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Side-by-side financial comparison of FRIEDMAN INDUSTRIES INC (FRD) and INSTEEL INDUSTRIES INC (IIIN). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
FRIEDMAN INDUSTRIES INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($168.0M vs $159.9M, roughly 1.1× INSTEEL INDUSTRIES INC). INSTEEL INDUSTRIES INC runs the higher net margin — 4.7% vs 1.8%, a 2.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, FRIEDMAN INDUSTRIES INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (78.6% vs 23.3%). INSTEEL INDUSTRIES INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($-2.2M vs $-6.3M). Over the past eight quarters, FRIEDMAN INDUSTRIES INC's revenue compounded faster (33.6% CAGR vs 12.0%).
Hellman & Friedman (H&F) is an American private equity firm founded in 1984 by Warren Hellman and Tully Friedman that makes investments primarily through leveraged buyouts as well as growth capital investments. It has focused its efforts on several core target industries including media, financial services, professional services and information services.
Insteel Industries Inc is a leading U.S. manufacturer of steel reinforcing products including welded wire reinforcement and steel fibers. It primarily serves non-residential construction, infrastructure, and precast concrete segments across North America, delivering high-performance reinforcement solutions for various construction projects.
FRD vs IIIN — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q3 2026 vs Q1 2026
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $168.0M | $159.9M |
| Net Profit | $3.0M | $7.6M |
| Gross Margin | 2.3% | 11.3% |
| Operating Margin | 2.3% | 6.0% |
| Net Margin | 1.8% | 4.7% |
| Revenue YoY | 78.6% | 23.3% |
| Net Profit YoY | 364.1% | 602.4% |
| EPS (diluted) | $0.43 | $0.39 |
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.
| Q4 25 | $168.0M | $159.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $152.4M | $177.4M | ||
| Q2 25 | $134.8M | $179.9M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $160.7M | ||
| Q4 24 | $94.1M | $129.7M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $134.3M | ||
| Q2 24 | $114.6M | $145.8M | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $127.4M |
| Q4 25 | $3.0M | $7.6M | ||
| Q3 25 | $2.2M | $14.6M | ||
| Q2 25 | $5.0M | $15.2M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $10.2M | ||
| Q4 24 | $-1.2M | $1.1M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $4.7M | ||
| Q2 24 | $2.6M | $6.6M | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $6.9M |
| Q4 25 | 2.3% | 11.3% | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.9% | 16.1% | ||
| Q2 25 | 5.2% | 17.1% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 15.3% | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 7.3% | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 9.1% | ||
| Q2 24 | -1.2% | 10.6% | ||
| Q1 24 | — | 12.3% |
| Q4 25 | 2.3% | 6.0% | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.9% | 10.8% | ||
| Q2 25 | 5.2% | 11.0% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 8.3% | ||
| Q4 24 | -1.3% | 1.1% | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 4.5% | ||
| Q2 24 | -1.2% | 6.0% | ||
| Q1 24 | — | 7.0% |
| Q4 25 | 1.8% | 4.7% | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.5% | 8.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 3.7% | 8.4% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 6.4% | ||
| Q4 24 | -1.2% | 0.8% | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 3.5% | ||
| Q2 24 | 2.2% | 4.5% | ||
| Q1 24 | — | 5.4% |
| Q4 25 | $0.43 | $0.39 | ||
| Q3 25 | $0.32 | $0.74 | ||
| Q2 25 | $0.71 | $0.78 | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $0.52 | ||
| Q4 24 | $-0.17 | $0.06 | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $0.24 | ||
| Q2 24 | $0.37 | $0.34 | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $0.35 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $3.0M | $15.6M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | — | — |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $142.2M | $358.8M |
| Total Assets | $311.9M | $456.1M |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | — | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $3.0M | $15.6M | ||
| Q3 25 | $4.6M | $38.6M | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.1M | $53.7M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $28.4M | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.1M | $36.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $111.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $4.1M | $97.7M | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $83.9M |
| Q4 25 | $142.2M | $358.8M | ||
| Q3 25 | $139.3M | $371.5M | ||
| Q2 25 | $137.3M | $356.2M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $341.4M | ||
| Q4 24 | $127.3M | $331.6M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $350.9M | ||
| Q2 24 | $129.7M | $346.0M | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $340.6M |
| Q4 25 | $311.9M | $456.1M | ||
| Q3 25 | $311.3M | $462.6M | ||
| Q2 25 | $219.1M | $471.9M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $421.9M | ||
| Q4 24 | $210.3M | $404.7M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $422.6M | ||
| Q2 24 | $222.8M | $414.6M | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $397.2M |
Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency
How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $-4.7M | $-701.0K |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $-6.3M | $-2.2M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | -3.8% | -1.4% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 1.0% | 0.9% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | -1.56× | -0.09× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | — | $439.0K |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | — | $-701.0K | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $-17.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $15.5M | $28.5M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $-3.3M | ||
| Q4 24 | — | $19.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $16.2M | ||
| Q2 24 | $-6.1M | $18.8M | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $1.4M |
| Q4 25 | — | $-2.2M | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $-18.7M | ||
| Q2 25 | $13.7M | $26.9M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $-5.5M | ||
| Q4 24 | — | $16.3M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $14.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $-7.1M | $15.5M | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $-580.0K |
| Q4 25 | — | -1.4% | ||
| Q3 25 | — | -10.6% | ||
| Q2 25 | 10.2% | 15.0% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | -3.5% | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 12.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 10.8% | ||
| Q2 24 | -6.2% | 10.7% | ||
| Q1 24 | — | -0.5% |
| Q4 25 | — | 0.9% | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 1.0% | ||
| Q2 25 | 1.3% | 0.9% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 1.4% | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 2.1% | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 1.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.9% | 2.2% | ||
| Q1 24 | — | 1.5% |
| Q4 25 | — | -0.09× | ||
| Q3 25 | — | -1.17× | ||
| Q2 25 | 3.08× | 1.88× | ||
| Q1 25 | — | -0.32× | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 17.56× | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 3.48× | ||
| Q2 24 | -2.36× | 2.86× | ||
| Q1 24 | — | 0.20× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
FRD
| Prime Coil | $152.0M | 90% |
| Manufactured Pipe | $14.9M | 9% |
| Customer Owned | $1.1M | 1% |
IIIN
| Welded Wire Reinforcement | $108.4M | 68% |
| PC Strand | $51.6M | 32% |
