vs

Side-by-side financial comparison of FIRST ADVANTAGE CORP (FA) and INNOVATE Corp. (VATE). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

FIRST ADVANTAGE CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($420.0M vs $382.7M, roughly 1.1× INNOVATE Corp.). FIRST ADVANTAGE CORP runs the higher net margin — 0.8% vs -1.9%, a 2.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, INNOVATE Corp. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (61.7% vs 36.8%). Over the past eight quarters, FIRST ADVANTAGE CORP's revenue compounded faster (57.5% CAGR vs 10.2%).

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.

Innovate Corp. is an American public financial services company founded in 1994.

FA vs VATE — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
FA
FA
1.1× larger
FA
$420.0M
$382.7M
VATE
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
VATE
VATE
+25.0% gap
VATE
61.7%
36.8%
FA
Higher net margin
FA
FA
2.8% more per $
FA
0.8%
-1.9%
VATE
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
FA
FA
Annualised
FA
57.5%
10.2%
VATE

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
FA
FA
VATE
VATE
Revenue
$420.0M
$382.7M
Net Profit
$3.5M
$-7.4M
Gross Margin
15.4%
Operating Margin
10.7%
3.7%
Net Margin
0.8%
-1.9%
Revenue YoY
36.8%
61.7%
Net Profit YoY
103.5%
55.4%
EPS (diluted)
$0.03
$-0.57

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
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
$420.0M
$382.7M
Q3 25
$409.2M
$347.1M
Q2 25
$390.6M
$242.0M
Q1 25
$354.6M
$274.2M
Q4 24
$307.1M
$236.6M
Q3 24
$199.1M
$242.2M
Q2 24
$184.5M
$313.1M
Q1 24
$169.4M
$315.2M
Net Profit
FA
FA
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
$3.5M
$-7.4M
Q3 25
$2.6M
$-8.9M
Q2 25
$308.0K
$-19.8M
Q1 25
$-41.2M
$-24.5M
Q4 24
$-100.4M
$-16.6M
Q3 24
$-8.9M
$-15.0M
Q2 24
$1.9M
$14.4M
Q1 24
$-2.9M
$-17.4M
Gross Margin
FA
FA
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
15.4%
Q3 25
14.3%
Q2 25
18.8%
Q1 25
16.6%
Q4 24
19.6%
Q3 24
19.9%
Q2 24
21.0%
Q1 24
15.4%
Operating Margin
FA
FA
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
10.7%
3.7%
Q3 25
10.3%
1.8%
Q2 25
9.7%
2.0%
Q1 25
2.1%
1.2%
Q4 24
-26.3%
1.1%
Q3 24
4.6%
2.4%
Q2 24
5.4%
9.2%
Q1 24
-0.4%
0.9%
Net Margin
FA
FA
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
0.8%
-1.9%
Q3 25
0.6%
-2.6%
Q2 25
0.1%
-8.2%
Q1 25
-11.6%
-8.9%
Q4 24
-32.7%
-7.0%
Q3 24
-4.4%
-6.2%
Q2 24
1.0%
4.6%
Q1 24
-1.7%
-5.5%
EPS (diluted)
FA
FA
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
$0.03
$-0.57
Q3 25
$0.01
$-0.71
Q2 25
$0.00
$-1.67
Q1 25
$-0.24
$-1.89
Q4 24
$-0.67
$-0.72
Q3 24
$-0.06
$-1.18
Q2 24
$0.01
$1.03
Q1 24
$-0.02
$-2.21

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
FA
FA
VATE
VATE
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$240.0M
$112.1M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$2.1B
$80.3M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.3B
$-240.1M
Total Assets
$3.8B
$950.1M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.61×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
FA
FA
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
$240.0M
$112.1M
Q3 25
$216.8M
$35.5M
Q2 25
$184.3M
$33.4M
Q1 25
$172.0M
$33.3M
Q4 24
$168.7M
$48.8M
Q3 24
$307.4M
$51.0M
Q2 24
$269.6M
$80.2M
Q1 24
$246.0M
$38.4M
Total Debt
FA
FA
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
$2.1B
$80.3M
Q3 25
$2.1B
$97.3M
Q2 25
$2.1B
$160.1M
Q1 25
$2.2B
$139.9M
Q4 24
$2.2B
$500.6M
Q3 24
$502.4M
Q2 24
$638.3M
Q1 24
$641.5M
Stockholders' Equity
FA
FA
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
$1.3B
$-240.1M
Q3 25
$1.3B
$-233.3M
Q2 25
$1.3B
$-224.8M
Q1 25
$1.3B
$-204.2M
Q4 24
$1.3B
$-180.4M
Q3 24
$920.7M
$-163.1M
Q2 24
$913.3M
$-149.0M
Q1 24
$907.7M
$-184.4M
Total Assets
FA
FA
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
$3.8B
$950.1M
Q3 25
$3.9B
$913.2M
Q2 25
$3.9B
$890.9M
Q1 25
$3.9B
$868.0M
Q4 24
$3.9B
$891.1M
Q3 24
$1.7B
$897.2M
Q2 24
$1.6B
$898.9M
Q1 24
$1.6B
$943.5M
Debt / Equity
FA
FA
VATE
VATE
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
VATE
VATE
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$65.9M
$101.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$62.2M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
14.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
0.9%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
19.01×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$188.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
FA
FA
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
$65.9M
$101.1M
Q3 25
$72.4M
$19.2M
Q2 25
$37.3M
$40.4M
Q1 25
$19.5M
$-14.1M
Q4 24
$-85.7M
$41.4M
Q3 24
$43.5M
$-28.4M
Q2 24
$32.0M
$21.5M
Q1 24
$38.3M
$-25.4M
Free Cash Flow
FA
FA
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
$62.2M
Q3 25
$71.2M
$19.0M
Q2 25
$36.1M
Q1 25
$19.0M
$-18.8M
Q4 24
$-86.0M
$34.2M
Q3 24
$43.1M
$-31.5M
Q2 24
$31.4M
$18.4M
Q1 24
$38.0M
$-31.0M
FCF Margin
FA
FA
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
14.8%
Q3 25
17.4%
5.5%
Q2 25
9.2%
Q1 25
5.4%
-6.9%
Q4 24
-28.0%
14.5%
Q3 24
21.6%
-13.0%
Q2 24
17.0%
5.9%
Q1 24
22.4%
-9.8%
Capex Intensity
FA
FA
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
0.9%
Q3 25
0.3%
0.1%
Q2 25
0.3%
Q1 25
0.1%
1.7%
Q4 24
0.1%
3.0%
Q3 24
0.2%
1.3%
Q2 24
0.4%
1.0%
Q1 24
0.2%
1.8%
Cash Conversion
FA
FA
VATE
VATE
Q4 25
19.01×
Q3 25
27.91×
Q2 25
121.25×
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24
17.22×
1.49×
Q1 24

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%

VATE
VATE

Commercial Revenue$126.1M33%
Industrial Revenue$87.5M23%
Transportation Revenue$58.4M15%
Healthcare Revenue$48.4M13%
Government Revenue$44.3M12%
Energy Revenue$8.0M2%
Broadcast Station Revenue$5.7M1%
Systems And Consumables Revenue$3.1M1%
Leisure Revenue$200.0K0%

Related Comparisons