First Advantage's Competitiveness
A competitive positioning analysis and financial ratio benchmarking of First Advantage (FA) against its publicly traded competitors: sales growth, net income, profitability, valuation and market share, plus each peer's market capitalization, revenue, income and employees. Free below: the top 5 peers. Subscriber access adds the full competitor list and CSV downloads.
Key Findings: First Advantage vs Its Competitors
- TTM: Trailing 12-month revenue of 1,663M vs -140M combined for tracked competitors (109.2% combined share).
- Trending: Latest-quarter revenue run-rate is accelerating (+7.9% annualized vs trailing 12 months).
- Scale: First Advantage ranks #39 of 165 companies by market capitalization in the Cloud Computing & Data Analytics industry, holding 0.5% of industry market cap.
- Peer revenue share: First Advantage accounted for 108.6% of combined revenue among its tracked peer group, up from 105.0% a year earlier.
Every figure above is sourced and cited in detail further down this page (Market Structure, Profitability & Cost Structure, Productivity vs Peers).
FA Sales vs. its Competitors, Q2 2026
First Advantage generated 108.56 % of the combined sales of its peer group, up from 104.95 % a year earlier.
For context: the Cloud Computing & Data Analytics industry grew revenue 1.3% year over year, combined, vs 14.9% for First Advantage. First Advantage's share of combined industry revenue moved from 0.28% to 0.32%, a gain of 0.04 percentage points.
First Advantage's Competitor Quality Breadth
Share of each group, trailing 12 months: profitable (net margin > 0), expanding (revenue growth > 0), growing faster than the industry's own median, and financially distressed (Piotroski F-Score of 2 or below).
| Entity | Profitable | Expanding | Above Industry Growth | Distressed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Advantage Corporation | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Competitors combined (1) | - | - | ||
| High-Confidence Competitors (1) | ||||
| Similar-Size Competitors (10) | ||||
| Similar Growth & Profitability (8) | 50.00 % (4 of 8) | 100.00 % (8 of 8) | 100.00 % (8 of 8) | 14.30 % (1 of 7) |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Altman Z-Score is not shown here: it is not populated in the underlying data for any company. Percentages are of companies in each group that report the relevant metric, not of the full group size.
FA Stock Performance relative to its Competitors
FA Stock Performance relative to High-Confidence Competitors
FA Stock Performance relative to Similar-Size Competitors
FA Stock Performance relative to Similar Growth & Profitability Competitors
5 Best-Performing Tracked Competitors, Trailing 12 Months
| # | Competitor | TTM Share Price Return | vs U.S.A. 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ready Capital Corporation | 282.9% | Outperformed |
TTM share price return and U.S.A. 500 outperformance for First Advantage's best-performing tracked competitors requires a Commercial License.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months.
Publicly Traded Peers of First Advantage Corporation
Revenue and income for trailing 12 months, in millions of $, except employees| Company | Market Cap | Revenues |
|---|---|---|
| First Advantage Corporation | 3,223.72 | 1,663.13 |
| Ready Capital Corporation | 224.62 | -140.38 |
| SUBTOTAL | 3,448.34 | 1,522.76 |
Sources: First Advantage Corporation's official press releases and regulatory filings; CSIMarket.com's market research; and the financial filings and press releases of the other companies cited.
Updated on:
Focus of this report: publicly traded companies. Ten additional tables on First Advantage Corporation versus competitors, including market share analysis, are in the navigation menu under Competition. To download the tables, please subscribe.
First Advantage's Competitors Named by the Company
Competitive relationships identified from SEC filings and corroborating sources, each with a basis and confidence.| Competitor | Basis | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Hireright Holdings Corp | Named by the company | 85% |
Filing basis, confidence, active dates and source counts for First Advantage's named competitors require a Commercial License.
Methodology: relationships are extracted from SEC filings (named-competitor disclosures) and corroborating sources. Named by the company = explicitly disclosed as a competitor; Inferred = derived from corroborating signals. Confidence reflects evidence strength.
First Advantage's Business Segment Mix vs Peers
Revenue by operating segment or division, as named and reported by each company. Segment names are the filer's own and are not standardized across companies. Do not assume a same-named or similarly-named segment is defined identically between two companies. Shares are of each company's own total revenue and are not required to sum to 100% (intersegment revenue, unallocated items).| Company | Largest Segment |
|---|---|
| First Advantage Corporation | Total Revenues 44.84 % |
Source: operating segment revenue as reported in each company's SEC filings (10-K/10-Q), via the CSIMarket API, leaf-level reportable segments only (parent roll-up segments are excluded where sub-segments are separately disclosed).
First Advantage's Productivity vs Peers Comparison
Revenue and income per employee, trailing 12 months, in $; market cap in millions of $| Company | Market Cap | Revenue / Employee | Income / Employee |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Advantage Corporation | 3,224 | 175,067 | 2,647 |
| Ready Capital Corporation | 225 | -350,938 | -925,460 |
| PEERS TOTAL | 225 | -350,938 | -925,460 |
First Advantage's Geographic Revenue Exposure vs Peers
Revenue by country/region as reported in each company's most recent filing. Disclosure granularity varies by filer (some report by country, others by broad region) and is shown as disclosed.| Company | Largest Market |
|---|---|
| First Advantage Corporation | US 85.52 % |
Source: revenue geography as reported in each company's SEC filings (10-K/10-Q), via the CSIMarket API. Percentages are of that company's own total consolidated revenue for its most recent reported period.
First Advantage's Position in Industry Market Structure
Market-capitalization share and concentration across all 148 companies in First Advantage's industry classification, broader than the peer set above. Market cap in millions of $.First Advantage ranks #39 of 148 companies by market capitalization in its industry, holding 0.53 % of total industry market cap. The industry's Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) is 546, indicating a unconcentrated market structure (U.S. antitrust guidance: below 1,500 unconcentrated, 1,500 to 2,500 moderately concentrated, above 2,500 highly concentrated).
| Rank | Company | Market Cap | Industry Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Automatic Data Processing Inc | 105,523 | 16.92 % |
| 2 | Workday Inc | 45,532 | 7.30 % |
| 3 | Infosys Limited | 43,117 | 6.91 % |
| 4 | Zscaler Inc | 31,483 | 5.05 % |
| 5 | Reddit Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 6 | Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 7 | Verisign Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 8 | Verisk Analytics Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 9 | Toast Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 10 | Wipro Limited | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 39 | First Advantage Corporation | 3,331 | 0.53 % |
Market cap and industry share for the rest of First Advantage's industry peers requires a Commercial License.
Source: CSIMarket API (daily market-structure computation) across CSIMarket's industry classification, market capitalization as of 2026-09-28.
First Advantage's Same-Size Peers & Stock Performance
Peers chosen by closeness in market-cap rank within the same industry classification (not the named-competitor list above). Trailing 12-month total return, 3-month price momentum, beta and Sharpe ratio vs the broad U.S. market.| Rank | Company | Market Cap | TTM Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | Minimed Group Inc | 4,333 | - |
| 35 | Joyy inc | 4,273 | 35.10 % |
| 36 | Ccc Intelligent Solutions Holdings Inc | 3,916 | -27.23 % |
| 37 | Pagseguro Digital Ltd | 3,746 | -11.89 % |
| 38 | Life360 Inc | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 39 | First Advantage Corporation | 3,331 | 29.23 % |
| 40 | Stoneco Ltd | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 41 | Five9 Inc | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 42 | Netscout Systems Inc | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 43 | Cargurus Inc | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 44 | Pony Ai inc | 1,234 | 12.3% |
Market cap, return, momentum, beta and Sharpe ratio for the rest of First Advantage's same-size peers requires a Commercial License.
Source: CSIMarket API (daily market-structure computation); returns and risk metrics as of 2026-09-28. Beta and Sharpe ratio are versus the broad U.S. equity market, not this industry.
First Advantage's Profitability & Cost Structure
Trailing 12-month margins from SEC-filed financials. Operating margin is compared to the Cloud Computing & Data Analytics industry median; gross margin, EBITDA margin and capital intensity are compared to the live industry average (203 companies).| Metric | Company | Industry | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | - | 51.85 % (avg) | - |
| Operating Margin | 10.68 % | industry median | +11.7 pp |
| EBITDA Margin | 31.50 % | 2.97 % (avg) | +28.5 pp |
| Capital Intensity (Capex / Revenue) | 3.96 % | 5.21 % (avg) | -1.3 pp |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. SG&A and R&D as a share of revenue have limited coverage as this data is backfilled and appear only where reported. Higher capital intensity is not inherently negative; it reflects the industry's asset requirements.
First Advantage's Valuation vs Competitive Position
Valuation multiples vs the Cloud Computing & Data Analytics industry average (203 companies, excluding loss-making/negative-equity outliers), alongside returns on capital for context on whether a premium or discount lines up with measurably stronger or weaker returns.| Metric | Company | Industry Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| P/E | 126.6x | 27.6x | +99.0x |
| EV / EBITDA | 9.3x | 16.4x | -7.2x |
| P/B | 2.3x | 4.0x | -1.7x |
| Return on Equity | 1.93 % | industry aggregate | -8.81 % |
| Return on Invested Capital | 3.51 % | 1.95 % (avg) | 1.56 % |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. A valuation premium or discount is not, by itself, a judgment of over- or under-valuation. Compare it against the return and growth context shown elsewhere on this page.
First Advantage's Multi-Year Financial Trajectory
Fiscal-year revenue growth, operating margin, return on invested capital and P/E, as reported in SEC filings.| Metric | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth | - | - | -5.71 % | 12.63 % | 83.02 % |
| Operating Margin | - | 11.64 % | 10.67 % | -7.25 % | 8.41 % |
| Return on Invested Capital | - | 3.10 % | 2.99 % | -1.96 % | 2.59 % |
| P/E | - | 30.5x | 61.0x | - | - |
Source: CSIMarket API, fiscal-year figures. P/E is this company's own historical ratio at each fiscal year end and can swing sharply around an earnings trough: that is real, not a data error.
First Advantage's Strategic Group Map
Every company in First Advantage's industry and named-competitor list, plotted by trailing 12-month revenue growth and operating margin. First Advantage is shown in red; its closest peers by combined growth, margin and ROIC (the Similar Growth & Profitability group above) are labeled.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Extreme outlier values (from near-zero-revenue companies) are excluded from the plotted cloud but never from the highlighted company or its labeled peers.
First Advantage's BCG Growth-Share Matrix
Relative market share (vs First Advantage's largest competitor by market cap) against industry revenue growth, using the standard textbook thresholds (1.0x share, 10% growth) a common framework, not a precision instrument.
First Advantage falls in the Dog quadrant: relative market share of 0.03x vs its largest competitor, in an industry growing revenue 5.4% (median, trailing 12 months).
Source: CSIMarket API (market-cap share and industry revenue growth). The 10% growth and 1.0x share lines are standard textbook thresholds, not derived from this industry's own distribution.
First Advantage's Competitive Forces (Porter's Five Forces)
Only the forces this data can support honestly are shown; the other three are marked as such rather than guessed.| Force | Assessment | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Competitive Rivalry | High | Industry HHI of 546 (see Industry Market Structure & Concentration above) |
| Barriers to Entry | Lower than typical for the industry | Capital intensity (capex / revenue) of 3.96 % vs industry average 5.21 % (see Profitability & Cost Structure above) |
| Supplier Power | Not covered on this page | See First Advantage's dedicated suppliers page for concentration and dependency data |
| Buyer Power | Not covered on this page | See First Advantage's dedicated customers page for concentration and dependency data |
| Threat of Substitutes | - | No systematic data source for cross-product substitution exists in this system; not estimated |
Note: this is a partial, data-grounded application of the framework, not a complete strategic assessment. Rivalry and barriers-to-entry readings are mechanical translations of the HHI and capital-intensity figures shown elsewhere on this page, not independent judgments.
First Advantage's Industry Attractiveness & Competitive Strength
A CSIMarket composite, not a standard field: each axis is an equal-weighted average of three factors already shown elsewhere on this page (industry growth, industry profitability and rivalry for attractiveness; relative market share, profitability and growth vs industry for strength). Disclosed as a designed methodology, not a precision measurement.
First Advantage falls in the Low attractiveness / Medium strength cell: Harvest.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Each axis score is a simple 1(low)/2(medium)/3(high) average across its three inputs -- a transparent, disclosed simplification, not a validated academic scoring model.
First Advantage's SWOT
Every point below is a fixed rule applied to a metric already shown elsewhere on this page (Market Structure, Profitability, Valuation, Run-Rate, Stock Performance, Quality Breadth) not an independent strategic assessment. A blank quadrant means no rule was met, not that none apply.Strengths
- Operating margin 11.7 points above the industry median.
- Latest-quarter revenue run-rate is accelerating (+7.9% annualized vs trailing 12 months).
- Outperforming the U.S.A. 500 over the trailing 12 months.
Weaknesses
- Return on equity 8.8 points below the industry aggregate.
- Low relative market share vs the industry leader (0.03x).
Opportunities
- A meaningful share of tracked competitors (100.00 %) show financial-distress signals, a possible opening to gain share.
Threats
No rule matched.
Methodology: mechanical, rule-based SWOT. Each bullet reuses a figure already sourced and cited elsewhere on this page; nothing here is generated narrative or independent analyst judgment.
First Advantage's Financial Strength vs Peers Comparison
Quick ratio, working capital, debt to equity and asset turnover, trailing 12 months| Company | Quick Ratio | Working Capital | Debt / Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Advantage Corporation | 1.02 | 2.46 | 1.59 |
| Ready Capital Corporation | 1.24 | 9.15 | 1.86 |
Quick ratio = cash / current liabilities; working capital ratio = current assets / current liabilities; asset turnover = revenue / total assets. Peers in the Blank Checks industry are excluded.
First Advantage's Revenue and Income Growth vs Peers
Quarterly revenue and net income growth, year over year and quarter over quarter| Company | Period | Revenue Y/Y | Income Y/Y |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Advantage Corporation | Q2 2026 | +14.9 % | +5,391.6 % |
| Ready Capital Corporation | Q2 2026 | - | - |
| PEERS TOTAL | -23.5 % | - |
Growth is shown only where both periods are positive. Peers in the Blank Checks industry are excluded.
First Advantage's Peers' Costs of Sales and Capital Expenditures
Context for revenue growth: peer costs and capex, year over year and quarter over quarter| Company | Period | Costs Y/Y | Capex Y/Y |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Advantage Corporation | Q2 2026 | - | +52.7 % |
| Ready Capital Corporation | Q2 2026 | -61.7 % | +125.7 % |
First Advantage's Returns and Turnover vs Peers
ROA, ROI and ROE (trailing 12 months), receivables and inventory turnover| Company | ROA | ROI | ROE |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Advantage Corporation | 0.66% | 0.67% | 1.93% |
| Ready Capital Corporation | - | - | - |
ROA = net income / total assets; ROI = net income / investments; ROE = net income / equity; turnover ratios use trailing 12 month revenue (receivables) and cost of sales (inventory).
First Advantage's Valuation vs Peers
P/E, price to sales, PEG, price to cash flow and price to book| Company | P/E | Price / Sales |
|---|---|---|
| First Advantage Corporation | 135.57 | 1.94 |
| Ready Capital Corporation | - | - |
| PEERS AVERAGE | - | 2.26 |
P/E = price / diluted EPS (trailing 12 months); PEG = P/E divided by EPS growth; the average row divides the peers' combined market cap by their combined income, sales, cash flow and equity.