3 24
$5.6M
$16.6M
Q2 24
$48.8M
$14.9M
Q1 24
$36.9M
$12.8M
Net Profit
CLFD
CLFD
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
$-614.0K
$57.8M
Q3 25
$-9.1M
$106.7M
Q2 25
$1.6M
$181.5M
Q1 25
$1.3M
$82.6M
Q4 24
$-1.9M
$63.2M
Q3 24
$2.4M
Q2 24
$-447.0K
$45.1M
Q1 24
$-5.9M
$73.4M
Gross Margin
CLFD
CLFD
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
33.2%
50.5%
Q3 25
53.2%
29.6%
Q2 25
30.5%
29.8%
Q1 25
30.1%
30.5%
Q4 24
29.2%
13.7%
Q3 24
0.1%
Q2 24
21.9%
27.3%
Q1 24
7.7%
15.3%
Operating Margin
CLFD
CLFD
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
-5.3%
Q3 25
10.3%
Q2 25
3.0%
Q1 25
0.6%
Q4 24
-6.9%
97.7%
Q3 24
-13.4%
Q2 24
-4.7%
88.0%
Q1 24
-26.4%
Net Margin
CLFD
CLFD
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
-1.8%
172.3%
Q3 25
-38.8%
460.5%
Q2 25
3.2%
694.9%
Q1 25
2.8%
334.4%
Q4 24
-6.4%
338.2%
Q3 24
14.4%
Q2 24
-0.9%
303.6%
Q1 24
-16.0%
574.4%
EPS (diluted)
CLFD
CLFD
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
$-0.04
$1.62
Q3 25
$-0.65
$2.94
Q2 25
$0.11
$4.97
Q1 25
$0.09
$2.26
Q4 24
$-0.13
$1.74
Q3 24
$0.07
Q2 24
$-0.04
$1.23
Q1 24
$-0.40
$1.98

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CLFD
CLFD
NNI
NNI
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$96.4M
$296.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$7.8B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$249.7M
$3.7B
Total Assets
$268.1M
$14.1B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
2.11×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CLFD
CLFD
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
$96.4M
$296.0M
Q3 25
$106.0M
$216.4M
Q2 25
$117.2M
$225.8M
Q1 25
$112.0M
$220.5M
Q4 24
$113.0M
$194.5M
Q3 24
$129.0M
$219.7M
Q2 24
$123.8M
$145.5M
Q1 24
$142.9M
$179.7M
Total Debt
CLFD
CLFD
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
$7.8B
Q3 25
$7.8B
Q2 25
$7.9B
Q1 25
$8.7B
Q4 24
$8.3B
Q3 24
$2.2M
$8.9B
Q2 24
$2.1M
$9.6B
Q1 24
$10.6B
Stockholders' Equity
CLFD
CLFD
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
$249.7M
$3.7B
Q3 25
$256.2M
$3.7B
Q2 25
$264.5M
$3.6B
Q1 25
$265.9M
$3.4B
Q4 24
$267.4M
$3.3B
Q3 24
$275.8M
$3.3B
Q2 24
$274.6M
$3.3B
Q1 24
$279.2M
$3.3B
Total Assets
CLFD
CLFD
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
$268.1M
$14.1B
Q3 25
$306.2M
$13.9B
Q2 25
$314.7M
$13.7B
Q1 25
$310.9M
$14.2B
Q4 24
$303.2M
$13.8B
Q3 24
$315.3M
$14.1B
Q2 24
$318.1M
$14.5B
Q1 24
$315.4M
$15.4B
Debt / Equity
CLFD
CLFD
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
2.11×
Q3 25
2.14×
Q2 25
2.21×
Q1 25
2.53×
Q4 24
2.48×
Q3 24
0.01×
2.72×
Q2 24
0.01×
2.90×
Q1 24
3.20×

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
NNI
NNI
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-1.4M
$423.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-2.4M
$396.7M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-7.1%
1183.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.9%
78.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
7.32×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$663.4M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CLFD
CLFD
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
$-1.4M
$423.0M
Q3 25
$112.4M
Q2 25
$7.9M
$81.8M
Q1 25
$3.0M
$91.2M
Q4 24
$7.2M
$662.9M
Q3 24
$22.2M
$137.0M
Q2 24
$4.0M
$133.8M
Q1 24
$-5.7M
$211.6M
Free Cash Flow
CLFD
CLFD
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
$-2.4M
$396.7M
Q3 25
$100.8M
Q2 25
$7.5M
$78.1M
Q1 25
$654.0K
$87.8M
Q4 24
$5.1M
$642.0M
Q3 24
$18.2M
$132.6M
Q2 24
$2.8M
$123.1M
Q1 24
$-7.7M
$188.3M
FCF Margin
CLFD
CLFD
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
-7.1%
1183.0%
Q3 25
435.0%
Q2 25
15.1%
299.0%
Q1 25
1.4%
355.6%
Q4 24
17.1%
3438.0%
Q3 24
323.0%
797.9%
Q2 24
5.8%
829.2%
Q1 24
-20.8%
1473.7%
Capex Intensity
CLFD
CLFD
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
2.9%
78.2%
Q3 25
2.0%
50.4%
Q2 25
0.8%
14.2%
Q1 25
5.1%
13.7%
Q4 24
7.0%
111.9%
Q3 24
71.4%
26.7%
Q2 24
2.5%
71.5%
Q1 24
5.3%
181.7%
Cash Conversion
CLFD
CLFD
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
7.32×
Q3 25
1.05×
Q2 25
4.93×
0.45×
Q1 25
2.30×
1.10×
Q4 24
10.50×
Q3 24
57.39×
Q2 24
2.97×
Q1 24
2.88×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

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