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Side-by-side financial comparison of INGLES MARKETS INC (IMKTA) and STERLING INFRASTRUCTURE, INC. (STRL). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

INGLES MARKETS INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.4B vs $755.6M, roughly 1.8× STERLING INFRASTRUCTURE, INC.). STERLING INFRASTRUCTURE, INC. runs the higher net margin — 11.6% vs 2.0%, a 9.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, STERLING INFRASTRUCTURE, INC. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (51.5% vs 6.6%). STERLING INFRASTRUCTURE, INC. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($159.7M vs $2.1M). Over the past eight quarters, STERLING INFRASTRUCTURE, INC.'s revenue compounded faster (31.0% CAGR vs 0.2%).

Ingles Markets, Inc. is an American supermarket chain based in Black Mountain, North Carolina. As of September 2021, the company operates 198 supermarkets in the Appalachian region of the Southeastern United States. The company is listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol IMKTA and is part of the Global Select Market tier of trading.

Sterling & Wilson is an Indian multinational engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It operates across multiple sectors including renewable energy, data centers, diesel power generation, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) services. The company has delivered projects in over 30 countries, with execution teams located across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Australia.

IMKTA vs STRL — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
IMKTA
IMKTA
1.8× larger
IMKTA
$1.4B
$755.6M
STRL
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
STRL
STRL
+44.9% gap
STRL
51.5%
6.6%
IMKTA
Higher net margin
STRL
STRL
9.5% more per $
STRL
11.6%
2.0%
IMKTA
More free cash flow
STRL
STRL
$157.6M more FCF
STRL
$159.7M
$2.1M
IMKTA
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
STRL
STRL
Annualised
STRL
31.0%
0.2%
IMKTA

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Revenue
$1.4B
$755.6M
Net Profit
$28.1M
$87.6M
Gross Margin
24.4%
21.7%
Operating Margin
2.9%
15.9%
Net Margin
2.0%
11.6%
Revenue YoY
6.6%
51.5%
Net Profit YoY
69.6%
-22.6%
EPS (diluted)
$2.82

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
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Q4 25
$1.4B
$755.6M
Q3 25
$1.4B
$689.0M
Q2 25
$1.3B
$614.5M
Q1 25
$1.3B
$430.9M
Q4 24
$1.3B
$498.8M
Q3 24
$1.4B
$593.7M
Q2 24
$1.4B
$582.8M
Q1 24
$1.4B
$440.4M
Net Profit
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Q4 25
$28.1M
$87.6M
Q3 25
$25.7M
$92.1M
Q2 25
$26.2M
$71.0M
Q1 25
$15.1M
$39.5M
Q4 24
$16.6M
$113.2M
Q3 24
$-1.5M
$61.3M
Q2 24
$31.7M
$51.9M
Q1 24
$31.9M
$31.0M
Gross Margin
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Q4 25
24.4%
21.7%
Q3 25
24.5%
24.7%
Q2 25
24.3%
23.3%
Q1 25
23.4%
22.0%
Q4 24
23.4%
21.4%
Q3 24
21.4%
21.9%
Q2 24
23.7%
19.3%
Q1 24
23.5%
17.5%
Operating Margin
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Q4 25
2.9%
15.9%
Q3 25
2.6%
18.2%
Q2 25
2.8%
17.0%
Q1 25
1.6%
13.0%
Q4 24
1.8%
12.5%
Q3 24
-0.1%
14.7%
Q2 24
3.2%
12.5%
Q1 24
3.3%
9.6%
Net Margin
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Q4 25
2.0%
11.6%
Q3 25
1.9%
13.4%
Q2 25
1.9%
11.6%
Q1 25
1.1%
9.2%
Q4 24
1.3%
22.7%
Q3 24
-0.1%
10.3%
Q2 24
2.3%
8.9%
Q1 24
2.3%
7.1%
EPS (diluted)
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Q4 25
$2.82
Q3 25
$2.97
Q2 25
$2.31
Q1 25
$1.28
Q4 24
$3.63
Q3 24
$1.97
Q2 24
$1.67
Q1 24
$1.00

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$390.7M
Total DebtLower is stronger
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.6B
$1.1B
Total Assets
$2.6B
$2.6B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Q4 25
$390.7M
Q3 25
$306.4M
Q2 25
$699.4M
Q1 25
$638.6M
Q4 24
$664.2M
Q3 24
$648.1M
Q2 24
$540.0M
Q1 24
$480.4M
Total Debt
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Q4 25
Q3 25
$514.8M
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
$532.6M
Q2 24
Q1 24
Stockholders' Equity
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Q4 25
$1.6B
$1.1B
Q3 25
$1.6B
$1.1B
Q2 25
$1.6B
$881.7M
Q1 25
$1.6B
$805.4M
Q4 24
$1.6B
$808.1M
Q3 24
$1.5B
$716.5M
Q2 24
$1.6B
$670.7M
Q1 24
$1.5B
$644.6M
Total Assets
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Q4 25
$2.6B
$2.6B
Q3 25
$2.6B
$2.6B
Q2 25
$2.5B
$2.2B
Q1 25
$2.5B
$2.0B
Q4 24
$2.5B
$2.0B
Q3 24
$2.5B
$2.0B
Q2 24
$2.5B
$2.0B
Q1 24
$2.5B
$1.8B
Debt / Equity
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Q4 25
Q3 25
0.32×
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
0.34×
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
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$38.4M
$186.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$2.1M
$159.7M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
0.1%
21.1%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.6%
3.5%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.37×
2.12×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$123.1M
$362.7M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Q4 25
$38.4M
$186.1M
Q3 25
$59.9M
$83.6M
Q2 25
$74.8M
$85.4M
Q1 25
$63.1M
$84.9M
Q4 24
$-43.6M
$174.3M
Q3 24
$73.3M
$152.3M
Q2 24
$103.3M
$121.0M
Q1 24
$70.4M
$49.6M
Free Cash Flow
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Q4 25
$2.1M
$159.7M
Q3 25
$36.8M
$64.0M
Q2 25
$45.4M
$72.1M
Q1 25
$38.9M
$67.0M
Q4 24
$-81.4M
$158.6M
Q3 24
$5.4M
$138.3M
Q2 24
$58.6M
$92.1M
Q1 24
$35.3M
$27.2M
FCF Margin
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Q4 25
0.1%
21.1%
Q3 25
2.7%
9.3%
Q2 25
3.4%
11.7%
Q1 25
2.9%
15.5%
Q4 24
-6.3%
31.8%
Q3 24
0.4%
23.3%
Q2 24
4.2%
15.8%
Q1 24
2.6%
6.2%
Capex Intensity
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Q4 25
2.6%
3.5%
Q3 25
1.7%
2.9%
Q2 25
2.2%
2.2%
Q1 25
1.8%
4.2%
Q4 24
2.9%
3.1%
Q3 24
4.9%
2.4%
Q2 24
3.2%
5.0%
Q1 24
2.6%
5.1%
Cash Conversion
IMKTA
IMKTA
STRL
STRL
Q4 25
1.37×
2.12×
Q3 25
2.33×
0.91×
Q2 25
2.85×
1.20×
Q1 25
4.17×
2.15×
Q4 24
-2.63×
1.54×
Q3 24
2.48×
Q2 24
3.26×
2.33×
Q1 24
2.21×
1.60×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

IMKTA
IMKTA

Grocery$502.1M37%
Perishables$359.7M26%
Non Foods$305.5M22%
Gasoline$152.1M11%
Other$53.6M4%

STRL
STRL

Lump Sum$464.9M62%
Heavy Highway$99.6M13%
Residential Construction$70.4M9%
Road And Highway Builders LLC$52.4M7%
Other Revenue$36.6M5%
Aviation$16.6M2%
Commercial$11.4M2%
Related Party$600.0K0%

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