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Side-by-side financial comparison of FIRST ADVANTAGE CORP (FA) and SHOE CARNIVAL INC (SCVL). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

FIRST ADVANTAGE CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($420.0M vs $297.2M, roughly 1.4× SHOE CARNIVAL INC). SHOE CARNIVAL INC runs the higher net margin — 4.9% vs 0.8%, a 4.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, FIRST ADVANTAGE CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (36.8% vs -3.2%). FIRST ADVANTAGE CORP produced more free cash flow last quarter ($62.2M vs $19.7M). Over the past eight quarters, FIRST ADVANTAGE CORP's revenue compounded faster (57.5% CAGR vs 3.0%).

First Advantage Corp is a leading global provider of end-to-end workforce screening and background verification solutions. It serves clients across diverse sectors including technology, healthcare, finance, retail, and manufacturing, ranging from small businesses to large multinational enterprises, helping reduce hiring risks, meet regulatory requirements, and build secure, trusted work environments globally.

Shoe Carnival Inc. is an American retailer of family footwear. The company operates 429 stores throughout the midwest, south, and southeast regions, and Puerto Rico. It was founded by David Russell in 1978 and is headquartered in Fort Mill, South Carolina as of 2025.

FA vs SCVL — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
FA
FA
1.4× larger
FA
$420.0M
$297.2M
SCVL
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
FA
FA
+39.9% gap
FA
36.8%
-3.2%
SCVL
Higher net margin
SCVL
SCVL
4.1% more per $
SCVL
4.9%
0.8%
FA
More free cash flow
FA
FA
$42.4M more FCF
FA
$62.2M
$19.7M
SCVL
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
FA
FA
Annualised
FA
57.5%
3.0%
SCVL

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Revenue
$420.0M
$297.2M
Net Profit
$3.5M
$14.6M
Gross Margin
37.6%
Operating Margin
10.7%
6.3%
Net Margin
0.8%
4.9%
Revenue YoY
36.8%
-3.2%
Net Profit YoY
103.5%
-23.9%
EPS (diluted)
$0.03
$0.53

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
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Q4 25
$420.0M
$297.2M
Q3 25
$409.2M
$306.4M
Q2 25
$390.6M
$277.7M
Q1 25
$354.6M
$262.9M
Q4 24
$307.1M
$306.9M
Q3 24
$199.1M
$332.7M
Q2 24
$184.5M
$300.4M
Q1 24
$169.4M
$280.2M
Net Profit
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Q4 25
$3.5M
$14.6M
Q3 25
$2.6M
$19.2M
Q2 25
$308.0K
$9.3M
Q1 25
$-41.2M
$14.7M
Q4 24
$-100.4M
$19.2M
Q3 24
$-8.9M
$22.6M
Q2 24
$1.9M
$17.3M
Q1 24
$-2.9M
$15.5M
Gross Margin
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Q4 25
37.6%
Q3 25
38.8%
Q2 25
34.5%
Q1 25
34.9%
Q4 24
36.0%
Q3 24
36.1%
Q2 24
35.6%
Q1 24
35.6%
Operating Margin
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Q4 25
10.7%
6.3%
Q3 25
10.3%
8.2%
Q2 25
9.7%
4.3%
Q1 25
2.1%
5.3%
Q4 24
-26.3%
8.0%
Q3 24
4.6%
9.0%
Q2 24
5.4%
7.5%
Q1 24
-0.4%
7.1%
Net Margin
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Q4 25
0.8%
4.9%
Q3 25
0.6%
6.3%
Q2 25
0.1%
3.4%
Q1 25
-11.6%
5.6%
Q4 24
-32.7%
6.3%
Q3 24
-4.4%
6.8%
Q2 24
1.0%
5.8%
Q1 24
-1.7%
5.5%
EPS (diluted)
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Q4 25
$0.03
$0.53
Q3 25
$0.01
$0.70
Q2 25
$0.00
$0.34
Q1 25
$-0.24
$0.53
Q4 24
$-0.67
$0.70
Q3 24
$-0.06
$0.82
Q2 24
$0.01
$0.63
Q1 24
$-0.02
$0.57

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$240.0M
$107.7M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$2.1B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.3B
$683.2M
Total Assets
$3.8B
$1.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.61×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Q4 25
$240.0M
$107.7M
Q3 25
$216.8M
$91.9M
Q2 25
$184.3M
$93.0M
Q1 25
$172.0M
$123.1M
Q4 24
$168.7M
$91.1M
Q3 24
$307.4M
$84.5M
Q2 24
$269.6M
$69.5M
Q1 24
$246.0M
$111.2M
Total Debt
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Q4 25
$2.1B
Q3 25
$2.1B
Q2 25
$2.1B
Q1 25
$2.2B
Q4 24
$2.2B
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24
Stockholders' Equity
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Q4 25
$1.3B
$683.2M
Q3 25
$1.3B
$670.7M
Q2 25
$1.3B
$653.6M
Q1 25
$1.3B
$649.0M
Q4 24
$1.3B
$635.7M
Q3 24
$920.7M
$618.5M
Q2 24
$913.3M
$597.8M
Q1 24
$907.7M
$583.4M
Total Assets
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Q4 25
$3.8B
$1.2B
Q3 25
$3.9B
$1.2B
Q2 25
$3.9B
$1.1B
Q1 25
$3.9B
$1.1B
Q4 24
$3.9B
$1.1B
Q3 24
$1.7B
$1.1B
Q2 24
$1.6B
$1.1B
Q1 24
$1.6B
$1.0B
Debt / Equity
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Q4 25
1.61×
Q3 25
1.64×
Q2 25
1.65×
Q1 25
1.69×
Q4 24
1.66×
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$65.9M
$33.6M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$62.2M
$19.7M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
14.8%
6.6%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
0.9%
4.7%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
19.01×
2.30×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$188.5M
$35.1M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Q4 25
$65.9M
$33.6M
Q3 25
$72.4M
$13.3M
Q2 25
$37.3M
$-9.6M
Q1 25
$19.5M
$44.5M
Q4 24
$-85.7M
$17.3M
Q3 24
$43.5M
$23.7M
Q2 24
$32.0M
$17.1M
Q1 24
$38.3M
$53.4M
Free Cash Flow
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Q4 25
$62.2M
$19.7M
Q3 25
$71.2M
$2.2M
Q2 25
$36.1M
$-23.0M
Q1 25
$19.0M
$36.2M
Q4 24
$-86.0M
$8.3M
Q3 24
$43.1M
$18.2M
Q2 24
$31.4M
$6.9M
Q1 24
$38.0M
$40.7M
FCF Margin
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Q4 25
14.8%
6.6%
Q3 25
17.4%
0.7%
Q2 25
9.2%
-8.3%
Q1 25
5.4%
13.8%
Q4 24
-28.0%
2.7%
Q3 24
21.6%
5.5%
Q2 24
17.0%
2.3%
Q1 24
22.4%
14.5%
Capex Intensity
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Q4 25
0.9%
4.7%
Q3 25
0.3%
3.6%
Q2 25
0.3%
4.8%
Q1 25
0.1%
3.2%
Q4 24
0.1%
3.0%
Q3 24
0.2%
1.7%
Q2 24
0.4%
3.4%
Q1 24
0.2%
4.5%
Cash Conversion
FA
FA
SCVL
SCVL
Q4 25
19.01×
2.30×
Q3 25
27.91×
0.69×
Q2 25
121.25×
-1.03×
Q1 25
3.04×
Q4 24
0.90×
Q3 24
1.05×
Q2 24
17.22×
0.99×
Q1 24
3.44×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

FA
FA

First Advantage Americas$209.9M50%
Sterling$185.9M44%
First Advantage International$24.2M6%

SCVL
SCVL

Segment breakdown not available.

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