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Side-by-side financial comparison of KADANT INC (KAI) and Quanex Building Products CORP (NX). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Quanex Building Products CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($495.3M vs $271.6M, roughly 1.8× KADANT INC). KADANT INC runs the higher net margin — 10.2% vs -55.7%, a 65.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Quanex Building Products CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (76.7% vs -0.0%). Quanex Building Products CORP produced more free cash flow last quarter ($46.2M vs $44.1M). Over the past eight quarters, Quanex Building Products CORP's revenue compounded faster (29.5% CAGR vs 6.7%).

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.

Quanex Building Products Corporation is a leading manufacturer of engineered building components and materials. Its core offerings include insulating glass spacers, window and door systems, and cabinet furniture components, serving residential and commercial construction markets across North America and Europe, with a focus on energy-efficient, sustainable building solutions.

KAI vs NX — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
NX
NX
1.8× larger
NX
$495.3M
$271.6M
KAI
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
NX
NX
+76.7% gap
NX
76.7%
-0.0%
KAI
Higher net margin
KAI
KAI
65.9% more per $
KAI
10.2%
-55.7%
NX
More free cash flow
NX
NX
$2.1M more FCF
NX
$46.2M
$44.1M
KAI
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
NX
NX
Annualised
NX
29.5%
6.7%
KAI

Income Statement — Q3 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2025

Metric
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Revenue
$271.6M
$495.3M
Net Profit
$27.7M
$-276.0M
Gross Margin
45.2%
27.9%
Operating Margin
15.7%
-54.7%
Net Margin
10.2%
-55.7%
Revenue YoY
-0.0%
76.7%
Net Profit YoY
-12.2%
-1188.8%
EPS (diluted)
$2.35
$-6.04

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
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Q3 25
$271.6M
$495.3M
Q2 25
$255.3M
$452.5M
Q1 25
$239.2M
$400.0M
Q4 24
$258.0M
$492.2M
Q3 24
$271.6M
$280.3M
Q2 24
$274.8M
$266.2M
Q1 24
$249.0M
$239.2M
Q4 23
$238.7M
$295.5M
Net Profit
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Q3 25
$27.7M
$-276.0M
Q2 25
$26.2M
$20.5M
Q1 25
$24.1M
$-14.9M
Q4 24
$24.0M
$-13.9M
Q3 24
$31.6M
$25.4M
Q2 24
$31.3M
$15.4M
Q1 24
$24.7M
$6.2M
Q4 23
$27.4M
$27.4M
Gross Margin
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Q3 25
45.2%
27.9%
Q2 25
45.9%
29.0%
Q1 25
46.1%
23.1%
Q4 24
43.4%
Q3 24
44.7%
25.3%
Q2 24
44.4%
24.9%
Q1 24
44.6%
21.5%
Q4 23
42.7%
Operating Margin
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Q3 25
15.7%
-54.7%
Q2 25
15.4%
9.0%
Q1 25
14.9%
-1.7%
Q4 24
14.3%
0.6%
Q3 24
18.0%
8.4%
Q2 24
17.6%
7.8%
Q1 24
14.8%
3.3%
Q4 23
16.3%
13.4%
Net Margin
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Q3 25
10.2%
-55.7%
Q2 25
10.2%
4.5%
Q1 25
10.1%
-3.7%
Q4 24
9.3%
-2.8%
Q3 24
11.6%
9.0%
Q2 24
11.4%
5.8%
Q1 24
9.9%
2.6%
Q4 23
11.5%
9.3%
EPS (diluted)
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Q3 25
$2.35
$-6.04
Q2 25
$2.22
$0.44
Q1 25
$2.04
$-0.32
Q4 24
$2.04
$-0.52
Q3 24
$2.68
$0.77
Q2 24
$2.66
$0.46
Q1 24
$2.10
$0.19
Q4 23
$2.33
$0.83

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$124.5M
$66.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$254.6M
$695.6M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$949.8M
$717.4M
Total Assets
$1.5B
$2.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.27×
0.97×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Q3 25
$124.5M
$66.3M
Q2 25
$95.3M
$62.6M
Q1 25
$91.7M
$50.0M
Q4 24
$94.7M
$97.7M
Q3 24
$88.4M
$94.0M
Q2 24
$73.8M
$56.1M
Q1 24
$81.4M
$44.4M
Q4 23
$103.8M
$58.5M
Total Debt
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Q3 25
$254.6M
$695.6M
Q2 25
$245.7M
$746.4M
Q1 25
$273.5M
$725.2M
Q4 24
$285.2M
$737.2M
Q3 24
$323.2M
$51.4M
Q2 24
$342.0M
$51.5M
Q1 24
$306.8M
$61.6M
Q4 23
$107.7M
$66.4M
Stockholders' Equity
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Q3 25
$949.8M
$717.4M
Q2 25
$926.0M
$1.0B
Q1 25
$876.0M
$972.1M
Q4 24
$847.1M
$1.0B
Q3 24
$851.7M
$594.1M
Q2 24
$807.7M
$566.1M
Q1 24
$782.7M
$555.0M
Q4 23
$773.7M
$545.6M
Total Assets
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Q3 25
$1.5B
$2.0B
Q2 25
$1.5B
$2.3B
Q1 25
$1.4B
$2.2B
Q4 24
$1.4B
$2.3B
Q3 24
$1.5B
$872.5M
Q2 24
$1.5B
$837.2M
Q1 24
$1.4B
$813.4M
Q4 23
$1.2B
$831.1M
Debt / Equity
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Q3 25
0.27×
0.97×
Q2 25
0.27×
0.75×
Q1 25
0.31×
0.75×
Q4 24
0.34×
0.73×
Q3 24
0.38×
0.09×
Q2 24
0.42×
0.09×
Q1 24
0.39×
0.11×
Q4 23
0.14×
0.12×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$47.3M
$60.7M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$44.1M
$46.2M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
16.2%
9.3%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.2%
2.9%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.70×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$145.9M
$27.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Q3 25
$47.3M
$60.7M
Q2 25
$40.5M
$28.5M
Q1 25
$22.8M
$-12.5M
Q4 24
$51.9M
$5.5M
Q3 24
$52.5M
$46.4M
Q2 24
$28.1M
$33.1M
Q1 24
$22.8M
$3.9M
Q4 23
$59.2M
$44.5M
Free Cash Flow
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Q3 25
$44.1M
$46.2M
Q2 25
$36.5M
$13.6M
Q1 25
$19.0M
$-24.1M
Q4 24
$46.3M
$-8.2M
Q3 24
$48.3M
$40.1M
Q2 24
$23.1M
$25.5M
Q1 24
$16.6M
$-5.7M
Q4 23
$49.5M
$29.6M
FCF Margin
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Q3 25
16.2%
9.3%
Q2 25
14.3%
3.0%
Q1 25
7.9%
-6.0%
Q4 24
17.9%
-1.7%
Q3 24
17.8%
14.3%
Q2 24
8.4%
9.6%
Q1 24
6.7%
-2.4%
Q4 23
20.7%
10.0%
Capex Intensity
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Q3 25
1.2%
2.9%
Q2 25
1.6%
3.3%
Q1 25
1.6%
2.9%
Q4 24
2.2%
2.8%
Q3 24
1.5%
2.2%
Q2 24
1.8%
2.9%
Q1 24
2.5%
4.0%
Q4 23
4.1%
5.1%
Cash Conversion
KAI
KAI
NX
NX
Q3 25
1.70×
Q2 25
1.55×
1.39×
Q1 25
0.95×
Q4 24
2.16×
Q3 24
1.66×
1.83×
Q2 24
0.90×
2.15×
Q1 24
0.92×
0.62×
Q4 23
2.16×
1.62×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

KAI
KAI

Flow Control$94.8M35%
Capital$83.2M31%
Material Handling Systems$70.3M26%
Transferred Over Time$17.1M6%
Other$6.1M2%

NX
NX

Window And Door Hardware$150.3M30%
Screens$76.8M16%
Window Profiles$68.2M14%
Spacers$54.7M11%
Wood Solutions$53.4M11%
Seals And Gaskets$29.9M6%
Access Solutions$27.4M6%
Mixing Solution$21.5M4%
Solar$5.3M1%
Product Type Other$3.3M1%

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