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Side-by-side financial comparison of CARTERS INC (CRI) and SCOTTS MIRACLE-GRO CO (SMG). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

SCOTTS MIRACLE-GRO CO is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.5B vs $757.8M, roughly 1.9× CARTERS INC). SCOTTS MIRACLE-GRO CO runs the higher net margin — 16.3% vs 1.5%, a 14.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, CARTERS INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-0.1% vs -16.9%).

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

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Marysville, Ohio, where O.M. Scott began selling lawn seed in 1868. The company manufactures and sells consumer lawn, garden and pest control products, as well as soilless indoor gardening equipment. In the U.S., the company manufactures Scotts, Miracle-Gro and Ortho brands. It also markets and distributes the herbicide Roundup in the U.S. and several international markets including China.

CRI vs SMG — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
SMG
SMG
1.9× larger
SMG
$1.5B
$757.8M
CRI
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
CRI
CRI
+16.8% gap
CRI
-0.1%
-16.9%
SMG
Higher net margin
SMG
SMG
14.8% more per $
SMG
16.3%
1.5%
CRI

Income Statement — Q3 FY2026 vs Q2 FY2026

Metric
CRI
CRI
SMG
SMG
Revenue
$757.8M
$1.5B
Net Profit
$11.6M
$238.6M
Gross Margin
45.1%
41.8%
Operating Margin
3.8%
27.5%
Net Margin
1.5%
16.3%
Revenue YoY
-0.1%
-16.9%
Net Profit YoY
-80.1%
61.2%
EPS (diluted)
$0.32
$-2.00

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
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
$1.5B
Q4 25
$354.4M
Q3 25
$757.8M
$387.3M
Q2 25
$585.3M
$1.2B
Q1 25
$629.8M
$1.4B
Q4 24
$416.8M
Q3 24
$414.7M
Q2 24
$1.2B
Net Profit
CRI
CRI
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
$238.6M
Q4 25
$-125.0M
Q3 25
$11.6M
Q2 25
$446.0K
$149.1M
Q1 25
$15.5M
$217.5M
Q4 24
$-69.5M
Q3 24
Q2 24
$132.1M
Gross Margin
CRI
CRI
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
41.8%
Q4 25
25.0%
Q3 25
45.1%
6.1%
Q2 25
48.1%
31.8%
Q1 25
46.2%
38.6%
Q4 24
22.7%
Q3 24
-7.1%
Q2 24
29.5%
Operating Margin
CRI
CRI
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
27.5%
Q4 25
-6.2%
Q3 25
3.8%
-38.8%
Q2 25
0.7%
18.1%
Q1 25
4.1%
24.3%
Q4 24
-12.2%
Q3 24
-52.1%
Q2 24
16.6%
Net Margin
CRI
CRI
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
16.3%
Q4 25
-35.3%
Q3 25
1.5%
Q2 25
0.1%
12.6%
Q1 25
2.5%
15.3%
Q4 24
-16.7%
Q3 24
Q2 24
11.0%
EPS (diluted)
CRI
CRI
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
$-2.00
Q4 25
$-2.16
Q3 25
$0.32
$-2.58
Q2 25
$0.01
$2.54
Q1 25
$0.43
$3.72
Q4 24
$-1.21
Q3 24
$-4.21
Q2 24
$2.28

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CRI
CRI
SMG
SMG
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$184.2M
$6.2M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$2.3B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$864.6M
Total Assets
$2.5B
$3.4B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CRI
CRI
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
$6.2M
Q4 25
$8.3M
Q3 25
$184.2M
$36.6M
Q2 25
$338.2M
$51.1M
Q1 25
$320.8M
$16.9M
Q4 24
$9.8M
Q3 24
$71.6M
Q2 24
$279.9M
Total Debt
CRI
CRI
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
$2.3B
Q4 25
Q3 25
$2.1B
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
$2.2B
Q2 24
Stockholders' Equity
CRI
CRI
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-500.6M
Q3 25
$864.6M
$-357.5M
Q2 25
$853.9M
$-170.9M
Q1 25
$847.2M
$-290.1M
Q4 24
$-479.5M
Q3 24
$-390.6M
Q2 24
$-146.2M
Total Assets
CRI
CRI
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
$3.4B
Q4 25
$3.0B
Q3 25
$2.5B
$2.7B
Q2 25
$2.5B
$3.1B
Q1 25
$2.3B
$3.5B
Q4 24
$3.2B
Q3 24
$2.9B
Q2 24
$3.5B

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
SMG
SMG
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-128.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-144.1M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-19.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-11.04×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CRI
CRI
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-370.4M
Q3 25
$-128.0M
$174.1M
Q2 25
$40.3M
$454.4M
Q1 25
$-48.6M
$188.1M
Q4 24
$-445.3M
Q3 24
$118.5M
Q2 24
$588.0M
Free Cash Flow
CRI
CRI
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-390.4M
Q3 25
$-144.1M
$131.2M
Q2 25
$24.1M
$437.5M
Q1 25
$-59.0M
$179.8M
Q4 24
$-474.6M
Q3 24
$101.9M
Q2 24
$574.8M
FCF Margin
CRI
CRI
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
Q4 25
-110.2%
Q3 25
-19.0%
33.9%
Q2 25
4.1%
36.8%
Q1 25
-9.4%
12.7%
Q4 24
-113.9%
Q3 24
24.6%
Q2 24
47.8%
Capex Intensity
CRI
CRI
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
Q4 25
5.6%
Q3 25
2.1%
11.1%
Q2 25
2.8%
1.4%
Q1 25
1.6%
0.6%
Q4 24
7.0%
Q3 24
4.0%
Q2 24
1.1%
Cash Conversion
CRI
CRI
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
Q4 25
Q3 25
-11.04×
Q2 25
90.37×
3.05×
Q1 25
-3.13×
0.86×
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24
4.45×

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%

SMG
SMG

Segment breakdown not available.

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