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Side-by-side financial comparison of PHOTRONICS INC (PLAB) and FreightCar America, Inc. (RAIL). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

PHOTRONICS INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($210.4M vs $125.5M, roughly 1.7× FreightCar America, Inc.). PHOTRONICS INC runs the higher net margin — 10.9% vs -13.2%, a 24.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, PHOTRONICS INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-5.5% vs -8.8%). PHOTRONICS INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($25.2M vs $8.8M). Over the past eight quarters, PHOTRONICS INC's revenue compounded faster (-3.8% CAGR vs -11.7%).

Photronics, Inc. is an American semiconductor photomask manufacturer. It was the third largest photomask supplier globally as of 2009. Photronics is a member of the eBeam Initiative.

FreightCar America, Inc. is a manufacturer of freight cars for the railway industry. The company employs around 2,000 people, most of them at its 700,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Castaños, Mexico. In addition to the manufacturing facility, the company maintains a headquarters in Chicago and an engineering and parts facility in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

PLAB vs RAIL — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
PLAB
PLAB
1.7× larger
PLAB
$210.4M
$125.5M
RAIL
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
PLAB
PLAB
+3.3% gap
PLAB
-5.5%
-8.8%
RAIL
Higher net margin
PLAB
PLAB
24.1% more per $
PLAB
10.9%
-13.2%
RAIL
More free cash flow
PLAB
PLAB
$16.4M more FCF
PLAB
$25.2M
$8.8M
RAIL
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
PLAB
PLAB
Annualised
PLAB
-3.8%
-11.7%
RAIL

Income Statement — Q3 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Revenue
$210.4M
$125.5M
Net Profit
$22.9M
$-16.6M
Gross Margin
33.7%
13.4%
Operating Margin
22.9%
6.2%
Net Margin
10.9%
-13.2%
Revenue YoY
-5.5%
-8.8%
Net Profit YoY
-32.4%
-147.9%
EPS (diluted)
$0.39
$-0.54

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
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Q4 25
$125.5M
Q3 25
$210.4M
$160.4M
Q2 25
$211.0M
$118.5M
Q1 25
$212.1M
$96.2M
Q4 24
$222.6M
$137.6M
Q3 24
$211.0M
$113.2M
Q2 24
$217.0M
$146.0M
Q1 24
$216.3M
$160.9M
Net Profit
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Q4 25
$-16.6M
Q3 25
$22.9M
$-7.4M
Q2 25
$8.9M
$11.7M
Q1 25
$42.9M
$50.4M
Q4 24
$33.9M
$34.6M
Q3 24
$34.4M
$-107.0M
Q2 24
$36.3M
$8.2M
Q1 24
$26.2M
$-11.6M
Gross Margin
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Q4 25
13.4%
Q3 25
33.7%
15.1%
Q2 25
36.9%
15.0%
Q1 25
35.6%
15.0%
Q4 24
37.0%
15.3%
Q3 24
35.6%
14.3%
Q2 24
36.5%
12.6%
Q1 24
36.6%
7.1%
Operating Margin
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Q4 25
6.2%
Q3 25
22.9%
9.1%
Q2 25
26.4%
6.5%
Q1 25
24.6%
4.0%
Q4 24
25.1%
8.5%
Q3 24
24.7%
7.6%
Q2 24
25.8%
9.0%
Q1 24
26.6%
2.4%
Net Margin
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Q4 25
-13.2%
Q3 25
10.9%
-4.6%
Q2 25
4.2%
9.9%
Q1 25
20.2%
52.4%
Q4 24
15.2%
25.2%
Q3 24
16.3%
-94.6%
Q2 24
16.7%
5.6%
Q1 24
12.1%
-7.2%
EPS (diluted)
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Q4 25
$-0.54
Q3 25
$0.39
$-0.23
Q2 25
$0.15
$0.34
Q1 25
$0.68
$1.52
Q4 24
$0.54
$0.88
Q3 24
$0.55
$-3.57
Q2 24
$0.58
$0.11
Q1 24
$0.42
$-0.54

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$575.8M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$16.0K
$107.2M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.1B
$-107.4M
Total Assets
$1.8B
$290.0M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.00×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Q4 25
Q3 25
$575.8M
Q2 25
$558.4M
Q1 25
$642.2M
Q4 24
$640.7M
Q3 24
$606.4M
Q2 24
$559.9M
Q1 24
$521.5M
Total Debt
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Q4 25
$107.2M
Q3 25
$16.0K
$107.6M
Q2 25
$19.0K
$107.9M
Q1 25
$21.0K
$108.2M
Q4 24
$25.0K
$108.4M
Q3 24
$28.0K
Q2 24
$2.5M
Q1 24
$2.7M
Stockholders' Equity
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Q4 25
$-107.4M
Q3 25
$1.1B
$-90.9M
Q2 25
$1.1B
$-83.5M
Q1 25
$1.1B
$-97.4M
Q4 24
$1.1B
$-150.3M
Q3 24
$1.1B
$-156.3M
Q2 24
$1.0B
$-48.8M
Q1 24
$1.0B
$-57.0M
Total Assets
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Q4 25
$290.0M
Q3 25
$1.8B
$340.8M
Q2 25
$1.7B
$328.1M
Q1 25
$1.7B
$250.5M
Q4 24
$1.7B
$224.2M
Q3 24
$1.6B
$245.9M
Q2 24
$1.6B
$207.2M
Q1 24
$1.6B
$248.7M
Debt / Equity
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Q4 25
Q3 25
0.00×
Q2 25
0.00×
Q1 25
0.00×
Q4 24
0.00×
Q3 24
0.00×
Q2 24
0.00×
Q1 24
0.00×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$50.1M
$10.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$25.2M
$8.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
12.0%
7.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
11.8%
1.0%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.19×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$64.5M
$31.4M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Q4 25
$10.0M
Q3 25
$50.1M
$3.4M
Q2 25
$31.5M
$8.5M
Q1 25
$78.5M
$12.8M
Q4 24
$68.4M
$5.9M
Q3 24
$75.1M
$7.2M
Q2 24
$76.5M
$57.2M
Q1 24
$41.5M
$-25.3M
Free Cash Flow
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Q4 25
$8.8M
Q3 25
$25.2M
$2.2M
Q2 25
$-29.1M
$7.9M
Q1 25
$43.3M
$12.5M
Q4 24
$25.2M
$4.6M
Q3 24
$50.7M
$5.7M
Q2 24
$56.5M
$55.9M
Q1 24
$-1.8M
$-26.3M
FCF Margin
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Q4 25
7.0%
Q3 25
12.0%
1.4%
Q2 25
-13.8%
6.7%
Q1 25
20.4%
13.0%
Q4 24
11.3%
3.3%
Q3 24
24.0%
5.0%
Q2 24
26.0%
38.3%
Q1 24
-0.8%
-16.3%
Capex Intensity
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Q4 25
1.0%
Q3 25
11.8%
0.7%
Q2 25
28.7%
0.5%
Q1 25
16.6%
0.3%
Q4 24
19.4%
0.9%
Q3 24
11.6%
1.3%
Q2 24
9.2%
0.9%
Q1 24
20.0%
0.6%
Cash Conversion
PLAB
PLAB
RAIL
RAIL
Q4 25
Q3 25
2.19×
Q2 25
3.55×
0.73×
Q1 25
1.83×
0.25×
Q4 24
2.02×
0.17×
Q3 24
2.18×
Q2 24
2.11×
6.99×
Q1 24
1.59×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

PLAB
PLAB

High End Integrated Circuits$53.6M25%
High End Flat Panel Displays$53.5M25%
KR$43.7M21%
Other$42.1M20%
Mainstream Flat Panel Displays$9.1M4%
Transferred At Point In Time$8.4M4%

RAIL
RAIL

Railcar Sales$118.9M95%
Aftermarket Sales$6.6M5%

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