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Side-by-side financial comparison of CARTERS INC (CRI) and Paycom (PAYC). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

CARTERS INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($757.8M vs $544.3M, roughly 1.4× Paycom). Paycom runs the higher net margin — 20.9% vs 1.5%, a 19.4% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Paycom posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (10.2% vs -0.1%). Paycom produced more free cash flow last quarter ($122.6M vs $-144.1M).

Carter's, Inc. is a major American designer and marketer of children's apparel. It was founded in 1865 by William Carter.

Paycom Software, Inc., known simply as Paycom, is an online payroll and human resource software provider based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with offices throughout the United States. It is attributed with being one of the first fully online payroll providers. Founded in 1998, it reported annual revenue of $2.052 billion for 2025, up from $1.883 billion for 2024.

CRI vs PAYC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CRI
CRI
1.4× larger
CRI
$757.8M
$544.3M
PAYC
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
PAYC
PAYC
+10.3% gap
PAYC
10.2%
-0.1%
CRI
Higher net margin
PAYC
PAYC
19.4% more per $
PAYC
20.9%
1.5%
CRI
More free cash flow
PAYC
PAYC
$266.7M more FCF
PAYC
$122.6M
$-144.1M
CRI

Income Statement — Q3 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CRI
CRI
PAYC
PAYC
Revenue
$757.8M
$544.3M
Net Profit
$11.6M
$113.8M
Gross Margin
45.1%
83.9%
Operating Margin
3.8%
28.9%
Net Margin
1.5%
20.9%
Revenue YoY
-0.1%
10.2%
Net Profit YoY
-80.1%
0.2%
EPS (diluted)
$0.32
$2.06

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
CRI
CRI
PAYC
PAYC
Q4 25
$544.3M
Q3 25
$757.8M
$493.3M
Q2 25
$585.3M
$483.6M
Q1 25
$629.8M
$530.5M
Q4 24
$493.9M
Q3 24
$451.9M
Q2 24
$437.5M
Q1 24
$499.9M
Net Profit
CRI
CRI
PAYC
PAYC
Q4 25
$113.8M
Q3 25
$11.6M
$110.7M
Q2 25
$446.0K
$89.5M
Q1 25
$15.5M
$139.4M
Q4 24
$113.6M
Q3 24
$73.3M
Q2 24
$68.0M
Q1 24
$247.2M
Gross Margin
CRI
CRI
PAYC
PAYC
Q4 25
83.9%
Q3 25
45.1%
82.7%
Q2 25
48.1%
81.9%
Q1 25
46.2%
84.1%
Q4 24
83.1%
Q3 24
80.5%
Q2 24
80.8%
Q1 24
84.3%
Operating Margin
CRI
CRI
PAYC
PAYC
Q4 25
28.9%
Q3 25
3.8%
22.8%
Q2 25
0.7%
23.2%
Q1 25
4.1%
34.9%
Q4 24
30.1%
Q3 24
23.2%
Q2 24
21.7%
Q1 24
57.2%
Net Margin
CRI
CRI
PAYC
PAYC
Q4 25
20.9%
Q3 25
1.5%
22.4%
Q2 25
0.1%
18.5%
Q1 25
2.5%
26.3%
Q4 24
23.0%
Q3 24
16.2%
Q2 24
15.5%
Q1 24
49.4%
EPS (diluted)
CRI
CRI
PAYC
PAYC
Q4 25
$2.06
Q3 25
$0.32
$1.96
Q2 25
$0.01
$1.58
Q1 25
$0.43
$2.48
Q4 24
$2.04
Q3 24
$1.31
Q2 24
$1.20
Q1 24
$4.37

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CRI
CRI
PAYC
PAYC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$184.2M
$370.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$864.6M
$1.7B
Total Assets
$2.5B
$7.6B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CRI
CRI
PAYC
PAYC
Q4 25
$370.0M
Q3 25
$184.2M
$375.0M
Q2 25
$338.2M
$532.2M
Q1 25
$320.8M
$520.8M
Q4 24
$402.0M
Q3 24
$325.8M
Q2 24
$346.5M
Q1 24
$371.3M
Stockholders' Equity
CRI
CRI
PAYC
PAYC
Q4 25
$1.7B
Q3 25
$864.6M
$1.7B
Q2 25
$853.9M
$1.8B
Q1 25
$847.2M
$1.7B
Q4 24
$1.6B
Q3 24
$1.5B
Q2 24
$1.4B
Q1 24
$1.4B
Total Assets
CRI
CRI
PAYC
PAYC
Q4 25
$7.6B
Q3 25
$2.5B
$4.2B
Q2 25
$2.5B
$4.0B
Q1 25
$2.3B
$4.6B
Q4 24
$5.9B
Q3 24
$3.5B
Q2 24
$4.3B
Q1 24
$4.7B

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
CRI
CRI
PAYC
PAYC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-128.0M
$196.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-144.1M
$122.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-19.0%
22.5%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.1%
13.5%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-11.04×
1.72×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$408.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CRI
CRI
PAYC
PAYC
Q4 25
$196.1M
Q3 25
$-128.0M
$177.8M
Q2 25
$40.3M
$122.5M
Q1 25
$-48.6M
$182.5M
Q4 24
$160.4M
Q3 24
$92.8M
Q2 24
$132.1M
Q1 24
$148.6M
Free Cash Flow
CRI
CRI
PAYC
PAYC
Q4 25
$122.6M
Q3 25
$-144.1M
$79.8M
Q2 25
$24.1M
$60.8M
Q1 25
$-59.0M
$144.8M
Q4 24
$109.0M
Q3 24
$44.6M
Q2 24
$86.5M
Q1 24
$100.9M
FCF Margin
CRI
CRI
PAYC
PAYC
Q4 25
22.5%
Q3 25
-19.0%
16.2%
Q2 25
4.1%
12.6%
Q1 25
-9.4%
27.3%
Q4 24
22.1%
Q3 24
9.9%
Q2 24
19.8%
Q1 24
20.2%
Capex Intensity
CRI
CRI
PAYC
PAYC
Q4 25
13.5%
Q3 25
2.1%
19.9%
Q2 25
2.8%
12.8%
Q1 25
1.6%
7.1%
Q4 24
10.4%
Q3 24
10.7%
Q2 24
10.4%
Q1 24
9.5%
Cash Conversion
CRI
CRI
PAYC
PAYC
Q4 25
1.72×
Q3 25
-11.04×
1.61×
Q2 25
90.37×
1.37×
Q1 25
-3.13×
1.31×
Q4 24
1.41×
Q3 24
1.27×
Q2 24
1.94×
Q1 24
0.60×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CRI
CRI

Sales Channel Directly To Consumer$362.3M48%
Sales Channel Through Intermediary$283.8M37%
Other$110.4M15%
Gift Cards$1.3M0%

PAYC
PAYC

Recurring$510.3M94%
Interest On Funds Held For Clients$27.2M5%
Implementation And Other$6.8M1%

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