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Side-by-side financial comparison of FORWARD AIR CORP (FWRD) and PAPA JOHNS INTERNATIONAL INC (PZZA). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

FORWARD AIR CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($631.2M vs $478.6M, roughly 1.3× PAPA JOHNS INTERNATIONAL INC). PAPA JOHNS INTERNATIONAL INC runs the higher net margin — 1.4% vs -4.5%, a 5.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, FORWARD AIR CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-0.3% vs -7.7%). Over the past eight quarters, FORWARD AIR CORP's revenue compounded faster (7.9% CAGR vs -2.9%).

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.

Papa John's International, Inc., trading as Papa Johns, is an American pizza restaurant chain. As of 2023, it is the fourth largest pizza delivery restaurant chain in the United States, with headquarters in the Louisville, Kentucky and Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan areas.

FWRD vs PZZA — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
FWRD
FWRD
1.3× larger
FWRD
$631.2M
$478.6M
PZZA
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
FWRD
FWRD
+7.4% gap
FWRD
-0.3%
-7.7%
PZZA
Higher net margin
PZZA
PZZA
5.9% more per $
PZZA
1.4%
-4.5%
FWRD
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
FWRD
FWRD
Annualised
FWRD
7.9%
-2.9%
PZZA

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
FWRD
FWRD
PZZA
PZZA
Revenue
$631.2M
$478.6M
Net Profit
$-28.3M
$6.9M
Gross Margin
28.8%
Operating Margin
-0.5%
4.3%
Net Margin
-4.5%
1.4%
Revenue YoY
-0.3%
-7.7%
Net Profit YoY
22.2%
-25.7%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.90
$0.21

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
PZZA
PZZA
Q1 26
$478.6M
Q4 25
$631.2M
$498.2M
Q3 25
$631.8M
$508.2M
Q2 25
$618.8M
$529.2M
Q1 25
$613.3M
$518.3M
Q4 24
$632.8M
$530.8M
Q3 24
$655.9M
$506.8M
Q2 24
$643.7M
$507.9M
Net Profit
FWRD
FWRD
PZZA
PZZA
Q1 26
$6.9M
Q4 25
$-28.3M
$7.1M
Q3 25
$-16.3M
$4.7M
Q2 25
$-12.6M
$9.5M
Q1 25
$-50.6M
$9.2M
Q4 24
$-36.4M
$14.8M
Q3 24
$-73.4M
$41.8M
Q2 24
$-645.4M
$12.2M
Gross Margin
FWRD
FWRD
PZZA
PZZA
Q1 26
28.8%
Q4 25
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24
Operating Margin
FWRD
FWRD
PZZA
PZZA
Q1 26
4.3%
Q4 25
-0.5%
4.9%
Q3 25
2.4%
3.2%
Q2 25
3.2%
4.6%
Q1 25
0.8%
4.6%
Q4 24
12.0%
5.6%
Q3 24
3.5%
12.9%
Q2 24
-170.2%
5.6%
Net Margin
FWRD
FWRD
PZZA
PZZA
Q1 26
1.4%
Q4 25
-4.5%
1.4%
Q3 25
-2.6%
0.9%
Q2 25
-2.0%
1.8%
Q1 25
-8.3%
1.8%
Q4 24
-5.8%
2.8%
Q3 24
-11.2%
8.2%
Q2 24
-100.3%
2.4%
EPS (diluted)
FWRD
FWRD
PZZA
PZZA
Q1 26
$0.21
Q4 25
$-0.90
$0.22
Q3 25
$-0.52
$0.13
Q2 25
$-0.41
$0.28
Q1 25
$-1.68
$0.27
Q4 24
$-1.69
$0.46
Q3 24
$-2.66
$1.27
Q2 24
$-23.47
$0.37

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
FWRD
FWRD
PZZA
PZZA
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$106.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.7B
$7.8M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$113.3M
Total Assets
$2.7B
$831.9M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
14.89×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
FWRD
FWRD
PZZA
PZZA
Q1 26
Q4 25
$106.0M
$34.6M
Q3 25
$140.4M
$39.0M
Q2 25
$95.1M
$33.3M
Q1 25
$116.3M
$44.0M
Q4 24
$104.9M
$38.0M
Q3 24
$136.6M
$17.6M
Q2 24
$84.9M
$24.3M
Total Debt
FWRD
FWRD
PZZA
PZZA
Q1 26
$7.8M
Q4 25
$1.7B
$722.3M
Q3 25
$1.7B
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24
Stockholders' Equity
FWRD
FWRD
PZZA
PZZA
Q1 26
Q4 25
$113.3M
$-444.8M
Q3 25
$139.8M
$-439.3M
Q2 25
$151.8M
$-432.0M
Q1 25
$154.6M
$-431.9M
Q4 24
$201.7M
$-429.5M
Q3 24
$226.1M
$-430.9M
Q2 24
$283.8M
$-461.7M
Total Assets
FWRD
FWRD
PZZA
PZZA
Q1 26
$831.9M
Q4 25
$2.7B
$837.5M
Q3 25
$2.8B
$884.1M
Q2 25
$2.8B
$890.4M
Q1 25
$2.8B
$898.1M
Q4 24
$2.8B
$889.0M
Q3 24
$3.1B
$860.9M
Q2 24
$3.1B
$838.4M
Debt / Equity
FWRD
FWRD
PZZA
PZZA
Q1 26
Q4 25
14.89×
Q3 25
12.05×
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24

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
PZZA
PZZA
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$7.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-6.2M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-1.3%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.3%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.04×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$36.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
FWRD
FWRD
PZZA
PZZA
Q1 26
$7.2M
Q4 25
$19.8M
Q3 25
$52.7M
$39.3M
Q2 25
$35.5M
Q1 25
$27.6M
$31.3M
Q4 24
$-23.2M
$50.7M
Q3 24
$51.2M
$13.9M
Q2 24
$-45.2M
$30.0M
Free Cash Flow
FWRD
FWRD
PZZA
PZZA
Q1 26
$-6.2M
Q4 25
$2.1M
Q3 25
$48.6M
$22.7M
Q2 25
$17.4M
Q1 25
$15.7M
$19.1M
Q4 24
$-30.5M
$25.2M
Q3 24
$40.7M
$-3.8M
Q2 24
$-59.6M
$13.9M
FCF Margin
FWRD
FWRD
PZZA
PZZA
Q1 26
-1.3%
Q4 25
0.4%
Q3 25
7.7%
4.5%
Q2 25
3.3%
Q1 25
2.6%
3.7%
Q4 24
-4.8%
4.7%
Q3 24
6.2%
-0.8%
Q2 24
-9.3%
2.7%
Capex Intensity
FWRD
FWRD
PZZA
PZZA
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.3%
3.6%
Q3 25
0.7%
3.3%
Q2 25
0.8%
3.4%
Q1 25
1.9%
2.4%
Q4 24
1.1%
4.8%
Q3 24
1.6%
3.5%
Q2 24
2.2%
3.2%
Cash Conversion
FWRD
FWRD
PZZA
PZZA
Q1 26
1.04×
Q4 25
2.80×
Q3 25
8.36×
Q2 25
3.73×
Q1 25
3.40×
Q4 24
3.43×
Q3 24
0.33×
Q2 24
2.45×

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%

PZZA
PZZA

Commissary revenues$222.6M47%
Company-owned restaurant sales$143.1M30%
Franchise royalties and fees$47.6M10%
Advertising funds revenue$43.5M9%
Other revenues$21.8M5%

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