vs

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

MarketAxess is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($209.4M vs $160.4M, roughly 1.3× FOSTER L B CO). MarketAxess runs the higher net margin — 44.0% vs 1.5%, a 42.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, FOSTER L B CO posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (25.1% vs 3.5%). MarketAxess produced more free cash flow last quarter ($373.9M vs $19.8M). Over the past eight quarters, FOSTER L B CO's revenue compounded faster (13.6% CAGR vs -0.2%).

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.

MarketAxess Holdings Inc. is an international financial technology company that operates an electronic trading platform for the institutional credit markets, and also provides market data and post-trade services. It enables institutional investors and broker-dealers to trade credit instruments, including corporate bonds, and other types of fixed income products.

FSTR vs MKTX — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MKTX
MKTX
1.3× larger
MKTX
$209.4M
$160.4M
FSTR
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
FSTR
FSTR
+21.7% gap
FSTR
25.1%
3.5%
MKTX
Higher net margin
MKTX
MKTX
42.5% more per $
MKTX
44.0%
1.5%
FSTR
More free cash flow
MKTX
MKTX
$354.1M more FCF
MKTX
$373.9M
$19.8M
FSTR
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
FSTR
FSTR
Annualised
FSTR
13.6%
-0.2%
MKTX

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
FSTR
FSTR
MKTX
MKTX
Revenue
$160.4M
$209.4M
Net Profit
$2.4M
$92.2M
Gross Margin
19.7%
Operating Margin
4.9%
36.3%
Net Margin
1.5%
44.0%
Revenue YoY
25.1%
3.5%
Net Profit YoY
1098.3%
41.6%
EPS (diluted)
$0.22
$2.49

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
MKTX
MKTX
Q4 25
$160.4M
$209.4M
Q3 25
$138.3M
$208.8M
Q2 25
$143.6M
$219.5M
Q1 25
$97.8M
$208.6M
Q4 24
$128.2M
$202.4M
Q3 24
$137.5M
$206.7M
Q2 24
$140.8M
$197.7M
Q1 24
$124.3M
$210.3M
Net Profit
FSTR
FSTR
MKTX
MKTX
Q4 25
$2.4M
$92.2M
Q3 25
$4.4M
$68.2M
Q2 25
$2.9M
$71.1M
Q1 25
$-2.1M
$15.1M
Q4 24
$-242.0K
$65.1M
Q3 24
$35.9M
$71.5M
Q2 24
$2.8M
$64.9M
Q1 24
$4.4M
$72.6M
Gross Margin
FSTR
FSTR
MKTX
MKTX
Q4 25
19.7%
Q3 25
22.5%
Q2 25
21.5%
Q1 25
20.6%
Q4 24
22.3%
Q3 24
23.8%
Q2 24
21.7%
Q1 24
21.1%
Operating Margin
FSTR
FSTR
MKTX
MKTX
Q4 25
4.9%
36.3%
Q3 25
6.0%
41.0%
Q2 25
5.3%
41.9%
Q1 25
-2.0%
42.4%
Q4 24
2.4%
39.5%
Q3 24
5.3%
42.1%
Q2 24
3.2%
41.2%
Q1 24
4.5%
44.0%
Net Margin
FSTR
FSTR
MKTX
MKTX
Q4 25
1.5%
44.0%
Q3 25
3.1%
32.6%
Q2 25
2.0%
32.4%
Q1 25
-2.2%
7.2%
Q4 24
-0.2%
32.2%
Q3 24
26.1%
34.6%
Q2 24
2.0%
32.9%
Q1 24
3.6%
34.5%
EPS (diluted)
FSTR
FSTR
MKTX
MKTX
Q4 25
$0.22
$2.49
Q3 25
$0.40
$1.84
Q2 25
$0.27
$1.91
Q1 25
$-0.20
$0.40
Q4 24
$-0.04
$1.74
Q3 24
$3.27
$1.90
Q2 24
$0.26
$1.72
Q1 24
$0.40
$1.92

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
FSTR
FSTR
MKTX
MKTX
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$4.3M
$519.7M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$42.6M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$175.3M
$1.1B
Total Assets
$330.4M
$1.9B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.24×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
FSTR
FSTR
MKTX
MKTX
Q4 25
$4.3M
$519.7M
Q3 25
$3.4M
$473.3M
Q2 25
$4.2M
$462.8M
Q1 25
$2.6M
$486.2M
Q4 24
$2.5M
$544.5M
Q3 24
$3.1M
$446.3M
Q2 24
$4.0M
$434.1M
Q1 24
$3.1M
$376.7M
Total Debt
FSTR
FSTR
MKTX
MKTX
Q4 25
$42.6M
Q3 25
$58.6M
Q2 25
$81.4M
Q1 25
$82.3M
Q4 24
$46.8M
Q3 24
$68.4M
Q2 24
$87.0M
Q1 24
$77.9M
Stockholders' Equity
FSTR
FSTR
MKTX
MKTX
Q4 25
$175.3M
$1.1B
Q3 25
$174.8M
$1.4B
Q2 25
$174.4M
$1.4B
Q1 25
$170.8M
$1.3B
Q4 24
$178.3M
$1.4B
Q3 24
$181.9M
$1.4B
Q2 24
$147.1M
$1.3B
Q1 24
$144.6M
$1.3B
Total Assets
FSTR
FSTR
MKTX
MKTX
Q4 25
$330.4M
$1.9B
Q3 25
$333.9M
$2.0B
Q2 25
$349.9M
$2.0B
Q1 25
$342.8M
$1.9B
Q4 24
$334.6M
$1.8B
Q3 24
$344.5M
$1.8B
Q2 24
$333.3M
$1.9B
Q1 24
$326.4M
$1.9B
Debt / Equity
FSTR
FSTR
MKTX
MKTX
Q4 25
0.24×
Q3 25
0.33×
Q2 25
0.47×
Q1 25
0.48×
Q4 24
0.26×
Q3 24
0.38×
Q2 24
0.59×
Q1 24
0.54×

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
MKTX
MKTX
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$22.2M
$382.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$19.8M
$373.9M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
12.3%
178.6%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.5%
3.9%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
9.18×
4.14×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$25.2M
$592.8M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
FSTR
FSTR
MKTX
MKTX
Q4 25
$22.2M
$382.1M
Q3 25
$29.2M
$90.2M
Q2 25
$10.4M
$103.7M
Q1 25
$-26.1M
$29.6M
Q4 24
$24.3M
$385.2M
Q3 24
$24.7M
$95.1M
Q2 24
$-5.0M
$118.8M
Q1 24
$-21.4M
$-4.9M
Free Cash Flow
FSTR
FSTR
MKTX
MKTX
Q4 25
$19.8M
$373.9M
Q3 25
$26.4M
$88.7M
Q2 25
$7.7M
$102.5M
Q1 25
$-28.7M
$27.7M
Q4 24
$22.3M
$375.3M
Q3 24
$21.7M
$94.3M
Q2 24
$-7.0M
$111.2M
Q1 24
$-24.2M
$-6.1M
FCF Margin
FSTR
FSTR
MKTX
MKTX
Q4 25
12.3%
178.6%
Q3 25
19.1%
42.5%
Q2 25
5.4%
46.7%
Q1 25
-29.4%
13.3%
Q4 24
17.4%
185.4%
Q3 24
15.8%
45.6%
Q2 24
-5.0%
56.2%
Q1 24
-19.4%
-2.9%
Capex Intensity
FSTR
FSTR
MKTX
MKTX
Q4 25
1.5%
3.9%
Q3 25
2.0%
0.7%
Q2 25
1.9%
0.5%
Q1 25
2.6%
0.9%
Q4 24
1.5%
4.9%
Q3 24
2.2%
0.4%
Q2 24
1.5%
3.9%
Q1 24
2.2%
0.6%
Cash Conversion
FSTR
FSTR
MKTX
MKTX
Q4 25
9.18×
4.14×
Q3 25
6.70×
1.32×
Q2 25
3.61×
1.46×
Q1 25
1.97×
Q4 24
5.91×
Q3 24
0.69×
1.33×
Q2 24
-1.74×
1.83×
Q1 24
-4.83×
-0.07×

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%

MKTX
MKTX

Commission Revenue$181.3M87%
Information Services$13.5M6%
Post Trade Services$11.0M5%
Technology Services$3.6M2%

Related Comparisons