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Side-by-side financial comparison of FRIEDMAN INDUSTRIES INC (FRD) and Proto Labs Inc (PRLB). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
FRIEDMAN INDUSTRIES INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($168.0M vs $136.5M, roughly 1.2× Proto Labs Inc). On growth, FRIEDMAN INDUSTRIES INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (78.6% vs 12.1%). Proto Labs Inc produced more free cash flow last quarter ($8.4M vs $-6.3M). Over the past eight quarters, FRIEDMAN INDUSTRIES INC's revenue compounded faster (13.3% CAGR vs 3.3%).
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.
Protolabs is a company that provides rapid manufacturing of 3D printed, CNC-machined, sheet metal, and injection-molded custom parts for prototyping and production. Markets like medical devices, aerospace, electronics, appliances, automotive and consumer products use these parts. Protolabs' headquarters are located in Maple Plain, Minnesota, with Minnesota-based manufacturing facilities in Plymouth, Brooklyn Park, and Rosemount, along with additional facilities in Nashua, New Hampshire and Ca...
FRD vs PRLB — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q3 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $168.0M | $136.5M |
| Net Profit | $3.0M | — |
| Gross Margin | 2.3% | 44.2% |
| Operating Margin | 2.3% | 5.0% |
| Net Margin | 1.8% | — |
| Revenue YoY | 78.6% | 12.1% |
| Net Profit YoY | 364.1% | — |
| EPS (diluted) | $0.43 | $0.25 |
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 | $136.5M | ||
| Q3 25 | $152.4M | $135.4M | ||
| Q2 25 | $134.8M | $135.1M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $126.2M | ||
| Q4 24 | $94.1M | $121.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | $106.8M | $125.6M | ||
| Q2 24 | $114.6M | $125.6M | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $127.9M |
| Q4 25 | $3.0M | — | ||
| Q3 25 | $2.2M | $7.2M | ||
| Q2 25 | $5.0M | $4.4M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $3.6M | ||
| Q4 24 | $-1.2M | — | ||
| Q3 24 | $-675.0K | $7.2M | ||
| Q2 24 | $2.6M | $4.5M | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $5.3M |
| Q4 25 | 2.3% | 44.2% | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.9% | 45.3% | ||
| Q2 25 | 5.2% | 44.3% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 44.1% | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 42.7% | ||
| Q3 24 | -0.2% | 45.6% | ||
| Q2 24 | -1.2% | 45.0% | ||
| Q1 24 | — | 44.9% |
| Q4 25 | 2.3% | 5.0% | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.9% | 6.5% | ||
| Q2 25 | 5.2% | 3.7% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 3.6% | ||
| Q4 24 | -1.3% | -1.2% | ||
| Q3 24 | -0.2% | 6.8% | ||
| Q2 24 | -1.2% | 4.8% | ||
| Q1 24 | — | 5.3% |
| Q4 25 | 1.8% | — | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.5% | 5.3% | ||
| Q2 25 | 3.7% | 3.3% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 2.9% | ||
| Q4 24 | -1.2% | — | ||
| Q3 24 | -0.6% | 5.7% | ||
| Q2 24 | 2.2% | 3.6% | ||
| Q1 24 | — | 4.1% |
| Q4 25 | $0.43 | $0.25 | ||
| Q3 25 | $0.32 | $0.30 | ||
| Q2 25 | $0.71 | $0.18 | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $0.15 | ||
| Q4 24 | $-0.17 | $-0.01 | ||
| Q3 24 | $-0.10 | $0.29 | ||
| Q2 24 | $0.37 | $0.18 | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $0.20 |
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 | $128.1M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | — | — |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $142.2M | $673.9M |
| Total Assets | $311.9M | $763.4M |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | — | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $3.0M | $128.1M | ||
| Q3 25 | $4.6M | $119.2M | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.1M | $103.2M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $96.8M | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.1M | $103.1M | ||
| Q3 24 | $2.5M | $100.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $4.1M | $112.9M | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $109.7M |
| Q4 25 | $142.2M | $673.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $139.3M | $664.7M | ||
| Q2 25 | $137.3M | $664.7M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $656.8M | ||
| Q4 24 | $127.3M | $670.2M | ||
| Q3 24 | $128.8M | $680.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $129.7M | $685.2M | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $687.3M |
| Q4 25 | $311.9M | $763.4M | ||
| Q3 25 | $311.3M | $756.9M | ||
| Q2 25 | $219.1M | $743.3M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $737.5M | ||
| Q4 24 | $210.3M | $743.5M | ||
| Q3 24 | $209.2M | $753.8M | ||
| Q2 24 | $222.8M | $758.2M | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $769.8M |
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 | $16.5M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $-6.3M | $8.4M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | -3.8% | 6.2% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 1.0% | 5.9% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | -1.56× | — |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | — | $59.7M |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $-4.7M | $16.5M | ||
| Q3 25 | $434.0K | $29.1M | ||
| Q2 25 | $15.5M | $10.6M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $18.4M | ||
| Q4 24 | — | $17.3M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $24.8M | ||
| Q2 24 | $-6.1M | $14.4M | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $21.3M |
| Q4 25 | $-6.3M | $8.4M | ||
| Q3 25 | $-2.0M | $25.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $13.7M | $9.1M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $17.1M | ||
| Q4 24 | — | $16.5M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $23.2M | ||
| Q2 24 | $-7.1M | $10.2M | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $18.8M |
| Q4 25 | -3.8% | 6.2% | ||
| Q3 25 | -1.3% | 18.5% | ||
| Q2 25 | 10.2% | 6.7% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 13.6% | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 13.5% | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 18.5% | ||
| Q2 24 | -6.2% | 8.2% | ||
| Q1 24 | — | 14.7% |
| Q4 25 | 1.0% | 5.9% | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.6% | 3.0% | ||
| Q2 25 | 1.3% | 1.1% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 1.0% | ||
| Q4 24 | — | 0.7% | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 1.2% | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.9% | 3.3% | ||
| Q1 24 | — | 2.0% |
| Q4 25 | -1.56× | — | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.19× | 4.03× | ||
| Q2 25 | 3.08× | 2.39× | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 5.11× | ||
| Q4 24 | — | — | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 3.44× | ||
| Q2 24 | -2.36× | 3.18× | ||
| Q1 24 | — | 4.05× |
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% |
PRLB
| CNC Machining Firstcut | $65.5M | 48% |
| Injection Molding Protomold | $47.6M | 35% |
| Three D Printing Fineline | $18.8M | 14% |
| Sheet Metal | $4.4M | 3% |
