vs

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

ESAB Corp is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($727.8M vs $676.8M, roughly 1.1× KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc.). ESAB Corp runs the higher net margin — 7.5% vs 0.7%, a 6.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, ESAB Corp posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (8.5% vs 0.8%). ESAB Corp produced more free cash flow last quarter ($70.3M vs $62.6M).

ESAB, Elektriska Svetsnings-Aktiebolaget, is an American-Swedish industrial company.

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...

ESAB vs KLC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ESAB
ESAB
1.1× larger
ESAB
$727.8M
$676.8M
KLC
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ESAB
ESAB
+7.7% gap
ESAB
8.5%
0.8%
KLC
Higher net margin
ESAB
ESAB
6.9% more per $
ESAB
7.5%
0.7%
KLC
More free cash flow
ESAB
ESAB
$7.7M more FCF
ESAB
$70.3M
$62.6M
KLC

Income Statement — Q3 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2025

Metric
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Revenue
$727.8M
$676.8M
Net Profit
$54.8M
$4.5M
Gross Margin
37.0%
Operating Margin
14.6%
3.9%
Net Margin
7.5%
0.7%
Revenue YoY
8.5%
0.8%
Net Profit YoY
2.1%
-67.4%
EPS (diluted)
$0.90
$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
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$727.8M
Q3 25
$715.6M
$676.8M
Q2 25
$678.1M
$700.1M
Q1 25
$668.2M
Q4 24
$670.8M
$647.0M
Q3 24
$673.3M
$671.5M
Q2 24
$707.1M
Q1 24
$689.7M
Net Profit
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$54.8M
Q3 25
$66.9M
$4.5M
Q2 25
$67.4M
$38.6M
Q1 25
$21.2M
Q4 24
$53.7M
$-133.6M
Q3 24
$68.2M
$14.0M
Q2 24
$82.9M
Q1 24
$60.0M
Gross Margin
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
37.0%
Q3 25
37.2%
Q2 25
37.6%
Q1 25
Q4 24
38.5%
Q3 24
37.7%
Q2 24
38.2%
Q1 24
37.0%
Operating Margin
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
14.6%
Q3 25
15.2%
3.9%
Q2 25
16.2%
9.8%
Q1 25
7.3%
Q4 24
16.6%
-13.8%
Q3 24
15.7%
8.1%
Q2 24
16.9%
Q1 24
16.0%
Net Margin
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
7.5%
Q3 25
9.3%
0.7%
Q2 25
9.9%
5.5%
Q1 25
3.2%
Q4 24
8.0%
-20.6%
Q3 24
10.1%
2.1%
Q2 24
11.7%
Q1 24
8.7%
EPS (diluted)
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$0.90
Q3 25
$1.09
$0.04
Q2 25
$1.10
$0.33
Q1 25
$0.18
Q4 24
$0.87
$-1.17
Q3 24
$1.11
$0.15
Q2 24
$1.35
Q1 24
$0.98

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$218.2M
$174.7M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.3B
$930.9M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$2.1B
$931.2M
Total Assets
$4.9B
$3.9B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.63×
1.00×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$218.2M
Q3 25
$258.2M
$174.7M
Q2 25
$291.3M
$119.0M
Q1 25
$131.3M
Q4 24
$249.4M
$62.3M
Q3 24
$253.7M
$137.2M
Q2 24
$228.5M
Q1 24
$76.5M
Total Debt
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$1.3B
Q3 25
$1.1B
$930.9M
Q2 25
$1.1B
$926.5M
Q1 25
$927.4M
Q4 24
$1.1B
$926.0M
Q3 24
$1.1B
$1.5B
Q2 24
$1.1B
Q1 24
$992.8M
Stockholders' Equity
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$2.1B
Q3 25
$2.1B
$931.2M
Q2 25
$1.9B
$924.3M
Q1 25
$884.9M
Q4 24
$1.8B
$864.5M
Q3 24
$1.8B
$235.6M
Q2 24
$1.7B
Q1 24
$1.6B
Total Assets
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$4.9B
Q3 25
$4.4B
$3.9B
Q2 25
$4.2B
$3.8B
Q1 25
$3.7B
Q4 24
$4.0B
$3.6B
Q3 24
$4.1B
$3.7B
Q2 24
$4.0B
Q1 24
$3.8B
Debt / Equity
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
0.63×
Q3 25
0.51×
1.00×
Q2 25
0.55×
1.00×
Q1 25
1.05×
Q4 24
0.60×
1.07×
Q3 24
0.59×
6.42×
Q2 24
0.63×
Q1 24
0.61×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$81.5M
$100.8M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$70.3M
$62.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
9.7%
9.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.5%
5.6%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.49×
22.15×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$238.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$81.5M
Q3 25
$46.6M
$100.8M
Q2 25
$35.4M
$35.0M
Q1 25
$98.4M
Q4 24
$126.9M
Q3 24
$101.0M
Q2 24
$83.0M
Q1 24
$44.5M
Free Cash Flow
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
$70.3M
Q3 25
$37.4M
$62.6M
Q2 25
$28.1M
$671.0K
Q1 25
$75.1M
Q4 24
$102.2M
Q3 24
$90.4M
Q2 24
$74.0M
Q1 24
$37.1M
FCF Margin
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
9.7%
Q3 25
5.2%
9.2%
Q2 25
4.1%
0.1%
Q1 25
11.2%
Q4 24
15.2%
Q3 24
13.4%
Q2 24
10.5%
Q1 24
5.4%
Capex Intensity
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
1.5%
Q3 25
1.3%
5.6%
Q2 25
1.1%
4.9%
Q1 25
3.5%
Q4 24
3.7%
Q3 24
1.6%
Q2 24
1.3%
Q1 24
1.1%
Cash Conversion
ESAB
ESAB
KLC
KLC
Q4 25
1.49×
Q3 25
0.70×
22.15×
Q2 25
0.53×
0.91×
Q1 25
4.65×
Q4 24
2.36×
Q3 24
1.48×
Q2 24
1.00×
Q1 24
0.74×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

ESAB
ESAB

Consumable Products$477.9M66%
Equipment Products$249.9M34%

KLC
KLC

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

Related Comparisons