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

Energy Recovery, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($66.9M vs $33.5M, roughly 2.0× NELNET INC). NELNET INC runs the higher net margin — 172.3% vs 40.2%, a 132.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, NELNET INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (79.6% vs -0.3%). NELNET INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($396.7M vs $6.4M). Over the past eight quarters, NELNET INC's revenue compounded faster (62.0% CAGR vs 8.1%).

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

Nelnet, Inc. is a United States–based conglomerate that primarily focuses on financial services including student and consumer loan origination and servicing. Additionally, the company operates an investing arm, an internet bank and has a 26% stake in Allo Fiber, a cable and internet provider. The company is headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska.

ERII vs NNI — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ERII
ERII
2.0× larger
ERII
$66.9M
$33.5M
NNI
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
NNI
NNI
+79.9% gap
NNI
79.6%
-0.3%
ERII
Higher net margin
NNI
NNI
132.0% more per $
NNI
172.3%
40.2%
ERII
More free cash flow
NNI
NNI
$390.3M more FCF
NNI
$396.7M
$6.4M
ERII
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
NNI
NNI
Annualised
NNI
62.0%
8.1%
ERII

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
ERII
ERII
NNI
NNI
Revenue
$66.9M
$33.5M
Net Profit
$26.9M
$57.8M
Gross Margin
67.2%
50.5%
Operating Margin
46.8%
Net Margin
40.2%
172.3%
Revenue YoY
-0.3%
79.6%
Net Profit YoY
14.7%
-8.5%
EPS (diluted)
$0.49
$1.62

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
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
$66.9M
$33.5M
Q3 25
$32.0M
$23.2M
Q2 25
$28.1M
$26.1M
Q1 25
$24.7M
Q4 24
$67.1M
$18.7M
Q3 24
$38.6M
$16.6M
Q2 24
$27.2M
$14.9M
Q1 24
$12.1M
$12.8M
Net Profit
ERII
ERII
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
$26.9M
$57.8M
Q3 25
$3.9M
$106.7M
Q2 25
$2.1M
$181.5M
Q1 25
$82.6M
Q4 24
$23.5M
$63.2M
Q3 24
$8.5M
$2.4M
Q2 24
$-642.0K
$45.1M
Q1 24
$-8.3M
$73.4M
Gross Margin
ERII
ERII
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
67.2%
50.5%
Q3 25
64.2%
29.6%
Q2 25
64.0%
29.8%
Q1 25
30.5%
Q4 24
70.2%
13.7%
Q3 24
65.1%
0.1%
Q2 24
64.6%
27.3%
Q1 24
59.0%
15.3%
Operating Margin
ERII
ERII
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
46.8%
Q3 25
11.4%
Q2 25
5.3%
Q1 25
Q4 24
38.2%
97.7%
Q3 24
18.3%
-13.4%
Q2 24
-7.4%
88.0%
Q1 24
-90.4%
Net Margin
ERII
ERII
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
40.2%
172.3%
Q3 25
12.1%
460.5%
Q2 25
7.3%
694.9%
Q1 25
334.4%
Q4 24
35.0%
338.2%
Q3 24
22.0%
14.4%
Q2 24
-2.4%
303.6%
Q1 24
-68.3%
574.4%
EPS (diluted)
ERII
ERII
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
$0.49
$1.62
Q3 25
$0.07
$2.94
Q2 25
$0.04
$4.97
Q1 25
$2.26
Q4 24
$0.40
$1.74
Q3 24
$0.15
$0.07
Q2 24
$-0.01
$1.23
Q1 24
$-0.14
$1.98

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
ERII
ERII
NNI
NNI
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$75.2M
$296.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$7.8B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$206.2M
$3.7B
Total Assets
$231.5M
$14.1B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
2.11×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ERII
ERII
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
$75.2M
$296.0M
Q3 25
$70.4M
$216.4M
Q2 25
$79.5M
$225.8M
Q1 25
$220.5M
Q4 24
$78.0M
$194.5M
Q3 24
$118.6M
$219.7M
Q2 24
$101.0M
$145.5M
Q1 24
$117.4M
$179.7M
Total Debt
ERII
ERII
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
$7.8B
Q3 25
$7.8B
Q2 25
$7.9B
Q1 25
$8.7B
Q4 24
$8.3B
Q3 24
$8.9B
Q2 24
$9.6B
Q1 24
$10.6B
Stockholders' Equity
ERII
ERII
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
$206.2M
$3.7B
Q3 25
$180.8M
$3.7B
Q2 25
$185.2M
$3.6B
Q1 25
$3.4B
Q4 24
$210.0M
$3.3B
Q3 24
$233.9M
$3.3B
Q2 24
$218.5M
$3.3B
Q1 24
$216.0M
$3.3B
Total Assets
ERII
ERII
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
$231.5M
$14.1B
Q3 25
$209.6M
$13.9B
Q2 25
$212.3M
$13.7B
Q1 25
$14.2B
Q4 24
$242.8M
$13.8B
Q3 24
$262.7M
$14.1B
Q2 24
$249.0M
$14.5B
Q1 24
$244.3M
$15.4B
Debt / Equity
ERII
ERII
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
2.11×
Q3 25
2.14×
Q2 25
2.21×
Q1 25
2.53×
Q4 24
2.48×
Q3 24
2.72×
Q2 24
2.90×
Q1 24
3.20×

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
NNI
NNI
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$7.1M
$423.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$6.4M
$396.7M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
9.6%
1183.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.0%
78.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.26×
7.32×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$15.8M
$663.4M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ERII
ERII
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
$7.1M
$423.0M
Q3 25
$-3.1M
$112.4M
Q2 25
$4.1M
$81.8M
Q1 25
$91.2M
Q4 24
$9.0M
$662.9M
Q3 24
$-3.0M
$137.0M
Q2 24
$8.1M
$133.8M
Q1 24
$6.5M
$211.6M
Free Cash Flow
ERII
ERII
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
$6.4M
$396.7M
Q3 25
$-3.5M
$100.8M
Q2 25
$4.0M
$78.1M
Q1 25
$87.8M
Q4 24
$8.9M
$642.0M
Q3 24
$-3.2M
$132.6M
Q2 24
$7.9M
$123.1M
Q1 24
$5.7M
$188.3M
FCF Margin
ERII
ERII
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
9.6%
1183.0%
Q3 25
-10.9%
435.0%
Q2 25
14.3%
299.0%
Q1 25
355.6%
Q4 24
13.2%
3438.0%
Q3 24
-8.2%
797.9%
Q2 24
28.9%
829.2%
Q1 24
46.9%
1473.7%
Capex Intensity
ERII
ERII
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
1.0%
78.2%
Q3 25
1.1%
50.4%
Q2 25
0.5%
14.2%
Q1 25
13.7%
Q4 24
0.2%
111.9%
Q3 24
0.4%
26.7%
Q2 24
0.7%
71.5%
Q1 24
6.8%
181.7%
Cash Conversion
ERII
ERII
NNI
NNI
Q4 25
0.26×
7.32×
Q3 25
-0.81×
1.05×
Q2 25
2.02×
0.45×
Q1 25
1.10×
Q4 24
0.38×
10.50×
Q3 24
-0.35×
57.39×
Q2 24
2.97×
Q1 24
2.88×

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%

NNI
NNI

Segment breakdown not available.

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