Carter's, Inc. (CRI) vs Liquidity Services, Inc. (LQDT)

LQDT leads on 9 of 16 compared metrics, though CRI is the cheaper stock.

A side-by-side comparison of Carter's, Inc. and Liquidity Services, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 13, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).

Carter's, Inc. logo
CRI
Carter's, Inc.
$1.58B
$42.79Consumer Cyclical
Liquidity Services, Inc. logo
LQDT
Liquidity Services, Inc.
$1.18B
$37.94Consumer Cyclical

Total return — CRI vs LQDT

growth of $100 · last 20y
CRI +37.1%LQDT +208.7%LQDT compounded faster
0100200300400500Start $10020102014201820222026$137$309
CRI LQDT

CRI vs LQDT: by the numbers

  • •CRI is the larger company ($1.58B vs $1.18B market cap).
  • •CRI trades at the lower earnings multiple (16.87 vs 40.80 P/E).
  • •LQDT converts more revenue to profit (6.30% vs 3.07% net margin).
  • •LQDT grew revenue faster over the past five years (16.76% vs -1.35% CAGR).
  • •CRI pays a dividend (2.34% yield) while LQDT does not currently pay one.

Which is better, CRI or LQDT?

Metric tally: CRI 7 · LQDT 9

It depends on what you're optimizing for:

ValueCRI(lower P/E)
GrowthLQDT(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
QualityLQDT(higher ROIC)

Valuation

MetricCRILQDT
P/E ratio16.87●40.80
Forward P/E12.92●25.21
P/S ratio0.51●2.55
P/B ratio1.63●5.52
PEG ratio26.780.80●
EV / EBITDA10.86●18.90
FCF yield8.38%●6.35%

Profitability

MetricCRILQDT
Gross margin44.66%45.61%●
Operating margin4.80%8.37%●
Net margin3.07%6.30%●
ROE9.76%13.62%●
ROIC5.29%11.42%●

Dividends

MetricCRILQDT
Dividend yield2.34%—
Payout ratio38.61%—

Growth (annualized)

MetricCRILQDT
Revenue CAGR (5Y)-1.35%16.76%●
EPS CAGR (5Y)0.63%●-0.58%
FCF CAGR (5Y)-24.78%6.73%●
Total return CAGR (5Y)-13.10%10.63%●

Frequently asked

Which is better, CRI or LQDT?
It depends on your goal. value: CRI (lower P/E); growth: LQDT (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: LQDT (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, LQDT leads 9 to 7.
Is CRI or LQDT cheaper?
On trailing earnings, CRI is cheaper: CRI trades at a 16.87 P/E and LQDT at 40.80.
Which has grown faster, CRI or LQDT?
Over the past five years, LQDT grew revenue faster — CRI at a -1.35% CAGR versus LQDT at 16.76%.
Does CRI or LQDT pay a bigger dividend?
CRI pays a dividend (2.34% yield) while LQDT does not currently pay one.
Is CRI or LQDT more profitable?
LQDT runs the higher net margin — CRI at 3.07% versus LQDT at 6.30%.
Which has been the better investment, CRI or LQDT?
Over the past 10-year, LQDT delivered the higher annualized total return — CRI at -5.79% versus LQDT at 18.06%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

Go deeper

Full CRI analysisFull LQDT analysisInteractive comparison tool

Dig into the metrics

Carter's P/E ratioLiquidity Services P/E ratioCarter's dividend yieldLiquidity Services dividend yieldCarter's ROELiquidity Services ROECarter's operating marginLiquidity Services operating marginCarter's revenue growthLiquidity Services revenue growthCarter's free cash flowLiquidity Services free cash flow

Carter's & Liquidity Services appear in these rankings

Highest Dividend Yield StocksFastest Revenue Growth StocksHighest FCF Yield StocksBest 10-Year Total Return Stocks

Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 13, 2026.