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Side-by-side financial comparison of NOODLES & Co (NDLS) and Zai Lab Ltd (ZLAB). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Zai Lab Ltd is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($127.1M vs $122.1M, roughly 1.0× NOODLES & Co). On growth, Zai Lab Ltd posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (17.1% vs -4.1%). NOODLES & Co produced more free cash flow last quarter ($-2.8M vs $-26.7M). Over the past eight quarters, Zai Lab Ltd's revenue compounded faster (20.8% CAGR vs -1.2%).

Noodles & Company is an American fast-casual restaurant that offers international and American noodle dishes in addition to soups and salads. Noodles & Company was founded in 1995 by Aaron Kennedy and is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado. The company went public in 2013 and recorded a $457 million revenue in 2017. In mid-2022, there were 458 Noodles & Company locations across 31 states.

Zai Lab Ltd is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing innovative therapies for oncology, autoimmune disorders, infectious diseases and other unmet medical needs. It operates primarily in the Greater China region and partners with leading global biotech firms to expand access to life-saving treatments for underserved patient populations.

NDLS vs ZLAB — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ZLAB
ZLAB
1.0× larger
ZLAB
$127.1M
$122.1M
NDLS
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ZLAB
ZLAB
+21.3% gap
ZLAB
17.1%
-4.1%
NDLS
More free cash flow
NDLS
NDLS
$23.9M more FCF
NDLS
$-2.8M
$-26.7M
ZLAB
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
ZLAB
ZLAB
Annualised
ZLAB
20.8%
-1.2%
NDLS

Income Statement — Q3 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
NDLS
NDLS
ZLAB
ZLAB
Revenue
$122.1M
$127.1M
Net Profit
$-9.2M
Gross Margin
51.0%
Operating Margin
-5.2%
-54.6%
Net Margin
-7.5%
Revenue YoY
-4.1%
17.1%
Net Profit YoY
32.8%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.20
$-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
NDLS
NDLS
ZLAB
ZLAB
Q4 25
$127.1M
Q3 25
$122.1M
$115.4M
Q2 25
$123.8M
$109.1M
Q1 25
$105.7M
Q4 24
$122.8M
$108.5M
Q3 24
$127.4M
$101.8M
Q2 24
$121.4M
$100.1M
Q1 24
$124.3M
$87.1M
Net Profit
NDLS
NDLS
ZLAB
ZLAB
Q4 25
Q3 25
$-9.2M
$-36.0M
Q2 25
$-9.1M
$-40.7M
Q1 25
$-48.4M
Q4 24
$-6.8M
Q3 24
$-13.6M
$-41.7M
Q2 24
$-6.1M
$-80.3M
Q1 24
$-6.1M
$-53.5M
Gross Margin
NDLS
NDLS
ZLAB
ZLAB
Q4 25
51.0%
Q3 25
59.5%
Q2 25
60.6%
Q1 25
63.6%
Q4 24
61.5%
Q3 24
64.1%
Q2 24
64.9%
Q1 24
61.4%
Operating Margin
NDLS
NDLS
ZLAB
ZLAB
Q4 25
-54.6%
Q3 25
-5.2%
-42.3%
Q2 25
-5.2%
-50.3%
Q1 25
-53.3%
Q4 24
-3.9%
-62.6%
Q3 24
-9.0%
-66.6%
Q2 24
-3.4%
-76.0%
Q1 24
-3.7%
-80.7%
Net Margin
NDLS
NDLS
ZLAB
ZLAB
Q4 25
Q3 25
-7.5%
-31.2%
Q2 25
-7.3%
-37.3%
Q1 25
-45.8%
Q4 24
-5.5%
Q3 24
-10.7%
-40.9%
Q2 24
-5.1%
-80.2%
Q1 24
-4.9%
-61.4%
EPS (diluted)
NDLS
NDLS
ZLAB
ZLAB
Q4 25
$-0.05
Q3 25
$-0.20
$-0.03
Q2 25
$-0.20
$-0.04
Q1 25
$-0.04
Q4 24
$-0.15
$-0.09
Q3 24
$-0.30
$-0.04
Q2 24
$-0.14
$-0.08
Q1 24
$-1.64
$-0.05

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
NDLS
NDLS
ZLAB
ZLAB
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$4.7M
$689.6M
Total DebtLower is stronger
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$-38.9M
$715.5M
Total Assets
$280.6M
$1.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
NDLS
NDLS
ZLAB
ZLAB
Q4 25
$689.6M
Q3 25
$4.7M
$717.2M
Q2 25
$1.4M
$732.2M
Q1 25
$757.3M
Q4 24
$3.3M
$779.7M
Q3 24
$1.8M
$616.1M
Q2 24
$1.3M
$630.0M
Q1 24
$3.0M
$650.8M
Stockholders' Equity
NDLS
NDLS
ZLAB
ZLAB
Q4 25
$715.5M
Q3 25
$-38.9M
$759.9M
Q2 25
$-13.9M
$791.7M
Q1 25
$810.8M
Q4 24
$3.7M
$840.9M
Q3 24
$9.6M
$667.7M
Q2 24
$21.9M
$704.2M
Q1 24
$27.2M
$762.2M
Total Assets
NDLS
NDLS
ZLAB
ZLAB
Q4 25
$1.2B
Q3 25
$280.6M
$1.2B
Q2 25
$319.4M
$1.2B
Q1 25
$1.2B
Q4 24
$340.5M
$1.2B
Q3 24
$346.3M
$985.3M
Q2 24
$360.4M
$987.4M
Q1 24
$368.1M
$988.4M

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
NDLS
NDLS
ZLAB
ZLAB
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$4.3M
$-26.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-2.8M
$-26.7M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-2.3%
-21.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
5.8%
0.5%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-7.5M
$-158.9M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
NDLS
NDLS
ZLAB
ZLAB
Q4 25
$-26.0M
Q3 25
$4.3M
$-32.0M
Q2 25
$4.0M
$-31.0M
Q1 25
$-61.7M
Q4 24
$5.8M
$-55.8M
Q3 24
$4.7M
$-26.8M
Q2 24
$7.0M
$-42.2M
Q1 24
$164.0K
$-90.1M
Free Cash Flow
NDLS
NDLS
ZLAB
ZLAB
Q4 25
$-26.7M
Q3 25
$-2.8M
$-35.0M
Q2 25
$1.1M
$-33.9M
Q1 25
$-63.2M
Q4 24
$-1.3M
$-58.4M
Q3 24
$-4.5M
$-28.2M
Q2 24
$-1.6M
$-42.9M
Q1 24
$-15.2M
$-91.1M
FCF Margin
NDLS
NDLS
ZLAB
ZLAB
Q4 25
-21.0%
Q3 25
-2.3%
-30.4%
Q2 25
0.9%
-31.1%
Q1 25
-59.9%
Q4 24
-1.1%
-53.8%
Q3 24
-3.5%
-27.7%
Q2 24
-1.4%
-42.9%
Q1 24
-12.2%
-104.5%
Capex Intensity
NDLS
NDLS
ZLAB
ZLAB
Q4 25
0.5%
Q3 25
5.8%
2.6%
Q2 25
2.4%
2.6%
Q1 25
1.5%
Q4 24
5.8%
2.4%
Q3 24
7.2%
1.3%
Q2 24
7.1%
0.7%
Q1 24
12.3%
1.1%

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

NDLS
NDLS

Food And Beverage$119.6M98%
Franchise$2.5M2%

ZLAB
ZLAB

Zejula$56.0M44%
Other$21.9M17%
Nuzyra$16.0M13%
Optune$11.9M9%
XACDURO$10.7M8%
Qinlock$9.7M8%
AUGTYRO$836.0K1%

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