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Side-by-side financial comparison of MERCER INTERNATIONAL INC. (MERC) and Childrens Place, Inc. (PLCE). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

MERCER INTERNATIONAL INC. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($489.3M vs $339.5M, roughly 1.4× Childrens Place, Inc.). On growth, MERCER INTERNATIONAL INC. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-3.5% vs -13.0%). Over the past eight quarters, MERCER INTERNATIONAL INC.'s revenue compounded faster (-1.0% CAGR vs -13.6%).

Mercer is an American consulting firm founded in 1945. It is one of the four operating subsidiaries of global professional services firm Marsh McLennan. Mercer is headquartered in New York City with offices in 43 countries and operations in 130 countries. The company primarily provides human resources and financial services consulting services to its clients.

The Children’s Place is a retailer of clothing for children. It sells its products primarily under its proprietary brands The Children’s Place, Gymboree, Sugar & Jade, PJ Place and Crazy 8. The company has about 525 stores in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, and also sells via two online outlets and through five franchise partners in 15 countries. Its product line includes tops, skirts, dresses, jackets, shoes, bottoms, sleepwear and backpacks. The Children’s Place is headquartered in Secauc...

MERC vs PLCE — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MERC
MERC
1.4× larger
MERC
$489.3M
$339.5M
PLCE
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MERC
MERC
+9.5% gap
MERC
-3.5%
-13.0%
PLCE
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MERC
MERC
Annualised
MERC
-1.0%
-13.6%
PLCE

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Revenue
$489.3M
$339.5M
Net Profit
$-4.3M
Gross Margin
33.1%
Operating Margin
1.1%
Net Margin
-1.3%
Revenue YoY
-3.5%
-13.0%
Net Profit YoY
-121.5%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.19

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
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Q1 26
$489.3M
Q4 25
$449.5M
$339.5M
Q3 25
$458.1M
$298.0M
Q2 25
$453.5M
$242.1M
Q1 25
$507.0M
$408.6M
Q4 24
$488.4M
$390.2M
Q3 24
$502.1M
$319.7M
Q2 24
$499.4M
$267.9M
Net Profit
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-308.7M
$-4.3M
Q3 25
$-80.8M
$-5.4M
Q2 25
$-86.1M
$-34.0M
Q1 25
$-22.3M
$-8.0M
Q4 24
$16.7M
$20.1M
Q3 24
$-17.6M
$-32.1M
Q2 24
$-67.6M
$-37.8M
Gross Margin
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Q1 26
Q4 25
33.1%
Q3 25
34.0%
Q2 25
29.2%
Q1 25
28.5%
Q4 24
35.5%
Q3 24
35.0%
Q2 24
34.6%
Operating Margin
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Q1 26
Q4 25
-62.0%
1.1%
Q3 25
-14.8%
1.4%
Q2 25
-12.9%
-10.0%
Q1 25
1.3%
1.7%
Q4 24
10.3%
7.5%
Q3 24
1.8%
-6.8%
Q2 24
-8.8%
-10.4%
Net Margin
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Q1 26
Q4 25
-68.7%
-1.3%
Q3 25
-17.6%
-1.8%
Q2 25
-19.0%
-14.1%
Q1 25
-4.4%
-2.0%
Q4 24
3.4%
5.1%
Q3 24
-3.5%
-10.0%
Q2 24
-13.5%
-14.1%
EPS (diluted)
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-4.61
$-0.19
Q3 25
$-1.21
$-0.24
Q2 25
$-1.29
$-1.57
Q1 25
$-0.33
$-0.60
Q4 24
$0.25
$1.57
Q3 24
$-0.26
$-2.51
Q2 24
$-1.01
$-2.98

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$84.5M
$7.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.5B
$107.4M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$-8.6M
Total Assets
$2.0B
$762.5M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Q1 26
$84.5M
Q4 25
$186.8M
$7.3M
Q3 25
$98.1M
$7.8M
Q2 25
$146.5M
$5.7M
Q1 25
$181.5M
$5.3M
Q4 24
$184.9M
$5.7M
Q3 24
$239.0M
$9.6M
Q2 24
$263.2M
$13.0M
Total Debt
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Q1 26
$1.5B
Q4 25
$1.6B
$107.4M
Q3 25
$1.5B
$107.2M
Q2 25
$1.5B
$107.0M
Q1 25
$1.5B
$166.0M
Q4 24
$1.5B
$165.7M
Q3 24
$1.6B
$165.4M
Q2 24
$1.6B
$166.6M
Stockholders' Equity
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Q1 26
Q4 25
$68.1M
$-8.6M
Q3 25
$359.5M
$-4.9M
Q2 25
$446.5M
$1.4M
Q1 25
$437.4M
$-59.4M
Q4 24
$429.8M
$-49.6M
Q3 24
$516.8M
$-68.9M
Q2 24
$487.7M
$-34.9M
Total Assets
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Q1 26
$2.0B
Q4 25
$2.0B
$762.5M
Q3 25
$2.3B
$805.1M
Q2 25
$2.4B
$779.6M
Q1 25
$2.3B
$747.6M
Q4 24
$2.3B
$888.8M
Q3 24
$2.5B
$921.4M
Q2 24
$2.5B
$848.3M
Debt / Equity
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Q1 26
Q4 25
23.58×
Q3 25
4.30×
Q2 25
3.42×
75.63×
Q1 25
3.44×
Q4 24
3.43×
Q3 24
3.09×
Q2 24
3.22×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$6.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-3.4M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-1.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.8%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$39.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Q1 26
Q4 25
$46.2M
$6.2M
Q3 25
$-30.1M
$-30.5M
Q2 25
$-4.5M
$-43.0M
Q1 25
$-3.0M
$121.3M
Q4 24
$71.2M
$-44.2M
Q3 24
$-13.9M
$-83.9M
Q2 24
$62.2M
$-110.8M
Free Cash Flow
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Q1 26
Q4 25
$32.0M
$-3.4M
Q3 25
$-60.1M
$-31.9M
Q2 25
$-28.9M
$-46.4M
Q1 25
$-23.1M
$121.2M
Q4 24
$50.4M
$-47.7M
Q3 24
$-41.2M
$-91.7M
Q2 24
$44.3M
$-115.5M
FCF Margin
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Q1 26
Q4 25
7.1%
-1.0%
Q3 25
-13.1%
-10.7%
Q2 25
-6.4%
-19.2%
Q1 25
-4.6%
29.7%
Q4 24
10.3%
-12.2%
Q3 24
-8.2%
-28.7%
Q2 24
8.9%
-43.1%
Capex Intensity
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Q1 26
Q4 25
3.1%
2.8%
Q3 25
6.6%
0.5%
Q2 25
5.4%
1.4%
Q1 25
4.0%
0.0%
Q4 24
4.2%
0.9%
Q3 24
5.4%
2.4%
Q2 24
3.6%
1.8%
Cash Conversion
MERC
MERC
PLCE
PLCE
Q1 26
Q4 25
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
4.26×
-2.20×
Q3 24
Q2 24

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

MERC
MERC

Pulp segment$345.0M71%
Solid wood segment$131.7M27%
Corporate and other$12.6M3%

PLCE
PLCE

The Childrens Place US$307.4M91%
The Childrens Place International$32.1M9%
Gift Cards$1.7M1%

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