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Side-by-side financial comparison of FOSTER L B CO (FSTR) and MediaAlpha, Inc. (MAX). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

MediaAlpha, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($310.0M vs $160.4M, roughly 1.9× FOSTER L B CO). MediaAlpha, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 4.5% vs 1.5%, a 3.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, FOSTER L B CO posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (25.1% vs 17.3%). Over the past eight quarters, MediaAlpha, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (31.9% CAGR vs 13.6%).

Foster L B Co. is a U.S.-headquartered industrial manufacturing firm that develops, produces and distributes engineered access solutions, construction components, and rail infrastructure products. It serves commercial construction, transportation, and industrial end markets across North America and selected international regions.

Alpha Group Co., Ltd. is a Chinese multinational conglomerate with animation, toy, mass media asset and entertainment company headquartered created by Cai Dongqing in 1993. In 2016, it changed its name from Alpha Animation. The company has a Chinese webcomics site, U17, and also an American film company, Alpha Pictures, and has announced the creation of an animation division also based in the United States.

FSTR vs MAX — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MAX
MAX
1.9× larger
MAX
$310.0M
$160.4M
FSTR
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
FSTR
FSTR
+7.8% gap
FSTR
25.1%
17.3%
MAX
Higher net margin
MAX
MAX
3.0% more per $
MAX
4.5%
1.5%
FSTR
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MAX
MAX
Annualised
MAX
31.9%
13.6%
FSTR

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Revenue
$160.4M
$310.0M
Net Profit
$2.4M
$14.0M
Gross Margin
19.7%
15.1%
Operating Margin
4.9%
7.2%
Net Margin
1.5%
4.5%
Revenue YoY
25.1%
17.3%
Net Profit YoY
1098.3%
701.8%
EPS (diluted)
$0.22

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
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Q1 26
$310.0M
Q4 25
$160.4M
$291.2M
Q3 25
$138.3M
$306.5M
Q2 25
$143.6M
$251.6M
Q1 25
$97.8M
$264.3M
Q4 24
$128.2M
$300.6M
Q3 24
$137.5M
$259.1M
Q2 24
$140.8M
$178.3M
Net Profit
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Q1 26
$14.0M
Q4 25
$2.4M
$31.4M
Q3 25
$4.4M
$14.9M
Q2 25
$2.9M
$-18.7M
Q1 25
$-2.1M
$-1.9M
Q4 24
$-242.0K
$4.6M
Q3 24
$35.9M
$9.5M
Q2 24
$2.8M
$3.6M
Gross Margin
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Q1 26
15.1%
Q4 25
19.7%
15.4%
Q3 25
22.5%
14.2%
Q2 25
21.5%
15.0%
Q1 25
20.6%
15.8%
Q4 24
22.3%
16.3%
Q3 24
23.8%
15.1%
Q2 24
21.7%
17.8%
Operating Margin
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Q1 26
7.2%
Q4 25
4.9%
7.7%
Q3 25
6.0%
6.4%
Q2 25
5.3%
-8.0%
Q1 25
-2.0%
0.0%
Q4 24
2.4%
6.1%
Q3 24
5.3%
6.0%
Q2 24
3.2%
3.6%
Net Margin
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Q1 26
4.5%
Q4 25
1.5%
10.8%
Q3 25
3.1%
4.9%
Q2 25
2.0%
-7.4%
Q1 25
-2.2%
-0.7%
Q4 24
-0.2%
1.5%
Q3 24
26.1%
3.7%
Q2 24
2.0%
2.0%
EPS (diluted)
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Q1 26
Q4 25
$0.22
$0.50
Q3 25
$0.40
$0.26
Q2 25
$0.27
$-0.33
Q1 25
$-0.20
$-0.04
Q4 24
$-0.04
$0.09
Q3 24
$3.27
$0.17
Q2 24
$0.26
$0.07

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$4.3M
$26.1M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$42.6M
$163.5M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$175.3M
Total Assets
$330.4M
$367.7M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.24×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Q1 26
$26.1M
Q4 25
$4.3M
$46.9M
Q3 25
$3.4M
$38.8M
Q2 25
$4.2M
$85.4M
Q1 25
$2.6M
$63.6M
Q4 24
$2.5M
$43.3M
Q3 24
$3.1M
$32.3M
Q2 24
$4.0M
$28.7M
Total Debt
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Q1 26
$163.5M
Q4 25
$42.6M
$153.4M
Q3 25
$58.6M
$155.7M
Q2 25
$81.4M
$158.0M
Q1 25
$82.3M
$160.2M
Q4 24
$46.8M
$162.4M
Q3 24
$68.4M
$164.7M
Q2 24
$87.0M
$166.9M
Stockholders' Equity
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Q1 26
Q4 25
$175.3M
$4.2M
Q3 25
$174.8M
$-29.8M
Q2 25
$174.4M
$-3.8M
Q1 25
$170.8M
$7.9M
Q4 24
$178.3M
$2.4M
Q3 24
$181.9M
$-8.4M
Q2 24
$147.1M
$-24.4M
Total Assets
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Q1 26
$367.7M
Q4 25
$330.4M
$383.8M
Q3 25
$333.9M
$266.2M
Q2 25
$349.9M
$249.4M
Q1 25
$342.8M
$240.0M
Q4 24
$334.6M
$262.4M
Q3 24
$344.5M
$236.1M
Q2 24
$333.3M
$198.2M
Debt / Equity
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.24×
36.88×
Q3 25
0.33×
Q2 25
0.47×
Q1 25
0.48×
20.23×
Q4 24
0.26×
68.31×
Q3 24
0.38×
Q2 24
0.59×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$22.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$19.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
12.3%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.5%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
9.18×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$25.2M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Q1 26
Q4 25
$22.2M
$-7.4M
Q3 25
$29.2M
$23.6M
Q2 25
$10.4M
$25.7M
Q1 25
$-26.1M
$23.7M
Q4 24
$24.3M
$14.5M
Q3 24
$24.7M
$8.1M
Q2 24
$-5.0M
$21.6M
Free Cash Flow
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Q1 26
Q4 25
$19.8M
$-7.5M
Q3 25
$26.4M
$23.6M
Q2 25
$7.7M
$25.5M
Q1 25
$-28.7M
$23.6M
Q4 24
$22.3M
$14.5M
Q3 24
$21.7M
$8.0M
Q2 24
$-7.0M
$21.5M
FCF Margin
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Q1 26
Q4 25
12.3%
-2.6%
Q3 25
19.1%
7.7%
Q2 25
5.4%
10.2%
Q1 25
-29.4%
8.9%
Q4 24
17.4%
4.8%
Q3 24
15.8%
3.1%
Q2 24
-5.0%
12.0%
Capex Intensity
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.5%
0.0%
Q3 25
2.0%
0.0%
Q2 25
1.9%
0.1%
Q1 25
2.6%
0.0%
Q4 24
1.5%
0.0%
Q3 24
2.2%
0.0%
Q2 24
1.5%
0.1%
Cash Conversion
FSTR
FSTR
MAX
MAX
Q1 26
Q4 25
9.18×
-0.24×
Q3 25
6.70×
1.58×
Q2 25
3.61×
Q1 25
Q4 24
3.13×
Q3 24
0.69×
0.85×
Q2 24
-1.74×
5.97×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

FSTR
FSTR

Rail Technologies And Services Segment$98.0M61%
Over Time Output Method$26.3M16%
Services$19.4M12%
Rail Technologies Products$10.0M6%
Over Time Input Method$8.3M5%

MAX
MAX

Segment breakdown not available.

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