Arcosa, Inc. (ACA) vs Powell Industries, Inc. (POWL)
POWL leads on 10 of 17 compared metrics, though ACA is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of Arcosa, Inc. and Powell Industries, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of July 25, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
ACA
Arcosa, Inc.
$145.00IndustrialsAt close: Jul 24, 2026, 4:00 PM ET
POWL
Powell Industries, Inc.
$232.21IndustrialsAt close: Jul 24, 2026, 4:00 PM ET
Total return — ACA vs POWL
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 8yACA +622.9%POWL +3617.1%POWL compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
ACA POWL
ACA vs POWL: by the numbers
- •POWL is the larger company ($8.46B vs $7.12B market cap).
- •ACA trades at the lower earnings multiple (32.01 vs 45.38 P/E).
- •POWL converts more revenue to profit (16.51% vs 7.88% net margin).
- •POWL grew revenue faster over the past five years (19.84% vs 8.38% CAGR).
- •POWL pays the higher dividend yield (0.15% vs 0.14%).
Which is better, ACA or POWL?
Metric tally: ACA 7 · POWL 10It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueACA(lower P/E)
GrowthPOWL(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
QualityPOWL(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | ACA | POWL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 32.01● | 45.38 |
| Forward P/E | 33.89● | 41.83 |
| P/S ratio | 2.53● | 7.50 |
| P/B ratio | 2.71● | 11.97 |
| PEG ratio | 0.21● | 1.03 |
| EV / EBITDA | 15.28● | 34.29 |
| FCF yield | 3.34%● | 2.27% |
Profitability
| Metric | ACA | POWL |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 22.77% | 30.10%● |
| Operating margin | 11.81% | 19.76%● |
| Net margin | 7.88% | 16.51%● |
| ROE | 8.45% | 26.36%● |
| ROIC | 6.71% | 25.41%● |
Dividends
| Metric | ACA | POWL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.14% | 0.15%● |
| Payout ratio | 4.71% | 7.18% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | ACA | POWL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 8.38% | 19.84%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 14.08% | 59.98%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -0.26% | 34.56%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 22.81% | 97.25%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, ACA or POWL?
- It depends on your goal. value: ACA (lower P/E); growth: POWL (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: POWL (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, POWL leads 10 to 7.
- Is ACA or POWL cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, ACA is cheaper: ACA trades at a 32.01 P/E and POWL at 45.38.
- Which has grown faster, ACA or POWL?
- Over the past five years, POWL grew revenue faster — ACA at a 8.38% CAGR versus POWL at 19.84%.
- Does ACA or POWL pay a bigger dividend?
- ACA yields 0.14% and POWL yields 0.15% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is ACA or POWL more profitable?
- POWL runs the higher net margin — ACA at 7.88% versus POWL at 16.51%.
- Which has been the better investment, ACA or POWL?
- Over the past 5-year, POWL delivered the higher annualized total return — ACA at 22.81% versus POWL at 43.87%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Arcosa P/E ratioPowell Industries P/E ratioArcosa dividend yieldPowell Industries dividend yieldArcosa ROEPowell Industries ROEArcosa operating marginPowell Industries operating marginArcosa revenue growthPowell Industries revenue growthArcosa free cash flowPowell Industries free cash flow
Arcosa & Powell Industries appear in these rankings
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 July 25, 2026.