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Side-by-side financial comparison of DONALDSON Co INC (DCI) and KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. (KLC). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

DONALDSON Co INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($935.4M vs $676.8M, roughly 1.4× KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc.). DONALDSON Co INC runs the higher net margin — 12.2% vs 0.7%, a 11.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, DONALDSON Co INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (3.9% vs 0.8%). DONALDSON Co INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($111.2M vs $62.6M).

Donaldson Company, Inc. is a filtration company engaged in the production and marketing of filtration products used in a variety of industry sectors, including commercial/industrial, aerospace, chemical, alternative energy (windmills), food & beverage, and pharmaceuticals. Also the company's research division, located in Minneapolis, Minn., participated in defense-related projects for various military applications.

KinderCare Learning Centers, LLC is an American operator of for-profit child care and early childhood education facilities founded in 1969 and currently owned by KinderCare Education based in Portland, Oregon. The company provides educational programs for children from six weeks to 12 years old. KinderCare is the third-largest privately held company headquartered in Oregon. In 39 states and the District of Columbia, some 200,000 children are enrolled in more than 1,250 early childhood educati...

DCI vs KLC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
DCI
DCI
1.4× larger
DCI
$935.4M
$676.8M
KLC
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
DCI
DCI
+3.1% gap
DCI
3.9%
0.8%
KLC
Higher net margin
DCI
DCI
11.5% more per $
DCI
12.2%
0.7%
KLC
More free cash flow
DCI
DCI
$48.6M more FCF
DCI
$111.2M
$62.6M
KLC

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2025

Metric
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Revenue
$935.4M
$676.8M
Net Profit
$113.9M
$4.5M
Gross Margin
35.2%
Operating Margin
16.0%
3.9%
Net Margin
12.2%
0.7%
Revenue YoY
3.9%
0.8%
Net Profit YoY
15.1%
-67.4%
EPS (diluted)
$0.97
$0.04

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
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$935.4M
Q3 25
$980.7M
$676.8M
Q2 25
$940.1M
$700.1M
Q1 25
$870.0M
$668.2M
Q4 24
$900.1M
$647.0M
Q3 24
$935.4M
$671.5M
Q2 24
$927.9M
Q1 24
$876.7M
Net Profit
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$113.9M
Q3 25
$114.3M
$4.5M
Q2 25
$57.8M
$38.6M
Q1 25
$95.9M
$21.2M
Q4 24
$99.0M
$-133.6M
Q3 24
$109.7M
$14.0M
Q2 24
$113.5M
Q1 24
$98.7M
Gross Margin
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
35.2%
Q3 25
34.5%
Q2 25
34.2%
Q1 25
35.2%
Q4 24
35.5%
Q3 24
35.8%
Q2 24
35.6%
Q1 24
35.2%
Operating Margin
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
16.0%
Q3 25
15.5%
3.9%
Q2 25
9.3%
9.8%
Q1 25
14.4%
7.3%
Q4 24
14.5%
-13.8%
Q3 24
15.6%
8.1%
Q2 24
15.5%
Q1 24
14.8%
Net Margin
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
12.2%
Q3 25
11.7%
0.7%
Q2 25
6.1%
5.5%
Q1 25
11.0%
3.2%
Q4 24
11.0%
-20.6%
Q3 24
11.7%
2.1%
Q2 24
12.2%
Q1 24
11.3%
EPS (diluted)
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$0.97
Q3 25
$0.97
$0.04
Q2 25
$0.48
$0.33
Q1 25
$0.79
$0.18
Q4 24
$0.81
$-1.17
Q3 24
$0.90
$0.15
Q2 24
$0.92
Q1 24
$0.81

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$210.7M
$174.7M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$671.5M
$930.9M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.5B
$931.2M
Total Assets
$3.0B
$3.9B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.44×
1.00×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$210.7M
Q3 25
$180.4M
$174.7M
Q2 25
$178.5M
$119.0M
Q1 25
$189.1M
$131.3M
Q4 24
$221.2M
$62.3M
Q3 24
$232.7M
$137.2M
Q2 24
$223.7M
Q1 24
$193.8M
Total Debt
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$671.5M
Q3 25
$630.4M
$930.9M
Q2 25
$638.8M
$926.5M
Q1 25
$514.7M
$927.4M
Q4 24
$538.6M
$926.0M
Q3 24
$483.4M
$1.5B
Q2 24
$481.8M
Q1 24
$352.0M
Stockholders' Equity
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$1.5B
Q3 25
$1.5B
$931.2M
Q2 25
$1.5B
$924.3M
Q1 25
$1.5B
$884.9M
Q4 24
$1.5B
$864.5M
Q3 24
$1.5B
$235.6M
Q2 24
$1.5B
Q1 24
$1.4B
Total Assets
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$3.0B
Q3 25
$3.0B
$3.9B
Q2 25
$3.0B
$3.8B
Q1 25
$3.0B
$3.7B
Q4 24
$3.0B
$3.6B
Q3 24
$2.9B
$3.7B
Q2 24
$2.9B
Q1 24
$2.8B
Debt / Equity
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
0.44×
Q3 25
0.43×
1.00×
Q2 25
0.44×
1.00×
Q1 25
0.33×
1.05×
Q4 24
0.35×
1.07×
Q3 24
0.32×
6.42×
Q2 24
0.32×
Q1 24
0.26×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$125.4M
$100.8M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$111.2M
$62.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
11.9%
9.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.5%
5.6%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.10×
22.15×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$403.2M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$125.4M
Q3 25
$167.8M
$100.8M
Q2 25
$87.7M
$35.0M
Q1 25
$90.4M
$98.4M
Q4 24
$72.9M
Q3 24
$126.0M
Q2 24
$141.5M
Q1 24
$87.0M
Free Cash Flow
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$111.2M
Q3 25
$147.5M
$62.6M
Q2 25
$73.0M
$671.0K
Q1 25
$71.5M
$75.1M
Q4 24
$47.9M
Q3 24
$106.2M
Q2 24
$120.2M
Q1 24
$65.7M
FCF Margin
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
11.9%
Q3 25
15.0%
9.2%
Q2 25
7.8%
0.1%
Q1 25
8.2%
11.2%
Q4 24
5.3%
Q3 24
11.4%
Q2 24
13.0%
Q1 24
7.5%
Capex Intensity
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
1.5%
Q3 25
2.1%
5.6%
Q2 25
1.6%
4.9%
Q1 25
2.2%
3.5%
Q4 24
2.8%
Q3 24
2.1%
Q2 24
2.3%
Q1 24
2.4%
Cash Conversion
DCI
DCI
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
1.10×
Q3 25
1.47×
22.15×
Q2 25
1.52×
0.91×
Q1 25
0.94×
4.65×
Q4 24
0.74×
Q3 24
1.15×
Q2 24
1.25×
Q1 24
0.88×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

DCI
DCI

Aftermarket Products$447.1M48%
Industrial Filtration Solutions Products$222.6M24%
Off Road Products$86.5M9%
Life Sciences Segment$80.0M9%
Other$39.1M4%
Aerospace And Defense Products$37.1M4%
On Road Products$23.0M2%

KLC
KLC

Early Childhood Education Centers$627.0M93%
Before And After School Sites$49.8M7%

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