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Side-by-side financial comparison of CRA INTERNATIONAL, INC. (CRAI) and NOODLES & Co (NDLS). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

CRA INTERNATIONAL, INC. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($197.0M vs $122.1M, roughly 1.6× NOODLES & Co). CRA INTERNATIONAL, INC. runs the higher net margin — 6.7% vs -7.5%, a 14.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, CRA INTERNATIONAL, INC. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (11.6% vs -4.1%). Over the past eight quarters, CRA INTERNATIONAL, INC.'s revenue compounded faster (7.1% CAGR vs -1.2%).

CRA International, Inc. is a global consulting firm headquartered in Boston. The firm provides expert testimony and litigation support, strategic advice, and analysis to law firms, corporations, accounting firms, and governments.

Noodles & Company is an American fast-casual restaurant that offers international and American noodle dishes in addition to soups and salads. Noodles & Company was founded in 1995 by Aaron Kennedy and is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado. The company went public in 2013 and recorded a $457 million revenue in 2017. In mid-2022, there were 458 Noodles & Company locations across 31 states.

CRAI vs NDLS — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CRAI
CRAI
1.6× larger
CRAI
$197.0M
$122.1M
NDLS
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CRAI
CRAI
+15.8% gap
CRAI
11.6%
-4.1%
NDLS
Higher net margin
CRAI
CRAI
14.2% more per $
CRAI
6.7%
-7.5%
NDLS
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
CRAI
CRAI
Annualised
CRAI
7.1%
-1.2%
NDLS

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2025

Metric
CRAI
CRAI
NDLS
NDLS
Revenue
$197.0M
$122.1M
Net Profit
$13.2M
$-9.2M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
10.5%
-5.2%
Net Margin
6.7%
-7.5%
Revenue YoY
11.6%
-4.1%
Net Profit YoY
-12.0%
32.8%
EPS (diluted)
$1.99
$-0.20

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
CRAI
CRAI
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
$197.0M
Q3 25
$185.9M
$122.1M
Q2 25
$186.9M
$123.8M
Q1 25
$181.9M
Q4 24
$176.4M
$122.8M
Q3 24
$167.7M
$127.4M
Q2 24
$171.4M
$121.4M
Q1 24
$171.8M
$124.3M
Net Profit
CRAI
CRAI
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
$13.2M
Q3 25
$11.5M
$-9.2M
Q2 25
$12.1M
$-9.1M
Q1 25
$18.0M
Q4 24
$15.0M
$-6.8M
Q3 24
$11.4M
$-13.6M
Q2 24
$6.5M
$-6.1M
Q1 24
$13.7M
$-6.1M
Operating Margin
CRAI
CRAI
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
10.5%
Q3 25
9.3%
-5.2%
Q2 25
10.6%
-5.2%
Q1 25
14.0%
Q4 24
12.2%
-3.9%
Q3 24
11.0%
-9.0%
Q2 24
6.6%
-3.4%
Q1 24
11.4%
-3.7%
Net Margin
CRAI
CRAI
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
6.7%
Q3 25
6.2%
-7.5%
Q2 25
6.5%
-7.3%
Q1 25
9.9%
Q4 24
8.5%
-5.5%
Q3 24
6.8%
-10.7%
Q2 24
3.8%
-5.1%
Q1 24
8.0%
-4.9%
EPS (diluted)
CRAI
CRAI
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
$1.99
Q3 25
$-0.20
Q2 25
$-0.20
Q1 25
Q4 24
$-0.15
Q3 24
$-0.30
Q2 24
$-0.14
Q1 24
$-1.64

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CRAI
CRAI
NDLS
NDLS
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$18.2M
$4.7M
Total DebtLower is stronger
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$213.6M
$-38.9M
Total Assets
$628.9M
$280.6M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CRAI
CRAI
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
$18.2M
Q3 25
$22.5M
$4.7M
Q2 25
$19.4M
$1.4M
Q1 25
$25.6M
Q4 24
$26.7M
$3.3M
Q3 24
$24.5M
$1.8M
Q2 24
$24.6M
$1.3M
Q1 24
$37.1M
$3.0M
Stockholders' Equity
CRAI
CRAI
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
$213.6M
Q3 25
$201.7M
$-38.9M
Q2 25
$197.0M
$-13.9M
Q1 25
$227.3M
Q4 24
$212.1M
$3.7M
Q3 24
$204.5M
$9.6M
Q2 24
$191.7M
$21.9M
Q1 24
$211.8M
$27.2M
Total Assets
CRAI
CRAI
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
$628.9M
Q3 25
$629.0M
$280.6M
Q2 25
$606.8M
$319.4M
Q1 25
$590.4M
Q4 24
$571.4M
$340.5M
Q3 24
$582.3M
$346.3M
Q2 24
$546.0M
$360.4M
Q1 24
$552.5M
$368.1M

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
CRAI
CRAI
NDLS
NDLS
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$22.4M
$4.3M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-2.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-2.3%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
5.8%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.70×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-7.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CRAI
CRAI
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
$22.4M
Q3 25
$36.5M
$4.3M
Q2 25
$5.9M
$4.0M
Q1 25
$-80.0M
Q4 24
$79.4M
$5.8M
Q3 24
$31.6M
$4.7M
Q2 24
$1.8M
$7.0M
Q1 24
$-63.1M
$164.0K
Free Cash Flow
CRAI
CRAI
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
Q3 25
$35.9M
$-2.8M
Q2 25
$4.7M
$1.1M
Q1 25
$-81.0M
Q4 24
$68.8M
$-1.3M
Q3 24
$28.6M
$-4.5M
Q2 24
$-509.0K
$-1.6M
Q1 24
$-63.8M
$-15.2M
FCF Margin
CRAI
CRAI
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
Q3 25
19.3%
-2.3%
Q2 25
2.5%
0.9%
Q1 25
-44.5%
Q4 24
39.0%
-1.1%
Q3 24
17.0%
-3.5%
Q2 24
-0.3%
-1.4%
Q1 24
-37.1%
-12.2%
Capex Intensity
CRAI
CRAI
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
Q3 25
0.3%
5.8%
Q2 25
0.6%
2.4%
Q1 25
0.5%
Q4 24
6.0%
5.8%
Q3 24
1.8%
7.2%
Q2 24
1.4%
7.1%
Q1 24
0.4%
12.3%
Cash Conversion
CRAI
CRAI
NDLS
NDLS
Q4 25
1.70×
Q3 25
3.19×
Q2 25
0.48×
Q1 25
-4.44×
Q4 24
5.30×
Q3 24
2.76×
Q2 24
0.28×
Q1 24
-4.61×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CRAI
CRAI

Segment breakdown not available.

NDLS
NDLS

Food And Beverage$119.6M98%
Franchise$2.5M2%

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