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Side-by-side financial comparison of Element Solutions Inc (ESI) and StepStone Group Inc. (STEP). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Element Solutions Inc is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($840.0M vs $586.5M, roughly 1.4× StepStone Group Inc.). Element Solutions Inc runs the higher net margin — 6.7% vs -21.0%, a 27.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, StepStone Group Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (73.0% vs 41.0%). StepStone Group Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($26.7M vs $-74.2M). Over the past eight quarters, StepStone Group Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (28.2% CAGR vs 17.1%).

Element Solutions Inc is an American specialty chemicals production corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Rosetta Stone Inc. is an American education technology software company that develops language, literacy and brain-fitness software. Best known for its language-learning products, in 2013, the company expanded beyond language into education-technology with its acquisitions of Livemocha, Lexia Learning, Fit Brains, and Tell Me More. In 2021, it became a subsidiary of IXL Learning.

ESI vs STEP — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ESI
ESI
1.4× larger
ESI
$840.0M
$586.5M
STEP
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
STEP
STEP
+32.0% gap
STEP
73.0%
41.0%
ESI
Higher net margin
ESI
ESI
27.7% more per $
ESI
6.7%
-21.0%
STEP
More free cash flow
STEP
STEP
$100.9M more FCF
STEP
$26.7M
$-74.2M
ESI
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
STEP
STEP
Annualised
STEP
28.2%
17.1%
ESI

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Revenue
$840.0M
$586.5M
Net Profit
$56.0M
$-123.5M
Gross Margin
38.4%
Operating Margin
13.3%
-33.2%
Net Margin
6.7%
-21.0%
Revenue YoY
41.0%
73.0%
Net Profit YoY
-43.0%
35.7%
EPS (diluted)
$0.23
$-1.55

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
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
$840.0M
Q4 25
$676.2M
$586.5M
Q3 25
$656.1M
$454.2M
Q2 25
$625.2M
$364.3M
Q1 25
$593.7M
$377.7M
Q4 24
$624.2M
$339.0M
Q3 24
$645.0M
$271.7M
Q2 24
$612.7M
$186.4M
Net Profit
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
$56.0M
Q4 25
$6.2M
$-123.5M
Q3 25
$39.3M
$-366.1M
Q2 25
$47.4M
$-38.4M
Q1 25
$98.0M
$-18.5M
Q4 24
$54.7M
$-192.0M
Q3 24
$40.3M
$17.6M
Q2 24
$93.2M
$13.3M
Gross Margin
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
38.4%
Q4 25
40.9%
Q3 25
42.2%
Q2 25
42.6%
Q1 25
42.2%
Q4 24
41.0%
Q3 24
41.5%
Q2 24
43.6%
Operating Margin
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
13.3%
Q4 25
10.3%
-33.2%
Q3 25
15.4%
-148.8%
Q2 25
15.1%
-5.6%
Q1 25
13.0%
2.6%
Q4 24
12.0%
-101.7%
Q3 24
14.7%
21.3%
Q2 24
15.7%
29.4%
Net Margin
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
6.7%
Q4 25
0.9%
-21.0%
Q3 25
6.0%
-80.6%
Q2 25
7.6%
-10.5%
Q1 25
16.5%
-4.9%
Q4 24
8.8%
-56.6%
Q3 24
6.2%
6.5%
Q2 24
15.2%
7.2%
EPS (diluted)
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
$0.23
Q4 25
$0.03
$-1.55
Q3 25
$0.16
$-4.66
Q2 25
$0.20
$-0.49
Q1 25
$0.40
$-0.37
Q4 24
$0.22
$-2.61
Q3 24
$0.17
$0.26
Q2 24
$0.39
$0.20

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$177.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$270.2M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$2.7B
$-378.8M
Total Assets
$5.7B
$5.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
$177.3M
Q4 25
$626.5M
Q3 25
$594.3M
Q2 25
$529.9M
Q1 25
$499.2M
Q4 24
$359.4M
Q3 24
$376.0M
Q2 24
$309.3M
Total Debt
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
Q4 25
$1.6B
$270.2M
Q3 25
$1.6B
$269.9M
Q2 25
$1.6B
$269.6M
Q1 25
$1.6B
$269.3M
Q4 24
$1.8B
$168.9M
Q3 24
$1.9B
$172.3M
Q2 24
$1.9B
$172.1M
Stockholders' Equity
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
$2.7B
Q4 25
$2.7B
$-378.8M
Q3 25
$2.7B
$-233.5M
Q2 25
$2.6B
$153.9M
Q1 25
$2.5B
$179.4M
Q4 24
$2.4B
$209.8M
Q3 24
$2.4B
$397.5M
Q2 24
$2.4B
$366.9M
Total Assets
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
$5.7B
Q4 25
$5.1B
$5.2B
Q3 25
$5.0B
$5.3B
Q2 25
$5.0B
$4.8B
Q1 25
$4.8B
$4.6B
Q4 24
$4.9B
$4.3B
Q3 24
$5.1B
$4.0B
Q2 24
$5.0B
$3.8B
Debt / Equity
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.61×
Q3 25
0.61×
Q2 25
0.62×
1.75×
Q1 25
0.64×
1.50×
Q4 24
0.76×
0.81×
Q3 24
0.78×
0.43×
Q2 24
0.81×
0.47×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$27.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-74.2M
$26.7M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-8.8%
4.6%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.0%
0.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$18.6M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
Q4 25
$27.2M
Q3 25
$100.1M
$16.2M
Q2 25
$46.3M
Q1 25
$26.0M
$-66.5M
Q4 24
$27.6M
Q3 24
$98.5M
$53.7M
Q2 24
$50.2M
Free Cash Flow
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
$-74.2M
Q4 25
$26.7M
Q3 25
$83.6M
$15.9M
Q2 25
$45.2M
Q1 25
$15.0M
$-69.2M
Q4 24
$27.0M
Q3 24
$85.9M
$52.4M
Q2 24
$49.6M
FCF Margin
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
-8.8%
Q4 25
4.6%
Q3 25
12.7%
3.5%
Q2 25
12.4%
Q1 25
2.5%
-18.3%
Q4 24
8.0%
Q3 24
13.3%
19.3%
Q2 24
26.6%
Capex Intensity
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
3.0%
Q4 25
2.5%
0.1%
Q3 25
2.5%
0.1%
Q2 25
2.8%
0.3%
Q1 25
1.9%
0.7%
Q4 24
3.6%
0.2%
Q3 24
2.0%
0.5%
Q2 24
2.4%
0.3%
Cash Conversion
ESI
ESI
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
Q4 25
Q3 25
2.55×
Q2 25
Q1 25
0.27×
Q4 24
Q3 24
2.44×
3.05×
Q2 24
3.76×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

ESI
ESI

Electronics ex-Metals$377.8M45%
Pass-through Metals$255.7M30%
Other$206.5M25%

STEP
STEP

Other$210.1M36%
Management And Advisory Fees Net Focused Commingled Funds$143.3M24%
Carried Interest Allocation Focused Commingled Funds$85.1M15%
Carried Interest Allocation Separately Managed Accounts$63.6M11%
Carried Interest Allocation Realized$46.7M8%
Management And Advisory Fees Net Advisory And Other Services$18.3M3%
Legacy Carried Interest Allocation Focused Commingled Funds$10.3M2%
Income Based Incentive Fees$6.0M1%
Management And Advisory Fees Net Fund Reimbursement Revenues$3.1M1%

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