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Side-by-side financial comparison of FORWARD AIR CORP (FWRD) and KAISER ALUMINUM CORP (KALU). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

KAISER ALUMINUM CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($929.0M vs $631.2M, roughly 1.5× FORWARD AIR CORP). KAISER ALUMINUM CORP runs the higher net margin — 3.0% vs -4.5%, a 7.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, KAISER ALUMINUM CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (21.4% vs -0.3%). Over the past eight quarters, KAISER ALUMINUM CORP's revenue compounded faster (12.2% CAGR vs 7.9%).

Forward Air Corp is a leading North American asset-light logistics and transportation provider. It offers core services including expedited less-than-truckload freight delivery, final-mile logistics, intermodal transport, warehousing, and supply chain solutions, serving key sectors such as e-commerce, retail, manufacturing, and automotive across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Kaiser Aluminum Corporation is an American aluminum producer. It is a spinoff from Kaiser Aluminum and Chemicals Corporation, which came to be when common stock was offered in Permanente Metals Corporation and Permanente Metals Corporation's name was changed to Kaiser Aluminum and Chemicals Corporation.

FWRD vs KALU — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
KALU
KALU
1.5× larger
KALU
$929.0M
$631.2M
FWRD
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
KALU
KALU
+21.6% gap
KALU
21.4%
-0.3%
FWRD
Higher net margin
KALU
KALU
7.5% more per $
KALU
3.0%
-4.5%
FWRD
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
KALU
KALU
Annualised
KALU
12.2%
7.9%
FWRD

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Revenue
$631.2M
$929.0M
Net Profit
$-28.3M
$28.2M
Gross Margin
13.3%
Operating Margin
-0.5%
6.5%
Net Margin
-4.5%
3.0%
Revenue YoY
-0.3%
21.4%
Net Profit YoY
22.2%
42.4%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.90
$1.67

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
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Q4 25
$631.2M
$929.0M
Q3 25
$631.8M
$843.5M
Q2 25
$618.8M
$823.1M
Q1 25
$613.3M
$777.4M
Q4 24
$632.8M
$765.4M
Q3 24
$655.9M
$747.7M
Q2 24
$643.7M
$773.4M
Q1 24
$541.8M
$737.5M
Net Profit
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Q4 25
$-28.3M
$28.2M
Q3 25
$-16.3M
$39.5M
Q2 25
$-12.6M
$23.2M
Q1 25
$-50.6M
$21.6M
Q4 24
$-36.4M
$19.8M
Q3 24
$-73.4M
$8.8M
Q2 24
$-645.4M
$18.9M
Q1 24
$-61.7M
$18.2M
Gross Margin
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Q4 25
13.3%
Q3 25
13.6%
Q2 25
12.2%
Q1 25
13.4%
Q4 24
12.5%
Q3 24
9.6%
Q2 24
13.4%
Q1 24
11.7%
Operating Margin
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Q4 25
-0.5%
6.5%
Q3 25
2.4%
5.8%
Q2 25
3.2%
4.6%
Q1 25
0.8%
5.3%
Q4 24
12.0%
5.0%
Q3 24
3.5%
1.8%
Q2 24
-170.2%
4.7%
Q1 24
-12.1%
3.3%
Net Margin
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Q4 25
-4.5%
3.0%
Q3 25
-2.6%
4.7%
Q2 25
-2.0%
2.8%
Q1 25
-8.3%
2.8%
Q4 24
-5.8%
2.6%
Q3 24
-11.2%
1.2%
Q2 24
-100.3%
2.4%
Q1 24
-11.4%
2.5%
EPS (diluted)
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Q4 25
$-0.90
$1.67
Q3 25
$-0.52
$2.38
Q2 25
$-0.41
$1.41
Q1 25
$-1.68
$1.31
Q4 24
$-1.69
$1.21
Q3 24
$-2.66
$0.54
Q2 24
$-23.47
$1.15
Q1 24
$-2.81
$1.12

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$106.0M
$7.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.7B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$113.3M
$826.1M
Total Assets
$2.7B
$2.6B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
14.89×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Q4 25
$106.0M
$7.0M
Q3 25
$140.4M
$17.2M
Q2 25
$95.1M
$13.1M
Q1 25
$116.3M
$21.3M
Q4 24
$104.9M
$18.4M
Q3 24
$136.6M
$45.7M
Q2 24
$84.9M
$70.4M
Q1 24
$152.0M
$101.6M
Total Debt
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Q4 25
$1.7B
Q3 25
$1.7B
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24
$1.7B
Stockholders' Equity
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Q4 25
$113.3M
$826.1M
Q3 25
$139.8M
$806.1M
Q2 25
$151.8M
$776.0M
Q1 25
$154.6M
$756.8M
Q4 24
$201.7M
$743.1M
Q3 24
$226.1M
$729.4M
Q2 24
$283.8M
$727.6M
Q1 24
$926.1M
$714.7M
Total Assets
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Q4 25
$2.7B
$2.6B
Q3 25
$2.8B
$2.6B
Q2 25
$2.8B
$2.5B
Q1 25
$2.8B
$2.4B
Q4 24
$2.8B
$2.4B
Q3 24
$3.1B
$2.3B
Q2 24
$3.1B
$2.3B
Q1 24
$4.0B
$2.3B
Debt / Equity
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Q4 25
14.89×
Q3 25
12.05×
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24
1.81×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-20.6M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-51.1M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-5.5%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.3%
3.3%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-0.73×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-25.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Q4 25
$-20.6M
Q3 25
$52.7M
$59.1M
Q2 25
$15.9M
Q1 25
$27.6M
$57.0M
Q4 24
$-23.2M
$43.4M
Q3 24
$51.2M
$34.1M
Q2 24
$-45.2M
$26.3M
Q1 24
$-51.7M
$63.3M
Free Cash Flow
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Q4 25
$-51.1M
Q3 25
$48.6M
$34.5M
Q2 25
$-27.7M
Q1 25
$15.7M
$18.8M
Q4 24
$-30.5M
$-12.6M
Q3 24
$40.7M
$-17.0M
Q2 24
$-59.6M
$-17.4M
Q1 24
$-56.7M
$33.3M
FCF Margin
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Q4 25
-5.5%
Q3 25
7.7%
4.1%
Q2 25
-3.4%
Q1 25
2.6%
2.4%
Q4 24
-4.8%
-1.6%
Q3 24
6.2%
-2.3%
Q2 24
-9.3%
-2.2%
Q1 24
-10.5%
4.5%
Capex Intensity
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Q4 25
1.3%
3.3%
Q3 25
0.7%
2.9%
Q2 25
0.8%
5.3%
Q1 25
1.9%
4.9%
Q4 24
1.1%
7.3%
Q3 24
1.6%
6.8%
Q2 24
2.2%
5.7%
Q1 24
0.9%
4.1%
Cash Conversion
FWRD
FWRD
KALU
KALU
Q4 25
-0.73×
Q3 25
1.50×
Q2 25
0.69×
Q1 25
2.64×
Q4 24
2.19×
Q3 24
3.88×
Q2 24
1.39×
Q1 24
3.48×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

FWRD
FWRD

Omni Logistics Segment$359.8M57%
Network$183.9M29%
Intermodal Segment$50.2M8%
Truckload$41.6M7%

KALU
KALU

Packaging$440.6M47%
Aero Hs Products$213.0M23%
Transferred Over Time$200.2M22%
Automotive Extrusions$75.4M8%

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