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

Waters Corporation is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($932.4M vs $757.8M, roughly 1.2× CARTERS INC). Waters Corporation runs the higher net margin — 24.2% vs 1.5%, a 22.6% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Waters Corporation posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (6.8% vs -0.1%).

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

Waters Corporation is an American company headquartered in Milford, Massachusetts that provides analytical instruments and software used for chromatography, mass spectrometry, laboratory informatics, and rheometry by the life sciences, materials, and food industries.

CRI vs WAT — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
WAT
WAT
1.2× larger
WAT
$932.4M
$757.8M
CRI
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
WAT
WAT
+6.9% gap
WAT
6.8%
-0.1%
CRI
Higher net margin
WAT
WAT
22.6% more per $
WAT
24.2%
1.5%
CRI

Income Statement — Q3 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CRI
CRI
WAT
WAT
Revenue
$757.8M
$932.4M
Net Profit
$11.6M
$225.2M
Gross Margin
45.1%
61.1%
Operating Margin
3.8%
29.0%
Net Margin
1.5%
24.2%
Revenue YoY
-0.1%
6.8%
Net Profit YoY
-80.1%
-2.7%
EPS (diluted)
$0.32
$3.76

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
WAT
WAT
Q4 25
$932.4M
Q3 25
$757.8M
$799.9M
Q2 25
$585.3M
$771.3M
Q1 25
$629.8M
$661.7M
Q4 24
$872.7M
Q3 24
$740.3M
Q2 24
$708.5M
Q1 24
$636.8M
Net Profit
CRI
CRI
WAT
WAT
Q4 25
$225.2M
Q3 25
$11.6M
$148.9M
Q2 25
$446.0K
$147.1M
Q1 25
$15.5M
$121.4M
Q4 24
$231.4M
Q3 24
$161.5M
Q2 24
$142.7M
Q1 24
$102.2M
Gross Margin
CRI
CRI
WAT
WAT
Q4 25
61.1%
Q3 25
45.1%
59.0%
Q2 25
48.1%
58.3%
Q1 25
46.2%
58.2%
Q4 24
60.1%
Q3 24
59.3%
Q2 24
59.3%
Q1 24
58.9%
Operating Margin
CRI
CRI
WAT
WAT
Q4 25
29.0%
Q3 25
3.8%
24.0%
Q2 25
0.7%
24.4%
Q1 25
4.1%
22.9%
Q4 24
33.5%
Q3 24
28.5%
Q2 24
26.7%
Q1 24
21.0%
Net Margin
CRI
CRI
WAT
WAT
Q4 25
24.2%
Q3 25
1.5%
18.6%
Q2 25
0.1%
19.1%
Q1 25
2.5%
18.3%
Q4 24
26.5%
Q3 24
21.8%
Q2 24
20.1%
Q1 24
16.0%
EPS (diluted)
CRI
CRI
WAT
WAT
Q4 25
$3.76
Q3 25
$0.32
$2.50
Q2 25
$0.01
$2.47
Q1 25
$0.43
$2.03
Q4 24
$3.88
Q3 24
$2.71
Q2 24
$2.40
Q1 24
$1.72

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CRI
CRI
WAT
WAT
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$184.2M
$587.8M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.4B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$864.6M
$2.6B
Total Assets
$2.5B
$5.1B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.55×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CRI
CRI
WAT
WAT
Q4 25
$587.8M
Q3 25
$184.2M
$459.1M
Q2 25
$338.2M
$367.2M
Q1 25
$320.8M
$382.9M
Q4 24
$325.4M
Q3 24
$331.5M
Q2 24
$327.4M
Q1 24
$338.2M
Total Debt
CRI
CRI
WAT
WAT
Q4 25
$1.4B
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
$1.6B
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24
Stockholders' Equity
CRI
CRI
WAT
WAT
Q4 25
$2.6B
Q3 25
$864.6M
$2.3B
Q2 25
$853.9M
$2.2B
Q1 25
$847.2M
$2.0B
Q4 24
$1.8B
Q3 24
$1.6B
Q2 24
$1.4B
Q1 24
$1.3B
Total Assets
CRI
CRI
WAT
WAT
Q4 25
$5.1B
Q3 25
$2.5B
$4.9B
Q2 25
$2.5B
$4.7B
Q1 25
$2.3B
$4.6B
Q4 24
$4.6B
Q3 24
$4.5B
Q2 24
$4.4B
Q1 24
$4.5B
Debt / Equity
CRI
CRI
WAT
WAT
Q4 25
0.55×
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
0.89×
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24

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
WAT
WAT
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-128.0M
$164.6M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-144.1M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-19.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-11.04×
0.73×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CRI
CRI
WAT
WAT
Q4 25
$164.6M
Q3 25
$-128.0M
$187.3M
Q2 25
$40.3M
$41.1M
Q1 25
$-48.6M
$259.6M
Q4 24
$240.1M
Q3 24
$204.6M
Q2 24
$54.5M
Q1 24
$262.9M
Free Cash Flow
CRI
CRI
WAT
WAT
Q4 25
Q3 25
$-144.1M
Q2 25
$24.1M
Q1 25
$-59.0M
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24
FCF Margin
CRI
CRI
WAT
WAT
Q4 25
Q3 25
-19.0%
Q2 25
4.1%
Q1 25
-9.4%
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24
Capex Intensity
CRI
CRI
WAT
WAT
Q4 25
Q3 25
2.1%
Q2 25
2.8%
Q1 25
1.6%
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24
Cash Conversion
CRI
CRI
WAT
WAT
Q4 25
0.73×
Q3 25
-11.04×
1.26×
Q2 25
90.37×
0.28×
Q1 25
-3.13×
2.14×
Q4 24
1.04×
Q3 24
1.27×
Q2 24
0.38×
Q1 24
2.57×

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%

WAT
WAT

Segment breakdown not available.

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