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Side-by-side financial comparison of LEE ENTERPRISES, Inc (LEE) and Shoals Technologies Group, Inc. (SHLS). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Shoals Technologies Group, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($148.3M vs $130.1M, roughly 1.1× LEE ENTERPRISES, Inc). Shoals Technologies Group, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 5.5% vs -4.3%, a 9.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Shoals Technologies Group, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (38.6% vs -10.0%). LEE ENTERPRISES, Inc produced more free cash flow last quarter ($3.7M vs $-11.3M). Over the past eight quarters, Shoals Technologies Group, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (27.8% CAGR vs -5.8%).

Lee Enterprises, Inc. is a publicly traded American media company. It publishes 72 daily newspapers in 25 states, and more than 350 weekly, classified, and specialty publications. Lee Enterprises was founded in 1890 by Alfred Wilson Lee and is based in Davenport, Iowa.

Shoals Technologies Group is a leading provider of electrical balance of systems solutions for renewable energy and e-mobility. It supplies connectivity components for solar projects, energy storage systems and EV charging infrastructure, serving clients across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

LEE vs SHLS — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
SHLS
SHLS
1.1× larger
SHLS
$148.3M
$130.1M
LEE
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
SHLS
SHLS
+48.7% gap
SHLS
38.6%
-10.0%
LEE
Higher net margin
SHLS
SHLS
9.8% more per $
SHLS
5.5%
-4.3%
LEE
More free cash flow
LEE
LEE
$15.0M more FCF
LEE
$3.7M
$-11.3M
SHLS
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
SHLS
SHLS
Annualised
SHLS
27.8%
-5.8%
LEE

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Revenue
$130.1M
$148.3M
Net Profit
$-5.6M
$8.1M
Gross Margin
31.6%
Operating Margin
4.0%
11.7%
Net Margin
-4.3%
5.5%
Revenue YoY
-10.0%
38.6%
Net Profit YoY
66.5%
3.9%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.92
$0.05

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
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Q4 25
$130.1M
$148.3M
Q3 25
$139.1M
$135.8M
Q2 25
$141.3M
$110.8M
Q1 25
$137.4M
$80.4M
Q4 24
$144.6M
$107.0M
Q3 24
$158.6M
$102.2M
Q2 24
$150.6M
$99.2M
Q1 24
$146.6M
$90.8M
Net Profit
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Q4 25
$-5.6M
$8.1M
Q3 25
$-6.4M
$11.9M
Q2 25
$-1.9M
$13.9M
Q1 25
$-12.5M
$-282.0K
Q4 24
$-16.7M
$7.8M
Q3 24
$-10.1M
$-267.0K
Q2 24
$-4.3M
$11.8M
Q1 24
$-12.2M
$4.8M
Gross Margin
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Q4 25
31.6%
Q3 25
37.0%
Q2 25
37.2%
Q1 25
35.0%
Q4 24
37.6%
Q3 24
24.8%
Q2 24
40.3%
Q1 24
40.2%
Operating Margin
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Q4 25
4.0%
11.7%
Q3 25
-1.0%
13.7%
Q2 25
3.3%
14.4%
Q1 25
-3.3%
5.4%
Q4 24
-2.3%
15.4%
Q3 24
-2.3%
4.4%
Q2 24
3.3%
18.7%
Q1 24
-3.1%
12.8%
Net Margin
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Q4 25
-4.3%
5.5%
Q3 25
-4.6%
8.7%
Q2 25
-1.4%
12.5%
Q1 25
-9.1%
-0.4%
Q4 24
-11.6%
7.3%
Q3 24
-6.4%
-0.3%
Q2 24
-2.8%
11.9%
Q1 24
-8.3%
5.3%
EPS (diluted)
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Q4 25
$-0.92
$0.05
Q3 25
$-1.02
$0.07
Q2 25
$-0.31
$0.08
Q1 25
$-2.07
$0.00
Q4 24
$-2.80
$0.04
Q3 24
$-1.68
$0.00
Q2 24
$-0.73
$0.07
Q1 24
$-2.06
$0.03

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$12.6M
$7.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$-48.7M
$600.0M
Total Assets
$592.6M
$904.1M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Q4 25
$12.6M
$7.3M
Q3 25
$10.0M
$8.6M
Q2 25
$14.1M
$4.7M
Q1 25
$4.7M
$35.6M
Q4 24
$6.1M
$23.5M
Q3 24
$9.6M
$11.1M
Q2 24
$13.4M
$3.2M
Q1 24
$16.1M
$15.2M
Total Debt
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Q4 25
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
$141.8M
Q4 24
$141.8M
Q3 24
$141.8M
Q2 24
$146.8M
Q1 24
$168.8M
Stockholders' Equity
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Q4 25
$-48.7M
$600.0M
Q3 25
$-43.3M
$589.6M
Q2 25
$-40.5M
$575.4M
Q1 25
$-38.9M
$558.9M
Q4 24
$-26.7M
$556.8M
Q3 24
$-9.9M
$545.2M
Q2 24
$4.0M
$544.6M
Q1 24
$7.9M
$554.0M
Total Assets
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Q4 25
$592.6M
$904.1M
Q3 25
$601.7M
$851.8M
Q2 25
$622.7M
$795.0M
Q1 25
$623.9M
$788.4M
Q4 24
$633.0M
$793.1M
Q3 24
$649.2M
$801.3M
Q2 24
$677.5M
$788.4M
Q1 24
$684.8M
$825.3M
Debt / Equity
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Q4 25
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
0.25×
Q4 24
0.25×
Q3 24
0.26×
Q2 24
0.27×
Q1 24
0.30×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$4.5M
$-4.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$3.7M
$-11.3M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
2.9%
-7.6%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
0.6%
4.8%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-0.50×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$1.5M
$-16.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Q4 25
$4.5M
$-4.1M
Q3 25
$-6.3M
$19.4M
Q2 25
$8.9M
$-13.8M
Q1 25
$-790.0K
$15.6M
Q4 24
$-7.3M
$14.0M
Q3 24
$-261.0K
$15.7M
Q2 24
$-1.9M
$37.8M
Q1 24
$3.2M
$12.9M
Free Cash Flow
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Q4 25
$3.7M
$-11.3M
Q3 25
$-8.3M
$9.0M
Q2 25
$8.3M
$-26.0M
Q1 25
$-2.2M
$12.3M
Q4 24
$-8.9M
$12.5M
Q3 24
$-2.9M
$13.3M
Q2 24
$-5.5M
$35.8M
Q1 24
$1.3M
$10.4M
FCF Margin
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Q4 25
2.9%
-7.6%
Q3 25
-6.0%
6.6%
Q2 25
5.9%
-23.5%
Q1 25
-1.6%
15.4%
Q4 24
-6.1%
11.6%
Q3 24
-1.8%
13.0%
Q2 24
-3.6%
36.1%
Q1 24
0.9%
11.4%
Capex Intensity
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Q4 25
0.6%
4.8%
Q3 25
1.4%
7.7%
Q2 25
0.4%
11.0%
Q1 25
1.0%
4.0%
Q4 24
1.1%
1.4%
Q3 24
1.7%
2.3%
Q2 24
2.4%
2.0%
Q1 24
1.3%
2.7%
Cash Conversion
LEE
LEE
SHLS
SHLS
Q4 25
-0.50×
Q3 25
1.63×
Q2 25
-1.00×
Q1 25
Q4 24
1.79×
Q3 24
Q2 24
3.21×
Q1 24
2.69×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

LEE
LEE

Advertising And Marketing Services$60.0M46%
Subscription And Circulation$57.7M44%
Other$12.4M10%

SHLS
SHLS

System Solutions$122.0M82%
Components$26.3M18%

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