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Side-by-side financial comparison of Clearwater Paper Corp (CLW) and FORWARD AIR CORP (FWRD). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

FORWARD AIR CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($631.2M vs $360.3M, roughly 1.8× Clearwater Paper Corp). Clearwater Paper Corp runs the higher net margin — -3.6% vs -4.5%, a 0.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, FORWARD AIR CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-0.3% vs -4.7%). Over the past eight quarters, FORWARD AIR CORP's revenue compounded faster (7.9% 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.

Forward Air Corp is a leading North American asset-light logistics and transportation provider. It offers core services including expedited less-than-truckload freight delivery, final-mile logistics, intermodal transport, warehousing, and supply chain solutions, serving key sectors such as e-commerce, retail, manufacturing, and automotive across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

CLW vs FWRD — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
FWRD
FWRD
1.8× larger
FWRD
$631.2M
$360.3M
CLW
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
FWRD
FWRD
+4.5% gap
FWRD
-0.3%
-4.7%
CLW
Higher net margin
CLW
CLW
0.9% more per $
CLW
-3.6%
-4.5%
FWRD
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
FWRD
FWRD
Annualised
FWRD
7.9%
2.3%
CLW

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CLW
CLW
FWRD
FWRD
Revenue
$360.3M
$631.2M
Net Profit
$-12.8M
$-28.3M
Gross Margin
-0.2%
Operating Margin
-0.5%
Net Margin
-3.6%
-4.5%
Revenue YoY
-4.7%
-0.3%
Net Profit YoY
-103.2%
22.2%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.90

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
FWRD
FWRD
Q1 26
$360.3M
Q4 25
$386.4M
$631.2M
Q3 25
$399.0M
$631.8M
Q2 25
$391.8M
$618.8M
Q1 25
$378.2M
$613.3M
Q4 24
$387.1M
$632.8M
Q3 24
$393.3M
$655.9M
Q2 24
$344.4M
$643.7M
Net Profit
CLW
CLW
FWRD
FWRD
Q1 26
$-12.8M
Q4 25
$38.3M
$-28.3M
Q3 25
$-53.3M
$-16.3M
Q2 25
$2.7M
$-12.6M
Q1 25
$-6.3M
$-50.6M
Q4 24
$199.1M
$-36.4M
Q3 24
$5.8M
$-73.4M
Q2 24
$-25.8M
$-645.4M
Gross Margin
CLW
CLW
FWRD
FWRD
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
FWRD
FWRD
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.9%
-0.5%
Q3 25
-13.9%
2.4%
Q2 25
2.5%
3.2%
Q1 25
-1.1%
0.8%
Q4 24
-4.0%
12.0%
Q3 24
-0.3%
3.5%
Q2 24
-13.6%
-170.2%
Net Margin
CLW
CLW
FWRD
FWRD
Q1 26
-3.6%
Q4 25
9.9%
-4.5%
Q3 25
-13.4%
-2.6%
Q2 25
0.7%
-2.0%
Q1 25
-1.7%
-8.3%
Q4 24
51.4%
-5.8%
Q3 24
1.5%
-11.2%
Q2 24
-7.5%
-100.3%
EPS (diluted)
CLW
CLW
FWRD
FWRD
Q1 26
Q4 25
$2.36
$-0.90
Q3 25
$-3.30
$-0.52
Q2 25
$0.17
$-0.41
Q1 25
$-0.38
$-1.68
Q4 24
$11.87
$-1.69
Q3 24
$0.35
$-2.66
Q2 24
$-1.55
$-23.47

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CLW
CLW
FWRD
FWRD
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$36.5M
$106.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$361.1M
$1.7B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$813.8M
$113.3M
Total Assets
$1.6B
$2.7B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.44×
14.89×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CLW
CLW
FWRD
FWRD
Q1 26
$36.5M
Q4 25
$30.7M
$106.0M
Q3 25
$34.4M
$140.4M
Q2 25
$46.7M
$95.1M
Q1 25
$44.0M
$116.3M
Q4 24
$79.6M
$104.9M
Q3 24
$35.5M
$136.6M
Q2 24
$39.6M
$84.9M
Total Debt
CLW
CLW
FWRD
FWRD
Q1 26
$361.1M
Q4 25
$346.8M
$1.7B
Q3 25
$337.0M
$1.7B
Q2 25
$330.1M
Q1 25
Q4 24
$283.4M
Q3 24
$1.2B
Q2 24
$1.1B
Stockholders' Equity
CLW
CLW
FWRD
FWRD
Q1 26
$813.8M
Q4 25
$825.3M
$113.3M
Q3 25
$783.0M
$139.8M
Q2 25
$836.8M
$151.8M
Q1 25
$836.6M
$154.6M
Q4 24
$854.6M
$201.7M
Q3 24
$664.6M
$226.1M
Q2 24
$658.6M
$283.8M
Total Assets
CLW
CLW
FWRD
FWRD
Q1 26
$1.6B
Q4 25
$1.6B
$2.7B
Q3 25
$1.6B
$2.8B
Q2 25
$1.6B
$2.8B
Q1 25
$1.6B
$2.8B
Q4 24
$1.7B
$2.8B
Q3 24
$2.5B
$3.1B
Q2 24
$2.5B
$3.1B
Debt / Equity
CLW
CLW
FWRD
FWRD
Q1 26
0.44×
Q4 25
0.42×
14.89×
Q3 25
0.43×
12.05×
Q2 25
0.39×
Q1 25
Q4 24
0.33×
Q3 24
1.73×
Q2 24
1.74×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CLW
CLW

Segment breakdown not available.

FWRD
FWRD

Omni Logistics Segment$359.8M57%
Network$183.9M29%
Intermodal Segment$50.2M8%
Truckload$41.6M7%

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