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Side-by-side financial comparison of MediaAlpha, Inc. (MAX) and Sotera Health Co (SHC). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

MediaAlpha, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($310.0M vs $303.4M, roughly 1.0× Sotera Health Co). Sotera Health Co runs the higher net margin — 11.5% vs 4.5%, a 7.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, MediaAlpha, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (17.3% vs 4.6%). Over the past eight quarters, MediaAlpha, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (31.9% CAGR vs 10.6%).

Alpha Group Co., Ltd. is a Chinese multinational conglomerate with animation, toy, mass media asset and entertainment company headquartered created by Cai Dongqing in 1993. In 2016, it changed its name from Alpha Animation. The company has a Chinese webcomics site, U17, and also an American film company, Alpha Pictures, and has announced the creation of an animation division also based in the United States.

Sotera Health Co is a global provider of end-to-end medical safety solutions. It offers sterilization services, analytical laboratory testing, and regulatory advisory support for medical device manufacturers, pharmaceutical firms, and food and consumer product companies, helping clients meet industry standards and ensure product safety for end users worldwide.

MAX vs SHC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MAX
MAX
1.0× larger
MAX
$310.0M
$303.4M
SHC
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MAX
MAX
+12.7% gap
MAX
17.3%
4.6%
SHC
Higher net margin
SHC
SHC
7.0% more per $
SHC
11.5%
4.5%
MAX
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MAX
MAX
Annualised
MAX
31.9%
10.6%
SHC

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Revenue
$310.0M
$303.4M
Net Profit
$14.0M
$34.8M
Gross Margin
15.1%
54.7%
Operating Margin
7.2%
23.2%
Net Margin
4.5%
11.5%
Revenue YoY
17.3%
4.6%
Net Profit YoY
701.8%
182.8%
EPS (diluted)
$0.12

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
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Q1 26
$310.0M
Q4 25
$291.2M
$303.4M
Q3 25
$306.5M
$311.3M
Q2 25
$251.6M
$294.3M
Q1 25
$264.3M
$254.5M
Q4 24
$300.6M
$290.2M
Q3 24
$259.1M
$285.5M
Q2 24
$178.3M
$276.6M
Net Profit
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Q1 26
$14.0M
Q4 25
$31.4M
$34.8M
Q3 25
$14.9M
$48.4M
Q2 25
$-18.7M
$8.0M
Q1 25
$-1.9M
$-13.3M
Q4 24
$4.6M
$12.3M
Q3 24
$9.5M
$17.0M
Q2 24
$3.6M
$8.8M
Gross Margin
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Q1 26
15.1%
Q4 25
15.4%
54.7%
Q3 25
14.2%
57.0%
Q2 25
15.0%
56.6%
Q1 25
15.8%
53.2%
Q4 24
16.3%
56.6%
Q3 24
15.1%
55.4%
Q2 24
17.8%
55.2%
Operating Margin
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Q1 26
7.2%
Q4 25
7.7%
23.2%
Q3 25
6.4%
23.4%
Q2 25
-8.0%
6.4%
Q1 25
0.0%
-5.8%
Q4 24
6.1%
30.0%
Q3 24
6.0%
28.2%
Q2 24
3.6%
27.8%
Net Margin
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Q1 26
4.5%
Q4 25
10.8%
11.5%
Q3 25
4.9%
15.5%
Q2 25
-7.4%
2.7%
Q1 25
-0.7%
-5.2%
Q4 24
1.5%
4.2%
Q3 24
3.7%
6.0%
Q2 24
2.0%
3.2%
EPS (diluted)
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$0.50
$0.12
Q3 25
$0.26
$0.17
Q2 25
$-0.33
$0.03
Q1 25
$-0.04
$-0.05
Q4 24
$0.09
$0.05
Q3 24
$0.17
$0.06
Q2 24
$0.07
$0.03

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$26.1M
$344.6M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$163.5M
$2.1B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$606.0M
Total Assets
$367.7M
$3.3B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
3.53×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Q1 26
$26.1M
Q4 25
$46.9M
$344.6M
Q3 25
$38.8M
$299.2M
Q2 25
$85.4M
$332.4M
Q1 25
$63.6M
$304.4M
Q4 24
$43.3M
$277.2M
Q3 24
$32.3M
$306.7M
Q2 24
$28.7M
$246.1M
Total Debt
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Q1 26
$163.5M
Q4 25
$153.4M
$2.1B
Q3 25
$155.7M
$2.1B
Q2 25
$158.0M
$2.2B
Q1 25
$160.2M
$2.2B
Q4 24
$162.4M
$2.2B
Q3 24
$164.7M
$2.2B
Q2 24
$166.9M
$2.2B
Stockholders' Equity
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$4.2M
$606.0M
Q3 25
$-29.8M
$550.5M
Q2 25
$-3.8M
$511.3M
Q1 25
$7.9M
$414.1M
Q4 24
$2.4M
$404.9M
Q3 24
$-8.4M
$470.2M
Q2 24
$-24.4M
$422.8M
Total Assets
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Q1 26
$367.7M
Q4 25
$383.8M
$3.3B
Q3 25
$266.2M
$3.2B
Q2 25
$249.4M
$3.2B
Q1 25
$240.0M
$3.1B
Q4 24
$262.4M
$3.1B
Q3 24
$236.1M
$3.1B
Q2 24
$198.2M
$3.1B
Debt / Equity
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Q1 26
Q4 25
36.88×
3.53×
Q3 25
3.89×
Q2 25
4.34×
Q1 25
20.23×
5.36×
Q4 24
68.31×
5.49×
Q3 24
4.73×
Q2 24
5.26×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$103.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$52.4M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
17.3%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
16.7%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.96×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$149.2M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-7.4M
$103.1M
Q3 25
$23.6M
$71.2M
Q2 25
$25.7M
$57.4M
Q1 25
$23.7M
$55.5M
Q4 24
$14.5M
$55.7M
Q3 24
$8.1M
$97.5M
Q2 24
$21.6M
$61.3M
Free Cash Flow
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-7.5M
$52.4M
Q3 25
$23.6M
$35.0M
Q2 25
$25.5M
$26.2M
Q1 25
$23.6M
$35.6M
Q4 24
$14.5M
$-10.2M
Q3 24
$8.0M
$61.1M
Q2 24
$21.5M
$19.4M
FCF Margin
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Q1 26
Q4 25
-2.6%
17.3%
Q3 25
7.7%
11.2%
Q2 25
10.2%
8.9%
Q1 25
8.9%
14.0%
Q4 24
4.8%
-3.5%
Q3 24
3.1%
21.4%
Q2 24
12.0%
7.0%
Capex Intensity
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.0%
16.7%
Q3 25
0.0%
11.6%
Q2 25
0.1%
10.6%
Q1 25
0.0%
7.8%
Q4 24
0.0%
22.7%
Q3 24
0.0%
12.7%
Q2 24
0.1%
15.2%
Cash Conversion
MAX
MAX
SHC
SHC
Q1 26
Q4 25
-0.24×
2.96×
Q3 25
1.58×
1.47×
Q2 25
7.21×
Q1 25
Q4 24
3.13×
4.52×
Q3 24
0.85×
5.73×
Q2 24
5.97×
7.00×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

MAX
MAX

Segment breakdown not available.

SHC
SHC

Transferred At Point In Time$198.4M65%
Nelson Labs$55.2M18%
Nordion$49.8M16%

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