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Side-by-side financial comparison of Clearwater Paper Corp (CLW) and Essent Group Ltd. (ESNT). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Clearwater Paper Corp is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($360.3M vs $312.4M, roughly 1.2× Essent Group Ltd.). Essent Group Ltd. runs the higher net margin — 49.6% vs -3.6%, a 53.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Essent Group Ltd. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-0.8% vs -4.7%). Over the past eight quarters, Essent Group Ltd.'s revenue compounded faster (2.3% CAGR vs 2.3%).

Clearwater Paper Corporation is an American pulp and paperboard manufacturer. The company was created on December 9, 2008, via a spin-off from Potlatch Corporation and is headquartered in Spokane, Washington.

Essentra PLC is a supplier of plastic and fibre products. The company operates internationally from headquarters in Kidlington, Oxfordshire. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

CLW vs ESNT — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CLW
CLW
1.2× larger
CLW
$360.3M
$312.4M
ESNT
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ESNT
ESNT
+3.9% gap
ESNT
-0.8%
-4.7%
CLW
Higher net margin
ESNT
ESNT
53.2% more per $
ESNT
49.6%
-3.6%
CLW
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
ESNT
ESNT
Annualised
ESNT
2.3%
2.3%
CLW

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Revenue
$360.3M
$312.4M
Net Profit
$-12.8M
$155.0M
Gross Margin
-0.2%
Operating Margin
59.1%
Net Margin
-3.6%
49.6%
Revenue YoY
-4.7%
-0.8%
Net Profit YoY
-103.2%
-7.7%
EPS (diluted)
$1.61

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
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Q1 26
$360.3M
Q4 25
$386.4M
$312.4M
Q3 25
$399.0M
$311.8M
Q2 25
$391.8M
$319.1M
Q1 25
$378.2M
$317.6M
Q4 24
$387.1M
$315.0M
Q3 24
$393.3M
$316.6M
Q2 24
$344.4M
$312.9M
Net Profit
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Q1 26
$-12.8M
Q4 25
$38.3M
$155.0M
Q3 25
$-53.3M
$164.2M
Q2 25
$2.7M
$195.3M
Q1 25
$-6.3M
$175.4M
Q4 24
$199.1M
$167.9M
Q3 24
$5.8M
$176.2M
Q2 24
$-25.8M
$203.6M
Gross Margin
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Q1 26
-0.2%
Q4 25
4.5%
Q3 25
4.7%
Q2 25
11.0%
Q1 25
9.7%
Q4 24
3.8%
Q3 24
7.7%
Q2 24
-0.6%
Operating Margin
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.9%
59.1%
Q3 25
-13.9%
63.9%
Q2 25
2.5%
72.4%
Q1 25
-1.1%
65.2%
Q4 24
-4.0%
61.9%
Q3 24
-0.3%
65.6%
Q2 24
-13.6%
76.4%
Net Margin
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Q1 26
-3.6%
Q4 25
9.9%
49.6%
Q3 25
-13.4%
52.7%
Q2 25
0.7%
61.2%
Q1 25
-1.7%
55.2%
Q4 24
51.4%
53.3%
Q3 24
1.5%
55.6%
Q2 24
-7.5%
65.1%
EPS (diluted)
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Q1 26
Q4 25
$2.36
$1.61
Q3 25
$-3.30
$1.67
Q2 25
$0.17
$1.93
Q1 25
$-0.38
$1.69
Q4 24
$11.87
$1.59
Q3 24
$0.35
$1.65
Q2 24
$-1.55
$1.91

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$36.5M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$361.1M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$813.8M
$5.8B
Total Assets
$1.6B
$7.4B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.44×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Q1 26
$36.5M
Q4 25
$30.7M
Q3 25
$34.4M
Q2 25
$46.7M
Q1 25
$44.0M
Q4 24
$79.6M
Q3 24
$35.5M
Q2 24
$39.6M
Total Debt
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Q1 26
$361.1M
Q4 25
$346.8M
Q3 25
$337.0M
Q2 25
$330.1M
Q1 25
Q4 24
$283.4M
Q3 24
$1.2B
Q2 24
$1.1B
Stockholders' Equity
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Q1 26
$813.8M
Q4 25
$825.3M
$5.8B
Q3 25
$783.0M
$5.7B
Q2 25
$836.8M
$5.7B
Q1 25
$836.6M
$5.7B
Q4 24
$854.6M
$5.6B
Q3 24
$664.6M
$5.6B
Q2 24
$658.6M
$5.4B
Total Assets
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Q1 26
$1.6B
Q4 25
$1.6B
$7.4B
Q3 25
$1.6B
$7.4B
Q2 25
$1.6B
$7.2B
Q1 25
$1.6B
$7.2B
Q4 24
$1.7B
$7.1B
Q3 24
$2.5B
$7.1B
Q2 24
$2.5B
$6.7B
Debt / Equity
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Q1 26
0.44×
Q4 25
0.42×
Q3 25
0.43×
Q2 25
0.39×
Q1 25
Q4 24
0.33×
Q3 24
1.73×
Q2 24
1.74×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$856.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$848.7M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
271.7%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.4%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
5.52×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$1.5B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Q1 26
Q4 25
$5.0M
$856.1M
Q3 25
$34.0M
$215.9M
Q2 25
$-28.2M
$189.5M
Q1 25
$1.5M
$221.6M
Q4 24
$-35.1M
$861.5M
Q3 24
$16.2M
$229.2M
Q2 24
$21.1M
$188.7M
Free Cash Flow
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-9.9M
$848.7M
Q3 25
$15.7M
$210.6M
Q2 25
$-51.1M
$188.8M
Q1 25
$-31.2M
$221.3M
Q4 24
$-68.1M
$854.8M
Q3 24
$-30.8M
$228.7M
Q2 24
$3.0M
$187.6M
FCF Margin
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Q1 26
Q4 25
-2.6%
271.7%
Q3 25
3.9%
67.5%
Q2 25
-13.0%
59.2%
Q1 25
-8.2%
69.7%
Q4 24
-17.6%
271.3%
Q3 24
-7.8%
72.2%
Q2 24
0.9%
60.0%
Capex Intensity
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Q1 26
Q4 25
3.9%
2.4%
Q3 25
4.6%
1.7%
Q2 25
5.8%
0.2%
Q1 25
8.6%
0.1%
Q4 24
8.5%
2.1%
Q3 24
12.0%
0.2%
Q2 24
5.3%
0.3%
Cash Conversion
CLW
CLW
ESNT
ESNT
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.13×
5.52×
Q3 25
1.31×
Q2 25
-10.44×
0.97×
Q1 25
1.26×
Q4 24
-0.18×
5.13×
Q3 24
2.79×
1.30×
Q2 24
0.93×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CLW
CLW

Segment breakdown not available.

ESNT
ESNT

Mortgage Insurance Segment$192.4M62%
Other$120.0M38%

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