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Side-by-side financial comparison of KADANT INC (KAI) and 3M (MMM). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
3M is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($6.0B vs $271.6M, roughly 22.2× KADANT INC). 3M runs the higher net margin — 10.8% vs 10.2%, a 0.6% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, 3M posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (1.3% vs -0.0%). 3M produced more free cash flow last quarter ($2.0B vs $44.1M). Over the past eight quarters, KADANT INC's revenue compounded faster (6.7% CAGR vs -1.8%).
Kadant Inc. is a company that was established in 1991, as a partly privately owned subsidiary of Thermo Electron, and partly publicly traded company, and was fully spun out and renamed Kadant in 2001. The company supports papermaking, paper recycling, wood processing, material handling, and other processing industries. Kadant is a multi-national corporation with operations in Asia, Europe, North America, and South America.
The 3M Company is an American multinational conglomerate operating in the fields of industry, worker safety, and consumer goods. Based in the Saint Paul suburb of Maplewood, the company produces over 60,000 products, including adhesives, abrasives, laminates, passive fire protection, personal protective equipment, window films, paint protection film, electrical, electronic connecting, insulating materials, car-care products, electronic circuits, and optical films. Among its best-known consume...
KAI vs MMM — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q3 2026 vs Q1 2026
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $271.6M | $6.0B |
| Net Profit | $27.7M | $653.0M |
| Gross Margin | 45.2% | 40.7% |
| Operating Margin | 15.7% | 23.2% |
| Net Margin | 10.2% | 10.8% |
| Revenue YoY | -0.0% | 1.3% |
| Net Profit YoY | -12.2% | -41.5% |
| EPS (diluted) | $2.35 | $1.23 |
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.
| Q1 26 | — | $6.0B | ||
| Q4 25 | — | $6.1B | ||
| Q3 25 | $271.6M | $6.5B | ||
| Q2 25 | $255.3M | $6.3B | ||
| Q1 25 | $239.2M | $6.0B | ||
| Q4 24 | $258.0M | $6.0B | ||
| Q3 24 | $271.6M | $6.3B | ||
| Q2 24 | $274.8M | $6.3B |
| Q1 26 | — | $653.0M | ||
| Q4 25 | — | $577.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $27.7M | $834.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $26.2M | $723.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $24.1M | $1.1B | ||
| Q4 24 | $24.0M | $728.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $31.6M | $1.4B | ||
| Q2 24 | $31.3M | $1.1B |
| Q1 26 | — | 40.7% | ||
| Q4 25 | — | 33.6% | ||
| Q3 25 | 45.2% | 41.8% | ||
| Q2 25 | 45.9% | 42.5% | ||
| Q1 25 | 46.1% | 41.6% | ||
| Q4 24 | 43.4% | 51.7% | ||
| Q3 24 | 44.7% | 42.1% | ||
| Q2 24 | 44.4% | 42.9% |
| Q1 26 | — | 23.2% | ||
| Q4 25 | — | 13.0% | ||
| Q3 25 | 15.7% | 22.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 15.4% | 18.0% | ||
| Q1 25 | 14.9% | 20.9% | ||
| Q4 24 | 14.3% | 12.2% | ||
| Q3 24 | 18.0% | 20.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | 17.6% | 20.3% |
| Q1 26 | — | 10.8% | ||
| Q4 25 | — | 9.4% | ||
| Q3 25 | 10.2% | 12.8% | ||
| Q2 25 | 10.2% | 11.4% | ||
| Q1 25 | 10.1% | 18.7% | ||
| Q4 24 | 9.3% | 12.1% | ||
| Q3 24 | 11.6% | 21.8% | ||
| Q2 24 | 11.4% | 18.3% |
| Q1 26 | — | $1.23 | ||
| Q4 25 | — | $1.07 | ||
| Q3 25 | $2.35 | $1.55 | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.22 | $1.34 | ||
| Q1 25 | $2.04 | $2.04 | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.04 | $1.33 | ||
| Q3 24 | $2.68 | $2.48 | ||
| Q2 24 | $2.66 | $2.07 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $124.5M | $3.7B |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $254.6M | $10.9B |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $949.8M | $3.3B |
| Total Assets | $1.5B | $35.4B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 0.27× | 3.29× |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | — | $3.7B | ||
| Q4 25 | — | — | ||
| Q3 25 | $124.5M | — | ||
| Q2 25 | $95.3M | — | ||
| Q1 25 | $91.7M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $94.7M | — | ||
| Q3 24 | $88.4M | — | ||
| Q2 24 | $73.8M | — |
| Q1 26 | — | $10.9B | ||
| Q4 25 | — | $12.6B | ||
| Q3 25 | $254.6M | $12.6B | ||
| Q2 25 | $245.7M | $13.1B | ||
| Q1 25 | $273.5M | $13.5B | ||
| Q4 24 | $285.2M | $13.0B | ||
| Q3 24 | $323.2M | $13.2B | ||
| Q2 24 | $342.0M | $13.1B |
| Q1 26 | — | $3.3B | ||
| Q4 25 | — | $4.7B | ||
| Q3 25 | $949.8M | $4.6B | ||
| Q2 25 | $926.0M | $4.3B | ||
| Q1 25 | $876.0M | $4.5B | ||
| Q4 24 | $847.1M | $3.8B | ||
| Q3 24 | $851.7M | $4.6B | ||
| Q2 24 | $807.7M | $3.9B |
| Q1 26 | — | $35.4B | ||
| Q4 25 | — | $37.7B | ||
| Q3 25 | $1.5B | $37.6B | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.5B | $38.0B | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.4B | $40.0B | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.4B | $39.9B | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.5B | $40.9B | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.5B | $43.4B |
| Q1 26 | — | 3.29× | ||
| Q4 25 | — | 2.68× | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.27× | 2.72× | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.27× | 3.06× | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.31× | 3.02× | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.34× | 3.40× | ||
| Q3 24 | 0.38× | 2.84× | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.42× | 3.34× |
Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency
How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $47.3M | — |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $44.1M | $2.0B |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | 16.2% | 33.6% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 1.2% | — |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 1.70× | — |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $145.9M | $3.7B |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | — | $1.6B | ||
| Q3 25 | $47.3M | $1.8B | ||
| Q2 25 | $40.5M | $-954.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $22.8M | $-79.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $51.9M | $1.8B | ||
| Q3 24 | $52.5M | $-1.8B | ||
| Q2 24 | $28.1M | $1.0B |
| Q1 26 | — | $2.0B | ||
| Q4 25 | — | $1.3B | ||
| Q3 25 | $44.1M | $1.5B | ||
| Q2 25 | $36.5M | $-1.2B | ||
| Q1 25 | $19.0M | $-315.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $46.3M | $1.5B | ||
| Q3 24 | $48.3M | $-2.0B | ||
| Q2 24 | $23.1M | $752.0M |
| Q1 26 | — | 33.6% | ||
| Q4 25 | — | 21.8% | ||
| Q3 25 | 16.2% | 23.6% | ||
| Q2 25 | 14.3% | -18.3% | ||
| Q1 25 | 7.9% | -5.3% | ||
| Q4 24 | 17.9% | 25.4% | ||
| Q3 24 | 17.8% | -32.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 8.4% | 12.0% |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | — | 4.0% | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.2% | 3.3% | ||
| Q2 25 | 1.6% | 3.3% | ||
| Q1 25 | 1.6% | 4.0% | ||
| Q4 24 | 2.2% | 4.8% | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.5% | 3.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | 1.8% | 4.3% |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | — | 2.74× | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.70× | 2.11× | ||
| Q2 25 | 1.55× | -1.32× | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.95× | -0.07× | ||
| Q4 24 | 2.16× | 2.50× | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.66× | -1.30× | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.90× | 0.89× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
KAI
| Flow Control | $94.8M | 35% |
| Capital | $83.2M | 31% |
| Material Handling Systems | $70.3M | 26% |
| Transferred Over Time | $17.1M | 6% |
| Other | $6.1M | 2% |
MMM
| Safety and Industrial business segment | $2.9B | 49% |
| Transportation and Electronics business segment | $1.8B | 31% |
| Consumer business segment | $1.1B | 19% |
| Corporate | $121.0M | 2% |
