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Side-by-side financial comparison of ESAB Corp (ESAB) and NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. (NWE). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

ESAB Corp is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($727.8M vs $497.6M, roughly 1.5× NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc.). NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 12.8% vs 7.5%, a 5.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, ESAB Corp posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (8.5% vs 6.6%). Over the past eight quarters, NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (24.7% CAGR vs 2.8%).

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

NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. is a utility company that serves South Dakota, Nebraska, and Montana that is based in Sioux Falls. As of 2019, the company serves approximately 718,000 customers. The company's corporate headquarters are located in Sioux Falls while the headquarters for the South Dakota operations are in Huron, South Dakota.

ESAB vs NWE — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ESAB
ESAB
1.5× larger
ESAB
$727.8M
$497.6M
NWE
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ESAB
ESAB
+1.9% gap
ESAB
8.5%
6.6%
NWE
Higher net margin
NWE
NWE
5.2% more per $
NWE
12.8%
7.5%
ESAB
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
NWE
NWE
Annualised
NWE
24.7%
2.8%
ESAB

Income Statement — Q3 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
ESAB
ESAB
NWE
NWE
Revenue
$727.8M
$497.6M
Net Profit
$54.8M
$63.5M
Gross Margin
37.0%
Operating Margin
14.6%
22.9%
Net Margin
7.5%
12.8%
Revenue YoY
8.5%
6.6%
Net Profit YoY
2.1%
EPS (diluted)
$0.90

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
NWE
NWE
Q1 26
$497.6M
Q4 25
$727.8M
$414.3M
Q3 25
$715.6M
$387.0M
Q2 25
$678.1M
$342.7M
Q1 25
$466.6M
Q4 24
$670.8M
$373.5M
Q3 24
$673.3M
$345.2M
Q2 24
$707.1M
$319.9M
Net Profit
ESAB
ESAB
NWE
NWE
Q1 26
$63.5M
Q4 25
$54.8M
$44.7M
Q3 25
$66.9M
$38.2M
Q2 25
$67.4M
$21.2M
Q1 25
$76.9M
Q4 24
$53.7M
$80.6M
Q3 24
$68.2M
$46.8M
Q2 24
$82.9M
$31.7M
Gross Margin
ESAB
ESAB
NWE
NWE
Q1 26
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%
Operating Margin
ESAB
ESAB
NWE
NWE
Q1 26
22.9%
Q4 25
14.6%
14.5%
Q3 25
15.2%
20.7%
Q2 25
16.2%
17.7%
Q1 25
26.7%
Q4 24
16.6%
24.6%
Q3 24
15.7%
19.7%
Q2 24
16.9%
19.3%
Net Margin
ESAB
ESAB
NWE
NWE
Q1 26
12.8%
Q4 25
7.5%
10.8%
Q3 25
9.3%
9.9%
Q2 25
9.9%
6.2%
Q1 25
16.5%
Q4 24
8.0%
21.6%
Q3 24
10.1%
13.6%
Q2 24
11.7%
9.9%
EPS (diluted)
ESAB
ESAB
NWE
NWE
Q1 26
Q4 25
$0.90
$0.72
Q3 25
$1.09
$0.62
Q2 25
$1.10
$0.35
Q1 25
$1.25
Q4 24
$0.87
$1.31
Q3 24
$1.11
$0.76
Q2 24
$1.35
$0.52

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

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

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ESAB
ESAB
NWE
NWE
Q1 26
Q4 25
$218.2M
$8.8M
Q3 25
$258.2M
$6.2M
Q2 25
$291.3M
$2.9M
Q1 25
$56.0M
Q4 24
$249.4M
$4.3M
Q3 24
$253.7M
$2.5M
Q2 24
$228.5M
$6.4M
Total Debt
ESAB
ESAB
NWE
NWE
Q1 26
Q4 25
$1.3B
$3.3B
Q3 25
$1.1B
Q2 25
$1.1B
Q1 25
Q4 24
$1.1B
$3.0B
Q3 24
$1.1B
Q2 24
$1.1B
Stockholders' Equity
ESAB
ESAB
NWE
NWE
Q1 26
Q4 25
$2.1B
$2.9B
Q3 25
$2.1B
$2.9B
Q2 25
$1.9B
$2.9B
Q1 25
$2.9B
Q4 24
$1.8B
$2.9B
Q3 24
$1.8B
$2.8B
Q2 24
$1.7B
$2.8B
Total Assets
ESAB
ESAB
NWE
NWE
Q1 26
Q4 25
$4.9B
$8.5B
Q3 25
$4.4B
$8.3B
Q2 25
$4.2B
$8.1B
Q1 25
$8.1B
Q4 24
$4.0B
$8.0B
Q3 24
$4.1B
$7.9B
Q2 24
$4.0B
$7.7B
Debt / Equity
ESAB
ESAB
NWE
NWE
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.63×
1.14×
Q3 25
0.51×
Q2 25
0.55×
Q1 25
Q4 24
0.60×
1.05×
Q3 24
0.59×
Q2 24
0.63×

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
NWE
NWE
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$81.5M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$70.3M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
9.7%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.5%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.49×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$238.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ESAB
ESAB
NWE
NWE
Q1 26
Q4 25
$81.5M
$56.2M
Q3 25
$46.6M
$126.7M
Q2 25
$35.4M
$58.2M
Q1 25
$153.4M
Q4 24
$126.9M
$62.8M
Q3 24
$101.0M
$120.0M
Q2 24
$83.0M
$62.3M
Free Cash Flow
ESAB
ESAB
NWE
NWE
Q1 26
Q4 25
$70.3M
$-93.7M
Q3 25
$37.4M
$-26.9M
Q2 25
$28.1M
$-70.6M
Q1 25
$61.3M
Q4 24
$102.2M
$-85.9M
Q3 24
$90.4M
$-33.2M
Q2 24
$74.0M
$-76.3M
FCF Margin
ESAB
ESAB
NWE
NWE
Q1 26
Q4 25
9.7%
-22.6%
Q3 25
5.2%
-6.9%
Q2 25
4.1%
-20.6%
Q1 25
13.1%
Q4 24
15.2%
-23.0%
Q3 24
13.4%
-9.6%
Q2 24
10.5%
-23.9%
Capex Intensity
ESAB
ESAB
NWE
NWE
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.5%
36.2%
Q3 25
1.3%
39.7%
Q2 25
1.1%
37.6%
Q1 25
19.7%
Q4 24
3.7%
39.8%
Q3 24
1.6%
44.4%
Q2 24
1.3%
43.3%
Cash Conversion
ESAB
ESAB
NWE
NWE
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.49×
1.26×
Q3 25
0.70×
3.31×
Q2 25
0.53×
2.74×
Q1 25
1.99×
Q4 24
2.36×
0.78×
Q3 24
1.48×
2.56×
Q2 24
1.00×
1.97×

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%

NWE
NWE

Electric$362.1M73%
Gas$135.5M27%

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