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Side-by-side financial comparison of Karat Packaging Inc. (KRT) and LINCOLN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES CORP (LINC). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

LINCOLN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($142.9M vs $115.6M, roughly 1.2× Karat Packaging Inc.). LINCOLN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES CORP runs the higher net margin — 8.9% vs 5.9%, a 3.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, LINCOLN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (19.7% vs 13.7%). LINCOLN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES CORP produced more free cash flow last quarter ($25.0M vs $15.1M). Over the past eight quarters, LINCOLN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES CORP's revenue compounded faster (17.6% CAGR vs 10.0%).

Karat Packaging Inc. is a specialty manufacturer and distributor of disposable foodservice packaging products. Its offerings include paper and plastic cups, food containers, cutlery, lids, and custom branded solutions, serving restaurant chains, cafes, catering operators, and retail foodservice clients primarily across North America.

Lincoln Tech is an American group of for-profit postsecondary vocational institutions headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey with campuses in Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Texas. Each campus is owned and operated by Lincoln Educational Services Corporation, a provider of career-oriented post-secondary education.

KRT vs LINC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
LINC
LINC
1.2× larger
LINC
$142.9M
$115.6M
KRT
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
LINC
LINC
+5.9% gap
LINC
19.7%
13.7%
KRT
Higher net margin
LINC
LINC
3.0% more per $
LINC
8.9%
5.9%
KRT
More free cash flow
LINC
LINC
$9.9M more FCF
LINC
$25.0M
$15.1M
KRT
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
LINC
LINC
Annualised
LINC
17.6%
10.0%
KRT

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
KRT
KRT
LINC
LINC
Revenue
$115.6M
$142.9M
Net Profit
$6.8M
$12.7M
Gross Margin
34.0%
62.3%
Operating Margin
7.3%
12.4%
Net Margin
5.9%
8.9%
Revenue YoY
13.7%
19.7%
Net Profit YoY
21.3%
85.9%
EPS (diluted)
$0.34
$0.41

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
KRT
KRT
LINC
LINC
Q4 25
$115.6M
$142.9M
Q3 25
$124.5M
$141.4M
Q2 25
$124.0M
$116.5M
Q1 25
$103.6M
$117.5M
Q4 24
$101.6M
$119.4M
Q3 24
$112.8M
$114.4M
Q2 24
$112.6M
$102.9M
Q1 24
$95.6M
$103.4M
Net Profit
KRT
KRT
LINC
LINC
Q4 25
$6.8M
$12.7M
Q3 25
$7.3M
$3.8M
Q2 25
$10.9M
$1.6M
Q1 25
$6.4M
$1.9M
Q4 24
$5.6M
$6.8M
Q3 24
$9.1M
$4.0M
Q2 24
$9.1M
$-682.0K
Q1 24
$6.2M
$-214.0K
Gross Margin
KRT
KRT
LINC
LINC
Q4 25
34.0%
62.3%
Q3 25
34.5%
59.5%
Q2 25
39.6%
59.8%
Q1 25
39.3%
59.7%
Q4 24
39.2%
62.2%
Q3 24
38.6%
58.0%
Q2 24
38.5%
55.7%
Q1 24
39.3%
58.4%
Operating Margin
KRT
KRT
LINC
LINC
Q4 25
7.3%
12.4%
Q3 25
6.9%
4.4%
Q2 25
13.3%
2.5%
Q1 25
7.5%
2.9%
Q4 24
7.2%
9.2%
Q3 24
10.0%
5.1%
Q2 24
9.9%
-1.1%
Q1 24
8.4%
-0.4%
Net Margin
KRT
KRT
LINC
LINC
Q4 25
5.9%
8.9%
Q3 25
5.9%
2.7%
Q2 25
8.8%
1.3%
Q1 25
6.2%
1.7%
Q4 24
5.5%
5.7%
Q3 24
8.1%
3.5%
Q2 24
8.1%
-0.7%
Q1 24
6.4%
-0.2%
EPS (diluted)
KRT
KRT
LINC
LINC
Q4 25
$0.34
$0.41
Q3 25
$0.36
$0.12
Q2 25
$0.54
$0.05
Q1 25
$0.32
$0.06
Q4 24
$0.28
$0.22
Q3 24
$0.45
$0.13
Q2 24
$0.45
$-0.02
Q1 24
$0.31
$-0.01

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
KRT
KRT
LINC
LINC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$37.9M
$28.5M
Total DebtLower is stronger
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$149.4M
$199.7M
Total Assets
$287.7M
$493.2M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
KRT
KRT
LINC
LINC
Q4 25
$37.9M
$28.5M
Q3 25
$44.0M
$13.5M
Q2 25
$57.0M
$16.7M
Q1 25
$56.3M
$28.7M
Q4 24
$59.9M
$59.3M
Q3 24
$60.4M
$54.0M
Q2 24
$52.1M
$67.0M
Q1 24
$46.7M
$68.6M
Stockholders' Equity
KRT
KRT
LINC
LINC
Q4 25
$149.4M
$199.7M
Q3 25
$154.5M
$185.9M
Q2 25
$155.8M
$180.7M
Q1 25
$153.3M
$177.8M
Q4 24
$155.6M
$178.3M
Q3 24
$157.3M
$170.0M
Q2 24
$157.7M
$164.9M
Q1 24
$154.4M
$164.5M
Total Assets
KRT
KRT
LINC
LINC
Q4 25
$287.7M
$493.2M
Q3 25
$302.8M
$466.9M
Q2 25
$321.0M
$447.3M
Q1 25
$312.2M
$427.4M
Q4 24
$294.5M
$436.6M
Q3 24
$306.8M
$404.0M
Q2 24
$310.7M
$366.4M
Q1 24
$279.0M
$355.2M

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
KRT
KRT
LINC
LINC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$15.4M
$43.5M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$15.1M
$25.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
13.1%
17.5%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
0.2%
13.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.26×
3.43×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$33.1M
$-27.3M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
KRT
KRT
LINC
LINC
Q4 25
$15.4M
$43.5M
Q3 25
$982.0K
$23.9M
Q2 25
$9.8M
$299.0K
Q1 25
$7.7M
$-8.4M
Q4 24
$8.3M
$30.3M
Q3 24
$19.5M
$5.6M
Q2 24
$13.7M
$8.3M
Q1 24
$6.6M
$-14.9M
Free Cash Flow
KRT
KRT
LINC
LINC
Q4 25
$15.1M
$25.0M
Q3 25
$736.0K
$2.0M
Q2 25
$9.6M
$-26.1M
Q1 25
$7.6M
$-28.3M
Q4 24
$8.0M
$5.5M
Q3 24
$19.2M
$-13.8M
Q2 24
$13.4M
$-2.7M
Q1 24
$6.4M
$-16.6M
FCF Margin
KRT
KRT
LINC
LINC
Q4 25
13.1%
17.5%
Q3 25
0.6%
1.4%
Q2 25
7.7%
-22.4%
Q1 25
7.4%
-24.1%
Q4 24
7.9%
4.6%
Q3 24
17.0%
-12.0%
Q2 24
11.9%
-2.6%
Q1 24
6.7%
-16.1%
Capex Intensity
KRT
KRT
LINC
LINC
Q4 25
0.2%
13.0%
Q3 25
0.2%
15.5%
Q2 25
0.1%
22.7%
Q1 25
0.1%
16.9%
Q4 24
0.2%
20.8%
Q3 24
0.3%
16.9%
Q2 24
0.2%
10.7%
Q1 24
0.2%
1.6%
Cash Conversion
KRT
KRT
LINC
LINC
Q4 25
2.26×
3.43×
Q3 25
0.13×
6.29×
Q2 25
0.89×
0.19×
Q1 25
1.21×
-4.31×
Q4 24
1.47×
4.43×
Q3 24
2.14×
1.42×
Q2 24
1.50×
Q1 24
1.06×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

KRT
KRT

Segment breakdown not available.

LINC
LINC

Transferred Over Time$136.0M95%
Transferred At Point In Time$6.9M5%

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