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Side-by-side financial comparison of Energy Recovery, Inc. (ERII) and NLIGHT, INC. (LASR). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

NLIGHT, INC. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($81.2M vs $66.9M, roughly 1.2× Energy Recovery, Inc.). Energy Recovery, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 40.2% vs -6.0%, a 46.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, NLIGHT, INC. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (71.3% vs -0.3%). NLIGHT, INC. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($15.9M vs $6.4M). Over the past eight quarters, NLIGHT, INC.'s revenue compounded faster (35.0% CAGR vs 8.1%).

Energy Recovery Inc. is an American manufacturer of energy recovery devices for water and CO2 refrigeration industries.

nLight Inc. is a global developer and manufacturer of high-performance semiconductor lasers, fiber lasers, and related optical components. Its products serve key segments including industrial precision manufacturing, aerospace and defense, medical equipment, and advanced research, with customers across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

ERII vs LASR — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
LASR
LASR
1.2× larger
LASR
$81.2M
$66.9M
ERII
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
LASR
LASR
+71.6% gap
LASR
71.3%
-0.3%
ERII
Higher net margin
ERII
ERII
46.3% more per $
ERII
40.2%
-6.0%
LASR
More free cash flow
LASR
LASR
$9.5M more FCF
LASR
$15.9M
$6.4M
ERII
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
LASR
LASR
Annualised
LASR
35.0%
8.1%
ERII

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
ERII
ERII
LASR
LASR
Revenue
$66.9M
$81.2M
Net Profit
$26.9M
$-4.9M
Gross Margin
67.2%
30.7%
Operating Margin
46.8%
-6.7%
Net Margin
40.2%
-6.0%
Revenue YoY
-0.3%
71.3%
Net Profit YoY
14.7%
80.3%
EPS (diluted)
$0.49
$-0.10

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
ERII
ERII
LASR
LASR
Q4 25
$66.9M
$81.2M
Q3 25
$32.0M
$66.7M
Q2 25
$28.1M
$61.7M
Q1 25
$51.7M
Q4 24
$67.1M
$47.4M
Q3 24
$38.6M
$56.1M
Q2 24
$27.2M
$50.5M
Q1 24
$12.1M
$44.5M
Net Profit
ERII
ERII
LASR
LASR
Q4 25
$26.9M
$-4.9M
Q3 25
$3.9M
$-6.9M
Q2 25
$2.1M
$-3.6M
Q1 25
$-8.1M
Q4 24
$23.5M
$-25.0M
Q3 24
$8.5M
$-10.3M
Q2 24
$-642.0K
$-11.7M
Q1 24
$-8.3M
$-13.8M
Gross Margin
ERII
ERII
LASR
LASR
Q4 25
67.2%
30.7%
Q3 25
64.2%
31.1%
Q2 25
64.0%
29.9%
Q1 25
26.7%
Q4 24
70.2%
2.4%
Q3 24
65.1%
22.4%
Q2 24
64.6%
23.5%
Q1 24
59.0%
16.8%
Operating Margin
ERII
ERII
LASR
LASR
Q4 25
46.8%
-6.7%
Q3 25
11.4%
-10.9%
Q2 25
5.3%
-6.9%
Q1 25
-18.6%
Q4 24
38.2%
-55.8%
Q3 24
18.3%
-21.0%
Q2 24
-7.4%
-25.1%
Q1 24
-90.4%
-33.1%
Net Margin
ERII
ERII
LASR
LASR
Q4 25
40.2%
-6.0%
Q3 25
12.1%
-10.3%
Q2 25
7.3%
-5.8%
Q1 25
-15.7%
Q4 24
35.0%
-52.7%
Q3 24
22.0%
-18.4%
Q2 24
-2.4%
-23.2%
Q1 24
-68.3%
-30.9%
EPS (diluted)
ERII
ERII
LASR
LASR
Q4 25
$0.49
$-0.10
Q3 25
$0.07
$-0.14
Q2 25
$0.04
$-0.07
Q1 25
$-0.16
Q4 24
$0.40
$-0.52
Q3 24
$0.15
$-0.21
Q2 24
$-0.01
$-0.25
Q1 24
$-0.14
$-0.29

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
ERII
ERII
LASR
LASR
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$75.2M
$98.7M
Total DebtLower is stronger
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$206.2M
$226.7M
Total Assets
$231.5M
$315.2M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ERII
ERII
LASR
LASR
Q4 25
$75.2M
$98.7M
Q3 25
$70.4M
$81.1M
Q2 25
$79.5M
$78.8M
Q1 25
$82.2M
Q4 24
$78.0M
$65.8M
Q3 24
$118.6M
$41.5M
Q2 24
$101.0M
$49.4M
Q1 24
$117.4M
$61.3M
Stockholders' Equity
ERII
ERII
LASR
LASR
Q4 25
$206.2M
$226.7M
Q3 25
$180.8M
$218.5M
Q2 25
$185.2M
$216.0M
Q1 25
$212.8M
Q4 24
$210.0M
$216.4M
Q3 24
$233.9M
$235.3M
Q2 24
$218.5M
$239.5M
Q1 24
$216.0M
$244.4M
Total Assets
ERII
ERII
LASR
LASR
Q4 25
$231.5M
$315.2M
Q3 25
$209.6M
$298.7M
Q2 25
$212.3M
$295.3M
Q1 25
$290.0M
Q4 24
$242.8M
$270.2M
Q3 24
$262.7M
$291.3M
Q2 24
$249.0M
$294.3M
Q1 24
$244.3M
$302.8M

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
ERII
ERII
LASR
LASR
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$7.1M
$17.5M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$6.4M
$15.9M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
9.6%
19.6%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.0%
2.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.26×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$15.8M
$12.3M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ERII
ERII
LASR
LASR
Q4 25
$7.1M
$17.5M
Q3 25
$-3.1M
$5.2M
Q2 25
$4.1M
$-1.4M
Q1 25
$-20.0K
Q4 24
$9.0M
$-3.9M
Q3 24
$-3.0M
$-5.6M
Q2 24
$8.1M
$-4.2M
Q1 24
$6.5M
$11.4M
Free Cash Flow
ERII
ERII
LASR
LASR
Q4 25
$6.4M
$15.9M
Q3 25
$-3.5M
$2.4M
Q2 25
$4.0M
$-3.8M
Q1 25
$-2.3M
Q4 24
$8.9M
$-6.5M
Q3 24
$-3.2M
$-7.2M
Q2 24
$7.9M
$-6.4M
Q1 24
$5.7M
$9.8M
FCF Margin
ERII
ERII
LASR
LASR
Q4 25
9.6%
19.6%
Q3 25
-10.9%
3.7%
Q2 25
14.3%
-6.1%
Q1 25
-4.5%
Q4 24
13.2%
-13.7%
Q3 24
-8.2%
-12.9%
Q2 24
28.9%
-12.6%
Q1 24
46.9%
22.1%
Capex Intensity
ERII
ERII
LASR
LASR
Q4 25
1.0%
2.0%
Q3 25
1.1%
4.2%
Q2 25
0.5%
3.9%
Q1 25
4.4%
Q4 24
0.2%
5.5%
Q3 24
0.4%
2.9%
Q2 24
0.7%
4.2%
Q1 24
6.8%
3.5%
Cash Conversion
ERII
ERII
LASR
LASR
Q4 25
0.26×
Q3 25
-0.81×
Q2 25
2.02×
Q1 25
Q4 24
0.38×
Q3 24
-0.35×
Q2 24
Q1 24

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

ERII
ERII

Water Segment$38.6M58%
Other$11.0M16%
Original Equipment Manufacturer$10.6M16%
Aftermarket$6.6M10%

LASR
LASR

Aerospaceand Defense$56.3M69%
Microfabrication$14.2M18%
Industrial$10.7M13%

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