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

Childrens Place, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($339.5M vs $258.3M, roughly 1.3× NOVANTA INC). NOVANTA INC runs the higher net margin — 6.8% vs -1.3%, a 8.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, NOVANTA INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (8.5% vs -13.0%). NOVANTA INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($5.1M vs $-3.4M). Over the past eight quarters, NOVANTA INC's revenue compounded faster (5.8% CAGR vs -13.6%).

Novanta Inc is a global technology supplier delivering high-precision photonics, motion control, and machine vision solutions. It serves core segments including medical equipment manufacturing, advanced industrial automation, robotics, and life sciences, helping customers boost product performance and drive innovation worldwide.

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...

NOVT vs PLCE — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
PLCE
PLCE
1.3× larger
PLCE
$339.5M
$258.3M
NOVT
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
NOVT
NOVT
+21.5% gap
NOVT
8.5%
-13.0%
PLCE
Higher net margin
NOVT
NOVT
8.0% more per $
NOVT
6.8%
-1.3%
PLCE
More free cash flow
NOVT
NOVT
$8.5M more FCF
NOVT
$5.1M
$-3.4M
PLCE
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
NOVT
NOVT
Annualised
NOVT
5.8%
-13.6%
PLCE

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Revenue
$258.3M
$339.5M
Net Profit
$17.5M
$-4.3M
Gross Margin
43.8%
33.1%
Operating Margin
9.6%
1.1%
Net Margin
6.8%
-1.3%
Revenue YoY
8.5%
-13.0%
Net Profit YoY
6.1%
-121.5%
EPS (diluted)
$0.46
$-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
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$258.3M
$339.5M
Q3 25
$247.8M
$298.0M
Q2 25
$241.0M
$242.1M
Q1 25
$233.4M
$408.6M
Q4 24
$238.1M
$390.2M
Q3 24
$244.4M
$319.7M
Q2 24
$235.9M
$267.9M
Q1 24
$230.9M
$455.0M
Net Profit
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$17.5M
$-4.3M
Q3 25
$10.7M
$-5.4M
Q2 25
$4.5M
$-34.0M
Q1 25
$21.2M
$-8.0M
Q4 24
$16.5M
$20.1M
Q3 24
$19.2M
$-32.1M
Q2 24
$13.8M
$-37.8M
Q1 24
$14.7M
$-128.8M
Gross Margin
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
43.8%
33.1%
Q3 25
44.8%
34.0%
Q2 25
44.3%
29.2%
Q1 25
44.7%
28.5%
Q4 24
45.5%
35.5%
Q3 24
44.7%
35.0%
Q2 24
44.0%
34.6%
Q1 24
43.5%
21.8%
Operating Margin
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
9.6%
1.1%
Q3 25
8.8%
1.4%
Q2 25
6.2%
-10.0%
Q1 25
13.9%
1.7%
Q4 24
11.2%
7.5%
Q3 24
13.3%
-6.8%
Q2 24
10.9%
-10.4%
Q1 24
11.1%
-13.6%
Net Margin
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
6.8%
-1.3%
Q3 25
4.3%
-1.8%
Q2 25
1.9%
-14.1%
Q1 25
9.1%
-2.0%
Q4 24
6.9%
5.1%
Q3 24
7.9%
-10.0%
Q2 24
5.8%
-14.1%
Q1 24
6.4%
-28.3%
EPS (diluted)
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$0.46
$-0.19
Q3 25
$0.30
$-0.24
Q2 25
$0.12
$-1.57
Q1 25
$0.59
$-0.60
Q4 24
$0.45
$1.57
Q3 24
$0.53
$-2.51
Q2 24
$0.38
$-2.98
Q1 24
$0.41
$-10.24

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$380.9M
$7.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$107.4M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.3B
$-8.6M
Total Assets
$1.8B
$762.5M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$380.9M
$7.3M
Q3 25
$89.2M
$7.8M
Q2 25
$109.9M
$5.7M
Q1 25
$106.0M
$5.3M
Q4 24
$114.0M
$5.7M
Q3 24
$92.7M
$9.6M
Q2 24
$98.5M
$13.0M
Q1 24
$93.5M
$13.6M
Total Debt
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$107.4M
Q3 25
$107.2M
Q2 25
$107.0M
Q1 25
$166.0M
Q4 24
$165.7M
Q3 24
$165.4M
Q2 24
$166.6M
Q1 24
$49.8M
Stockholders' Equity
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$1.3B
$-8.6M
Q3 25
$801.5M
$-4.9M
Q2 25
$801.4M
$1.4M
Q1 25
$769.8M
$-59.4M
Q4 24
$745.7M
$-49.6M
Q3 24
$742.2M
$-68.9M
Q2 24
$702.0M
$-34.9M
Q1 24
$681.7M
$-9.0M
Total Assets
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$1.8B
$762.5M
Q3 25
$1.5B
$805.1M
Q2 25
$1.5B
$779.6M
Q1 25
$1.4B
$747.6M
Q4 24
$1.4B
$888.8M
Q3 24
$1.4B
$921.4M
Q2 24
$1.4B
$848.3M
Q1 24
$1.4B
$800.3M
Debt / Equity
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
Q3 25
Q2 25
75.63×
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$8.8M
$6.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$5.1M
$-3.4M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
2.0%
-1.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.4%
2.8%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.50×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$48.4M
$39.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$8.8M
$6.2M
Q3 25
$8.5M
$-30.5M
Q2 25
$15.1M
$-43.0M
Q1 25
$31.7M
$121.3M
Q4 24
$61.6M
$-44.2M
Q3 24
$23.0M
$-83.9M
Q2 24
$41.1M
$-110.8M
Q1 24
$32.8M
$135.4M
Free Cash Flow
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
$5.1M
$-3.4M
Q3 25
$4.2M
$-31.9M
Q2 25
$11.7M
$-46.4M
Q1 25
$27.4M
$121.2M
Q4 24
$59.3M
$-47.7M
Q3 24
$19.5M
$-91.7M
Q2 24
$36.2M
$-115.5M
Q1 24
$26.4M
$132.2M
FCF Margin
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
2.0%
-1.0%
Q3 25
1.7%
-10.7%
Q2 25
4.8%
-19.2%
Q1 25
11.7%
29.7%
Q4 24
24.9%
-12.2%
Q3 24
8.0%
-28.7%
Q2 24
15.3%
-43.1%
Q1 24
11.4%
29.1%
Capex Intensity
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
1.4%
2.8%
Q3 25
1.7%
0.5%
Q2 25
1.4%
1.4%
Q1 25
1.8%
0.0%
Q4 24
0.9%
0.9%
Q3 24
1.5%
2.4%
Q2 24
2.1%
1.8%
Q1 24
2.8%
0.7%
Cash Conversion
NOVT
NOVT
PLCE
PLCE
Q4 25
0.50×
Q3 25
0.80×
Q2 25
3.35×
Q1 25
1.49×
Q4 24
3.74×
-2.20×
Q3 24
1.20×
Q2 24
2.99×
Q1 24
2.24×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

NOVT
NOVT

Segment breakdown not available.

PLCE
PLCE

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

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