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Side-by-side financial comparison of NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. (NWE) and OPENLANE, Inc. (OPLN). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

OPENLANE, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($494.3M vs $414.3M, roughly 1.2× NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc.). OPENLANE, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 12.0% vs 10.8%, a 1.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (10.9% vs 8.6%). OPENLANE, Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($110.8M vs $-93.7M). Over the past eight quarters, OPENLANE, Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (7.2% CAGR vs -6.6%).

NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. is a utility company that serves South Dakota, Nebraska, and Montana that is based in Sioux Falls. As of 2019, the company serves approximately 718,000 customers. The company's corporate headquarters are located in Sioux Falls while the headquarters for the South Dakota operations are in Huron, South Dakota.

OPENLANE, Inc. operates a leading global digital wholesale automotive marketplace platform. It connects vehicle sellers including dealerships, fleet operators, financial institutions, and rental firms with qualified professional buyers, facilitating efficient, transparent transactions for used, off-lease, and repossessed vehicles across North America, Europe, and key global markets.

NWE vs OPLN — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
OPLN
OPLN
1.2× larger
OPLN
$494.3M
$414.3M
NWE
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
NWE
NWE
+2.3% gap
NWE
10.9%
8.6%
OPLN
Higher net margin
OPLN
OPLN
1.2% more per $
OPLN
12.0%
10.8%
NWE
More free cash flow
OPLN
OPLN
$204.5M more FCF
OPLN
$110.8M
$-93.7M
NWE
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
OPLN
OPLN
Annualised
OPLN
7.2%
-6.6%
NWE

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
NWE
NWE
OPLN
OPLN
Revenue
$414.3M
$494.3M
Net Profit
$44.7M
$59.5M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
14.5%
8.6%
Net Margin
10.8%
12.0%
Revenue YoY
10.9%
8.6%
Net Profit YoY
-44.5%
13.8%
EPS (diluted)
$0.72
$-1.54

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
NWE
NWE
OPLN
OPLN
Q4 25
$414.3M
$494.3M
Q3 25
$387.0M
$498.4M
Q2 25
$342.7M
$481.7M
Q1 25
$466.6M
$460.1M
Q4 24
$373.5M
$455.0M
Q3 24
$345.2M
$459.8M
Q2 24
$319.9M
$443.8M
Q1 24
$475.3M
$429.9M
Net Profit
NWE
NWE
OPLN
OPLN
Q4 25
$44.7M
$59.5M
Q3 25
$38.2M
$47.9M
Q2 25
$21.2M
$33.4M
Q1 25
$76.9M
$36.9M
Q4 24
$80.6M
$52.3M
Q3 24
$46.8M
$28.4M
Q2 24
$31.7M
$10.7M
Q1 24
$65.1M
$18.5M
Operating Margin
NWE
NWE
OPLN
OPLN
Q4 25
14.5%
8.6%
Q3 25
20.7%
11.0%
Q2 25
17.7%
9.8%
Q1 25
26.7%
11.2%
Q4 24
24.6%
17.4%
Q3 24
19.7%
9.2%
Q2 24
19.3%
5.4%
Q1 24
21.5%
8.6%
Net Margin
NWE
NWE
OPLN
OPLN
Q4 25
10.8%
12.0%
Q3 25
9.9%
9.6%
Q2 25
6.2%
6.9%
Q1 25
16.5%
8.0%
Q4 24
21.6%
11.5%
Q3 24
13.6%
6.2%
Q2 24
9.9%
2.4%
Q1 24
13.7%
4.3%
EPS (diluted)
NWE
NWE
OPLN
OPLN
Q4 25
$0.72
$-1.54
Q3 25
$0.62
$0.25
Q2 25
$0.35
$0.15
Q1 25
$1.25
$0.18
Q4 24
$1.31
$0.28
Q3 24
$0.76
$0.12
Q2 24
$0.52
$0.00
Q1 24
$1.06
$0.05

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
NWE
NWE
OPLN
OPLN
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$8.8M
$141.5M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$3.3B
$550.0M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$2.9B
$1.2B
Total Assets
$8.5B
$4.7B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.14×
0.44×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
NWE
NWE
OPLN
OPLN
Q4 25
$8.8M
$141.5M
Q3 25
$6.2M
$119.3M
Q2 25
$2.9M
$119.1M
Q1 25
$56.0M
$220.5M
Q4 24
$4.3M
$143.0M
Q3 24
$2.5M
$132.1M
Q2 24
$6.4M
$60.9M
Q1 24
$4.2M
$105.2M
Total Debt
NWE
NWE
OPLN
OPLN
Q4 25
$3.3B
$550.0M
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
$3.0B
$230.7M
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24
Stockholders' Equity
NWE
NWE
OPLN
OPLN
Q4 25
$2.9B
$1.2B
Q3 25
$2.9B
$1.4B
Q2 25
$2.9B
$1.4B
Q1 25
$2.9B
$1.4B
Q4 24
$2.9B
$1.3B
Q3 24
$2.8B
$1.3B
Q2 24
$2.8B
$1.3B
Q1 24
$2.8B
$1.3B
Total Assets
NWE
NWE
OPLN
OPLN
Q4 25
$8.5B
$4.7B
Q3 25
$8.3B
$4.8B
Q2 25
$8.1B
$4.6B
Q1 25
$8.1B
$4.8B
Q4 24
$8.0B
$4.6B
Q3 24
$7.9B
$4.6B
Q2 24
$7.7B
$4.6B
Q1 24
$7.6B
$4.8B
Debt / Equity
NWE
NWE
OPLN
OPLN
Q4 25
1.14×
0.44×
Q3 25
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
1.05×
0.17×
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
NWE
NWE
OPLN
OPLN
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$56.2M
$125.5M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-93.7M
$110.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-22.6%
22.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
36.2%
3.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.26×
2.11×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-130.0M
$336.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
NWE
NWE
OPLN
OPLN
Q4 25
$56.2M
$125.5M
Q3 25
$126.7M
$72.2M
Q2 25
$58.2M
$71.6M
Q1 25
$153.4M
$122.6M
Q4 24
$62.8M
$32.7M
Q3 24
$120.0M
$122.4M
Q2 24
$62.3M
$37.5M
Q1 24
$161.7M
$100.2M
Free Cash Flow
NWE
NWE
OPLN
OPLN
Q4 25
$-93.7M
$110.8M
Q3 25
$-26.9M
$57.6M
Q2 25
$-70.6M
$57.4M
Q1 25
$61.3M
$110.7M
Q4 24
$-85.9M
$18.7M
Q3 24
$-33.2M
$109.3M
Q2 24
$-76.3M
$24.5M
Q1 24
$52.9M
$87.3M
FCF Margin
NWE
NWE
OPLN
OPLN
Q4 25
-22.6%
22.4%
Q3 25
-6.9%
11.6%
Q2 25
-20.6%
11.9%
Q1 25
13.1%
24.1%
Q4 24
-23.0%
4.1%
Q3 24
-9.6%
23.8%
Q2 24
-23.9%
5.5%
Q1 24
11.1%
20.3%
Capex Intensity
NWE
NWE
OPLN
OPLN
Q4 25
36.2%
3.0%
Q3 25
39.7%
2.9%
Q2 25
37.6%
2.9%
Q1 25
19.7%
2.6%
Q4 24
39.8%
3.1%
Q3 24
44.4%
2.8%
Q2 24
43.3%
2.9%
Q1 24
22.9%
3.0%
Cash Conversion
NWE
NWE
OPLN
OPLN
Q4 25
1.26×
2.11×
Q3 25
3.31×
1.51×
Q2 25
2.74×
2.14×
Q1 25
1.99×
3.32×
Q4 24
0.78×
0.63×
Q3 24
2.56×
4.31×
Q2 24
1.97×
3.50×
Q1 24
2.48×
5.42×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

NWE
NWE

Electricity Us Regulated$315.3M76%
Other Tariff Based Revenue$50.5M12%
Transmission Customers$28.4M7%
Industrial Customers$11.0M3%
Other Customers$6.1M1%

OPLN
OPLN

Marketplace$384.7M78%
Finance$109.6M22%

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