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Side-by-side financial comparison of HEARTLAND EXPRESS INC (HTLD) and Childrens Place, Inc. (PLCE). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Childrens Place, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($339.5M vs $179.4M, roughly 1.9× HEARTLAND EXPRESS INC). Childrens Place, Inc. runs the higher net margin — -1.3% vs -10.8%, a 9.6% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Childrens Place, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-13.0% vs -26.1%). Childrens Place, Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($-3.4M vs $-44.2M). Over the past eight quarters, Childrens Place, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (-13.6% CAGR vs -18.5%).

Heartland Express is an American trucking company headquartered in North Liberty, Iowa. The company offers truckload shipping services across the United States.

The Children’s Place is a retailer of clothing for children. It sells its products primarily under its proprietary brands The Children’s Place, Gymboree, Sugar & Jade, PJ Place and Crazy 8. The company has about 525 stores in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, and also sells via two online outlets and through five franchise partners in 15 countries. Its product line includes tops, skirts, dresses, jackets, shoes, bottoms, sleepwear and backpacks. The Children’s Place is headquartered in Secauc...

HTLD vs PLCE — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
PLCE
PLCE
1.9× larger
PLCE
$339.5M
$179.4M
HTLD
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
PLCE
PLCE
+13.1% gap
PLCE
-13.0%
-26.1%
HTLD
Higher net margin
PLCE
PLCE
9.6% more per $
PLCE
-1.3%
-10.8%
HTLD
More free cash flow
PLCE
PLCE
$40.8M more FCF
PLCE
$-3.4M
$-44.2M
HTLD
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
PLCE
PLCE
Annualised
PLCE
-13.6%
-18.5%
HTLD

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Revenue
$179.4M
$339.5M
Net Profit
$-19.4M
$-4.3M
Gross Margin
33.1%
Operating Margin
-12.7%
1.1%
Net Margin
-10.8%
-1.3%
Revenue YoY
-26.1%
-13.0%
Net Profit YoY
-949.2%
-121.5%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.24
$-0.19

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
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$179.4M
$339.5M
Q3 25
$196.5M
$298.0M
Q2 25
$210.4M
$242.1M
Q1 25
$219.4M
$408.6M
Q4 24
$242.6M
$390.2M
Q3 24
$259.9M
$319.7M
Q2 24
$274.8M
$267.9M
Q1 24
$270.3M
$455.0M
Net Profit
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$-19.4M
$-4.3M
Q3 25
$-8.3M
$-5.4M
Q2 25
$-10.9M
$-34.0M
Q1 25
$-13.9M
$-8.0M
Q4 24
$-1.9M
$20.1M
Q3 24
$-9.3M
$-32.1M
Q2 24
$-3.5M
$-37.8M
Q1 24
$-15.1M
$-128.8M
Gross Margin
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
33.1%
Q3 25
34.0%
Q2 25
29.2%
Q1 25
28.5%
Q4 24
35.5%
Q3 24
35.0%
Q2 24
34.6%
Q1 24
21.8%
Operating Margin
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
-12.7%
1.1%
Q3 25
-3.7%
1.4%
Q2 25
-5.9%
-10.0%
Q1 25
-6.8%
1.7%
Q4 24
0.4%
7.5%
Q3 24
-2.7%
-6.8%
Q2 24
0.1%
-10.4%
Q1 24
-5.3%
-13.6%
Net Margin
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
-10.8%
-1.3%
Q3 25
-4.2%
-1.8%
Q2 25
-5.2%
-14.1%
Q1 25
-6.3%
-2.0%
Q4 24
-0.8%
5.1%
Q3 24
-3.6%
-10.0%
Q2 24
-1.3%
-14.1%
Q1 24
-5.6%
-28.3%
EPS (diluted)
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$-0.24
$-0.19
Q3 25
$-0.11
$-0.24
Q2 25
$-0.14
$-1.57
Q1 25
$-0.18
$-0.60
Q4 24
$-0.03
$1.57
Q3 24
$-0.12
$-2.51
Q2 24
$-0.04
$-2.98
Q1 24
$-0.19
$-10.24

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$18.5M
$7.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$154.1M
$107.4M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$755.3M
$-8.6M
Total Assets
$1.2B
$762.5M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.20×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$18.5M
$7.3M
Q3 25
$32.7M
$7.8M
Q2 25
$22.9M
$5.7M
Q1 25
$23.9M
$5.3M
Q4 24
$12.8M
$5.7M
Q3 24
$30.7M
$9.6M
Q2 24
$23.9M
$13.0M
Q1 24
$23.8M
$13.6M
Total Debt
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$154.1M
$107.4M
Q3 25
$107.2M
Q2 25
$107.0M
Q1 25
$166.0M
Q4 24
$187.9M
$165.7M
Q3 24
$165.4M
Q2 24
$166.6M
Q1 24
$49.8M
Stockholders' Equity
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$755.3M
$-8.6M
Q3 25
$775.6M
$-4.9M
Q2 25
$786.7M
$1.4M
Q1 25
$807.7M
$-59.4M
Q4 24
$822.6M
$-49.6M
Q3 24
$825.7M
$-68.9M
Q2 24
$836.8M
$-34.9M
Q1 24
$848.8M
$-9.0M
Total Assets
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$1.2B
$762.5M
Q3 25
$1.3B
$805.1M
Q2 25
$1.3B
$779.6M
Q1 25
$1.3B
$747.6M
Q4 24
$1.3B
$888.8M
Q3 24
$1.4B
$921.4M
Q2 24
$1.4B
$848.3M
Q1 24
$1.5B
$800.3M
Debt / Equity
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
0.20×
Q3 25
Q2 25
75.63×
Q1 25
Q4 24
0.23×
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$14.9M
$6.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-44.2M
$-3.4M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-24.6%
-1.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
33.0%
2.8%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-66.9M
$39.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$14.9M
$6.2M
Q3 25
$27.5M
$-30.5M
Q2 25
$21.0M
$-43.0M
Q1 25
$25.8M
$121.3M
Q4 24
$37.8M
$-44.2M
Q3 24
$35.6M
$-83.9M
Q2 24
$40.0M
$-110.8M
Q1 24
$31.0M
$135.4M
Free Cash Flow
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$-44.2M
$-3.4M
Q3 25
$-12.2M
$-31.9M
Q2 25
$-12.8M
$-46.4M
Q1 25
$2.3M
$121.2M
Q4 24
$-45.5M
$-47.7M
Q3 24
$24.6M
$-91.7M
Q2 24
$29.4M
$-115.5M
Q1 24
$26.3M
$132.2M
FCF Margin
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
-24.6%
-1.0%
Q3 25
-6.2%
-10.7%
Q2 25
-6.1%
-19.2%
Q1 25
1.0%
29.7%
Q4 24
-18.8%
-12.2%
Q3 24
9.5%
-28.7%
Q2 24
10.7%
-43.1%
Q1 24
9.7%
29.1%
Capex Intensity
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
33.0%
2.8%
Q3 25
20.2%
0.5%
Q2 25
16.1%
1.4%
Q1 25
10.7%
0.0%
Q4 24
34.3%
0.9%
Q3 24
4.2%
2.4%
Q2 24
3.8%
1.8%
Q1 24
1.7%
0.7%
Cash Conversion
HTLD
HTLD
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
-2.20×
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

HTLD
HTLD

Segment breakdown not available.

PLCE
PLCE

The Childrens Place US$307.4M91%
The Childrens Place International$32.1M9%
Gift Cards$1.7M1%

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