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

Willdan Group, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($182.0M vs $130.1M, roughly 1.4× LEE ENTERPRISES, Inc). Willdan Group, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 7.5% vs -4.3%, a 11.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Willdan Group, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (15.0% vs -10.0%). Willdan Group, Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($9.8M vs $3.7M). Over the past eight quarters, Willdan Group, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (8.1% 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.

Willdan Group, Inc. (Willdan) is an American publicly traded company selling professional technical and consulting services to public and private utilities, public agencies at all levels of government, and commercial and industrial firms. The company operates offices in more than a dozen states, with its key operations in California and New York.

LEE vs WLDN — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
WLDN
WLDN
1.4× larger
WLDN
$182.0M
$130.1M
LEE
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
WLDN
WLDN
+25.0% gap
WLDN
15.0%
-10.0%
LEE
Higher net margin
WLDN
WLDN
11.9% more per $
WLDN
7.5%
-4.3%
LEE
More free cash flow
WLDN
WLDN
$6.1M more FCF
WLDN
$9.8M
$3.7M
LEE
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
WLDN
WLDN
Annualised
WLDN
8.1%
-5.8%
LEE

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2025

Metric
LEE
LEE
WLDN
WLDN
Revenue
$130.1M
$182.0M
Net Profit
$-5.6M
$13.7M
Gross Margin
36.9%
Operating Margin
4.0%
8.2%
Net Margin
-4.3%
7.5%
Revenue YoY
-10.0%
15.0%
Net Profit YoY
66.5%
86.8%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.92
$0.90

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
WLDN
WLDN
Q4 25
$130.1M
$182.0M
Q3 25
$139.1M
$173.5M
Q2 25
$141.3M
$152.4M
Q1 25
$137.4M
Q4 24
$144.6M
$144.1M
Q3 24
$158.6M
$158.3M
Q2 24
$150.6M
$141.0M
Q1 24
$146.6M
$122.5M
Net Profit
LEE
LEE
WLDN
WLDN
Q4 25
$-5.6M
$13.7M
Q3 25
$-6.4M
$15.4M
Q2 25
$-1.9M
$4.7M
Q1 25
$-12.5M
Q4 24
$-16.7M
$7.7M
Q3 24
$-10.1M
$7.3M
Q2 24
$-4.3M
$4.6M
Q1 24
$-12.2M
$2.9M
Gross Margin
LEE
LEE
WLDN
WLDN
Q4 25
36.9%
Q3 25
39.4%
Q2 25
37.8%
Q1 25
Q4 24
38.1%
Q3 24
32.6%
Q2 24
34.6%
Q1 24
38.7%
Operating Margin
LEE
LEE
WLDN
WLDN
Q4 25
4.0%
8.2%
Q3 25
-1.0%
6.8%
Q2 25
3.3%
4.6%
Q1 25
-3.3%
Q4 24
-2.3%
7.5%
Q3 24
-2.3%
5.5%
Q2 24
3.3%
4.6%
Q1 24
-3.1%
4.4%
Net Margin
LEE
LEE
WLDN
WLDN
Q4 25
-4.3%
7.5%
Q3 25
-4.6%
8.9%
Q2 25
-1.4%
3.1%
Q1 25
-9.1%
Q4 24
-11.6%
5.3%
Q3 24
-6.4%
4.6%
Q2 24
-2.8%
3.3%
Q1 24
-8.3%
2.4%
EPS (diluted)
LEE
LEE
WLDN
WLDN
Q4 25
$-0.92
$0.90
Q3 25
$-1.02
$1.03
Q2 25
$-0.31
$0.32
Q1 25
$-2.07
Q4 24
$-2.80
$0.53
Q3 24
$-1.68
$0.51
Q2 24
$-0.73
$0.33
Q1 24
$-2.06
$0.21

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
LEE
LEE
WLDN
WLDN
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$12.6M
$33.1M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$49.1M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$-48.7M
$283.1M
Total Assets
$592.6M
$507.9M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.17×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
LEE
LEE
WLDN
WLDN
Q4 25
$12.6M
$33.1M
Q3 25
$10.0M
$32.3M
Q2 25
$14.1M
$38.4M
Q1 25
$4.7M
Q4 24
$6.1M
$74.2M
Q3 24
$9.6M
$53.1M
Q2 24
$13.4M
$44.3M
Q1 24
$16.1M
$46.9M
Total Debt
LEE
LEE
WLDN
WLDN
Q4 25
$49.1M
Q3 25
$59.7M
Q2 25
$86.9M
Q1 25
Q4 24
$89.5M
Q3 24
$91.9M
Q2 24
$93.7M
Q1 24
$95.5M
Stockholders' Equity
LEE
LEE
WLDN
WLDN
Q4 25
$-48.7M
$283.1M
Q3 25
$-43.3M
$265.9M
Q2 25
$-40.5M
$245.5M
Q1 25
$-38.9M
Q4 24
$-26.7M
$234.3M
Q3 24
$-9.9M
$224.0M
Q2 24
$4.0M
$213.0M
Q1 24
$7.9M
$205.5M
Total Assets
LEE
LEE
WLDN
WLDN
Q4 25
$592.6M
$507.9M
Q3 25
$601.7M
$484.9M
Q2 25
$622.7M
$471.2M
Q1 25
$623.9M
Q4 24
$633.0M
$464.9M
Q3 24
$649.2M
$447.3M
Q2 24
$677.5M
$421.3M
Q1 24
$684.8M
$407.9M
Debt / Equity
LEE
LEE
WLDN
WLDN
Q4 25
0.17×
Q3 25
0.22×
Q2 25
0.35×
Q1 25
Q4 24
0.38×
Q3 24
0.41×
Q2 24
0.44×
Q1 24
0.46×

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
WLDN
WLDN
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$4.5M
$12.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$3.7M
$9.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
2.9%
5.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
0.6%
1.3%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.89×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$1.5M
$65.1M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
LEE
LEE
WLDN
WLDN
Q4 25
$4.5M
$12.2M
Q3 25
$-6.3M
$25.4M
Q2 25
$8.9M
$3.3M
Q1 25
$-790.0K
Q4 24
$-7.3M
$33.5M
Q3 24
$-261.0K
$10.8M
Q2 24
$-1.9M
$889.0K
Q1 24
$3.2M
$26.9M
Free Cash Flow
LEE
LEE
WLDN
WLDN
Q4 25
$3.7M
$9.8M
Q3 25
$-8.3M
$23.2M
Q2 25
$8.3M
$1.0M
Q1 25
$-2.2M
Q4 24
$-8.9M
$31.1M
Q3 24
$-2.9M
$8.8M
Q2 24
$-5.5M
$-1.3M
Q1 24
$1.3M
$25.0M
FCF Margin
LEE
LEE
WLDN
WLDN
Q4 25
2.9%
5.4%
Q3 25
-6.0%
13.4%
Q2 25
5.9%
0.7%
Q1 25
-1.6%
Q4 24
-6.1%
21.6%
Q3 24
-1.8%
5.6%
Q2 24
-3.6%
-0.9%
Q1 24
0.9%
20.4%
Capex Intensity
LEE
LEE
WLDN
WLDN
Q4 25
0.6%
1.3%
Q3 25
1.4%
1.3%
Q2 25
0.4%
1.5%
Q1 25
1.0%
Q4 24
1.1%
1.6%
Q3 24
1.7%
1.2%
Q2 24
2.4%
1.5%
Q1 24
1.3%
1.6%
Cash Conversion
LEE
LEE
WLDN
WLDN
Q4 25
0.89×
Q3 25
1.65×
Q2 25
0.71×
Q1 25
Q4 24
4.35×
Q3 24
1.47×
Q2 24
0.19×
Q1 24
9.16×

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%

WLDN
WLDN

Public Utility$74.2M41%
Governments$64.6M35%
Engineering Consulting Services$27.3M15%
Commercial$15.9M9%
Alternative Power Generation Inc$4.8M3%

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