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

StepStone Group Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($586.5M vs $497.6M, roughly 1.2× NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc.). NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 12.8% vs -21.0%, a 33.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, StepStone Group Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (73.0% vs 6.6%). Over the past eight quarters, StepStone Group Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (28.2% CAGR vs 24.7%).

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.

Rosetta Stone Inc. is an American education technology software company that develops language, literacy and brain-fitness software. Best known for its language-learning products, in 2013, the company expanded beyond language into education-technology with its acquisitions of Livemocha, Lexia Learning, Fit Brains, and Tell Me More. In 2021, it became a subsidiary of IXL Learning.

NWE vs STEP — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
STEP
STEP
1.2× larger
STEP
$586.5M
$497.6M
NWE
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
STEP
STEP
+66.4% gap
STEP
73.0%
6.6%
NWE
Higher net margin
NWE
NWE
33.8% more per $
NWE
12.8%
-21.0%
STEP
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
STEP
STEP
Annualised
STEP
28.2%
24.7%
NWE

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
NWE
NWE
STEP
STEP
Revenue
$497.6M
$586.5M
Net Profit
$63.5M
$-123.5M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
22.9%
-33.2%
Net Margin
12.8%
-21.0%
Revenue YoY
6.6%
73.0%
Net Profit YoY
35.7%
EPS (diluted)
$-1.55

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
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
$497.6M
Q4 25
$414.3M
$586.5M
Q3 25
$387.0M
$454.2M
Q2 25
$342.7M
$364.3M
Q1 25
$466.6M
$377.7M
Q4 24
$373.5M
$339.0M
Q3 24
$345.2M
$271.7M
Q2 24
$319.9M
$186.4M
Net Profit
NWE
NWE
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
$63.5M
Q4 25
$44.7M
$-123.5M
Q3 25
$38.2M
$-366.1M
Q2 25
$21.2M
$-38.4M
Q1 25
$76.9M
$-18.5M
Q4 24
$80.6M
$-192.0M
Q3 24
$46.8M
$17.6M
Q2 24
$31.7M
$13.3M
Operating Margin
NWE
NWE
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
22.9%
Q4 25
14.5%
-33.2%
Q3 25
20.7%
-148.8%
Q2 25
17.7%
-5.6%
Q1 25
26.7%
2.6%
Q4 24
24.6%
-101.7%
Q3 24
19.7%
21.3%
Q2 24
19.3%
29.4%
Net Margin
NWE
NWE
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
12.8%
Q4 25
10.8%
-21.0%
Q3 25
9.9%
-80.6%
Q2 25
6.2%
-10.5%
Q1 25
16.5%
-4.9%
Q4 24
21.6%
-56.6%
Q3 24
13.6%
6.5%
Q2 24
9.9%
7.2%
EPS (diluted)
NWE
NWE
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
Q4 25
$0.72
$-1.55
Q3 25
$0.62
$-4.66
Q2 25
$0.35
$-0.49
Q1 25
$1.25
$-0.37
Q4 24
$1.31
$-2.61
Q3 24
$0.76
$0.26
Q2 24
$0.52
$0.20

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
NWE
NWE
STEP
STEP
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
Total DebtLower is stronger
$270.2M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$-378.8M
Total Assets
$5.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
NWE
NWE
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
Q4 25
$8.8M
Q3 25
$6.2M
Q2 25
$2.9M
Q1 25
$56.0M
Q4 24
$4.3M
Q3 24
$2.5M
Q2 24
$6.4M
Total Debt
NWE
NWE
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
Q4 25
$3.3B
$270.2M
Q3 25
$269.9M
Q2 25
$269.6M
Q1 25
$269.3M
Q4 24
$3.0B
$168.9M
Q3 24
$172.3M
Q2 24
$172.1M
Stockholders' Equity
NWE
NWE
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
Q4 25
$2.9B
$-378.8M
Q3 25
$2.9B
$-233.5M
Q2 25
$2.9B
$153.9M
Q1 25
$2.9B
$179.4M
Q4 24
$2.9B
$209.8M
Q3 24
$2.8B
$397.5M
Q2 24
$2.8B
$366.9M
Total Assets
NWE
NWE
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
Q4 25
$8.5B
$5.2B
Q3 25
$8.3B
$5.3B
Q2 25
$8.1B
$4.8B
Q1 25
$8.1B
$4.6B
Q4 24
$8.0B
$4.3B
Q3 24
$7.9B
$4.0B
Q2 24
$7.7B
$3.8B
Debt / Equity
NWE
NWE
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.14×
Q3 25
Q2 25
1.75×
Q1 25
1.50×
Q4 24
1.05×
0.81×
Q3 24
0.43×
Q2 24
0.47×

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
STEP
STEP
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$27.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$26.7M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
4.6%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
0.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$18.6M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
NWE
NWE
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
Q4 25
$56.2M
$27.2M
Q3 25
$126.7M
$16.2M
Q2 25
$58.2M
$46.3M
Q1 25
$153.4M
$-66.5M
Q4 24
$62.8M
$27.6M
Q3 24
$120.0M
$53.7M
Q2 24
$62.3M
$50.2M
Free Cash Flow
NWE
NWE
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-93.7M
$26.7M
Q3 25
$-26.9M
$15.9M
Q2 25
$-70.6M
$45.2M
Q1 25
$61.3M
$-69.2M
Q4 24
$-85.9M
$27.0M
Q3 24
$-33.2M
$52.4M
Q2 24
$-76.3M
$49.6M
FCF Margin
NWE
NWE
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
Q4 25
-22.6%
4.6%
Q3 25
-6.9%
3.5%
Q2 25
-20.6%
12.4%
Q1 25
13.1%
-18.3%
Q4 24
-23.0%
8.0%
Q3 24
-9.6%
19.3%
Q2 24
-23.9%
26.6%
Capex Intensity
NWE
NWE
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
Q4 25
36.2%
0.1%
Q3 25
39.7%
0.1%
Q2 25
37.6%
0.3%
Q1 25
19.7%
0.7%
Q4 24
39.8%
0.2%
Q3 24
44.4%
0.5%
Q2 24
43.3%
0.3%
Cash Conversion
NWE
NWE
STEP
STEP
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.26×
Q3 25
3.31×
Q2 25
2.74×
Q1 25
1.99×
Q4 24
0.78×
Q3 24
2.56×
3.05×
Q2 24
1.97×
3.76×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

NWE
NWE

Electric$362.1M73%
Gas$135.5M27%

STEP
STEP

Other$210.1M36%
Management And Advisory Fees Net Focused Commingled Funds$143.3M24%
Carried Interest Allocation Focused Commingled Funds$85.1M15%
Carried Interest Allocation Separately Managed Accounts$63.6M11%
Carried Interest Allocation Realized$46.7M8%
Management And Advisory Fees Net Advisory And Other Services$18.3M3%
Legacy Carried Interest Allocation Focused Commingled Funds$10.3M2%
Income Based Incentive Fees$6.0M1%
Management And Advisory Fees Net Fund Reimbursement Revenues$3.1M1%

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