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Side-by-side financial comparison of Stride, Inc. (LRN) and SM Energy Co (SM). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

SM Energy Co is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($704.9M vs $629.9M, roughly 1.1× Stride, Inc.). On growth, Stride, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (2.7% vs -17.3%). Over the past eight quarters, SM Energy Co's revenue compounded faster (12.2% CAGR vs 6.9%).

Stride, Inc. is a for-profit education company that provides online and blended education programs. Stride, Inc. is an education management organization (EMO) that provides online education designed as an alternative to traditional "brick and mortar" education for public school students from kindergarten to 12th grade, as well as career learning programs. As of 2012, publicly traded Stride, Inc. was the largest EMO in terms of enrollment.

SM Energy Company is a company engaged in hydrocarbon exploration. It is organized in Delaware and headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

LRN vs SM — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
SM
SM
1.1× larger
SM
$704.9M
$629.9M
LRN
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
LRN
LRN
+20.0% gap
LRN
2.7%
-17.3%
SM
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
SM
SM
Annualised
SM
12.2%
6.9%
LRN

Income Statement — Q3 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Revenue
$629.9M
$704.9M
Net Profit
$88.5M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
20.5%
25.9%
Net Margin
14.1%
Revenue YoY
2.7%
-17.3%
Net Profit YoY
8.5%
EPS (diluted)
$1.93
$0.94

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
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Q3 26
$629.9M
Q4 25
$631.3M
$704.9M
Q3 25
$620.9M
$811.6M
Q2 25
$653.6M
$792.9M
Q1 25
$613.4M
$844.5M
Q4 24
$587.2M
$852.0M
Q3 24
$551.1M
$643.6M
Q2 24
$634.6M
Net Profit
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Q3 26
$88.5M
Q4 25
$99.5M
Q3 25
$68.8M
$155.1M
Q2 25
$51.3M
$201.7M
Q1 25
$99.3M
$182.3M
Q4 24
$96.4M
Q3 24
$40.9M
$240.5M
Q2 24
$210.3M
Gross Margin
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Q3 26
Q4 25
41.1%
Q3 25
39.0%
Q2 25
36.6%
Q1 25
40.6%
Q4 24
40.8%
Q3 24
39.2%
Q2 24
Operating Margin
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Q3 26
20.5%
Q4 25
23.3%
25.9%
Q3 25
11.1%
30.4%
Q2 25
8.7%
37.2%
Q1 25
21.3%
32.7%
Q4 24
21.3%
33.7%
Q3 24
8.6%
51.4%
Q2 24
44.0%
Net Margin
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Q3 26
14.1%
Q4 25
15.8%
Q3 25
11.1%
19.1%
Q2 25
7.9%
25.4%
Q1 25
16.2%
21.6%
Q4 24
16.4%
Q3 24
7.4%
37.4%
Q2 24
33.1%
EPS (diluted)
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Q3 26
$1.93
Q4 25
$2.12
$0.94
Q3 25
$1.40
$1.35
Q2 25
$0.96
$1.76
Q1 25
$2.02
$1.59
Q4 24
$2.03
$1.63
Q3 24
$0.94
$2.09
Q2 24
$1.82

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$614.0M
$368.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$417.6M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.6B
$4.8B
Total Assets
$2.4B
$9.3B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.25×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Q3 26
$614.0M
Q4 25
$625.7M
$368.0M
Q3 25
$715.1M
$162.3M
Q2 25
$985.3M
$101.9M
Q1 25
$723.7M
$54.0K
Q4 24
$717.5M
Q3 24
$522.2M
$1.7B
Q2 24
$487.9M
Total Debt
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Q3 26
$417.6M
Q4 25
$417.2M
Q3 25
$416.8M
Q2 25
$416.3M
Q1 25
$415.9M
Q4 24
$415.5M
Q3 24
$415.1M
Q2 24
Stockholders' Equity
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Q3 26
$1.6B
Q4 25
$1.5B
$4.8B
Q3 25
$1.5B
$4.7B
Q2 25
$1.5B
$4.6B
Q1 25
$1.4B
$4.4B
Q4 24
$1.3B
$4.2B
Q3 24
$1.2B
$4.1B
Q2 24
$3.8B
Total Assets
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Q3 26
$2.4B
Q4 25
$2.3B
$9.3B
Q3 25
$2.3B
$9.1B
Q2 25
$2.3B
$9.0B
Q1 25
$2.2B
$8.8B
Q4 24
$2.1B
$8.6B
Q3 24
$2.0B
$8.0B
Q2 24
$6.7B
Debt / Equity
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Q3 26
0.25×
Q4 25
0.27×
Q3 25
0.27×
Q2 25
0.28×
Q1 25
0.29×
Q4 24
0.32×
Q3 24
0.34×
Q2 24

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$117.0M
$451.9M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.32×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Q3 26
$117.0M
Q4 25
$91.8M
$451.9M
Q3 25
$-195.8M
$505.0M
Q2 25
$298.3M
$571.1M
Q1 25
$53.1M
$483.0M
Q4 24
$223.4M
$578.4M
Q3 24
$-142.0M
$452.3M
Q2 24
$476.4M
Free Cash Flow
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Q3 26
Q4 25
$91.6M
Q3 25
$-196.1M
Q2 25
$297.9M
Q1 25
$52.9M
Q4 24
$222.9M
Q3 24
$-142.7M
Q2 24
FCF Margin
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Q3 26
Q4 25
14.5%
Q3 25
-31.6%
Q2 25
45.6%
Q1 25
8.6%
Q4 24
38.0%
Q3 24
-25.9%
Q2 24
Capex Intensity
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Q3 26
Q4 25
0.0%
Q3 25
0.0%
Q2 25
0.1%
Q1 25
0.0%
Q4 24
0.1%
Q3 24
0.1%
Q2 24
Cash Conversion
LRN
LRN
SM
SM
Q3 26
1.32×
Q4 25
0.92×
Q3 25
-2.85×
3.26×
Q2 25
5.81×
2.83×
Q1 25
0.53×
2.65×
Q4 24
2.32×
Q3 24
-3.47×
1.88×
Q2 24
2.27×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

LRN
LRN

General Education$357.5M57%
Middle - High School$259.5M41%
Adult$12.9M2%

SM
SM

Segment breakdown not available.

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