A. O. Smith Corporation (AOS) vs Powell Industries, Inc. (POWL)
A side-by-side comparison of A. O. Smith Corporation and Powell Industries, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of October 4, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
AOS
A. O. Smith Corporation
$56.75IndustrialsDelayed quote: Oct 2, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
POWL
Powell Industries, Inc.
$196.10IndustrialsDelayed quote: Oct 2, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — AOS vs POWL
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yAOS +37.5% (+3.2%/yr)POWL +2842.9% (+40.2%/yr)POWL compounded faster over this window
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
AOS POWL
AOS vs POWL: by the numbers
- •AOS is the larger company ($7.86B vs $7.14B market cap).
- •AOS trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (15.81 vs 37.59 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •POWL converts more revenue to profit (16.49% vs 13.15% net margin).
- •POWL grew revenue faster over the past five years (20.49% vs 3.37% CAGR).
- •AOS pays the higher dividend yield (2.54% vs 0.18%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | AOS | POWL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 15.81 | 37.59 |
| Forward P/E | 15.21 | 28.49 |
| PEG ratio | 1.24 | 0.63 |
| P/S ratio | 2.07 | 6.17 |
| P/B ratio | 4.27 | 9.45 |
| EV / EBITDA | 10.98 | 27.57 |
| FCF yield | 8.13% | 3.41% |
Profitability
| Metric | AOS | POWL |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 38.59% | 30.08% |
| Operating margin | 17.57% | 19.67% |
| Net margin | 13.15% | 16.49% |
| ROE | 27.16% | 25.24% |
| ROIC | 18.44% | 22.63% |
Dividends
| Metric | AOS | POWL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 2.54% | 0.18% |
| Payout ratio | 40.11% | 6.88% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | AOS | POWL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 3.37% | 20.49% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 12.52% | 59.98% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 4.38% | N/A |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 0.27% | 95.45% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, AOS or POWL?
- AOS has the lower trailing P/E: AOS trades at 15.81 and POWL at 37.59. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, AOS or POWL?
- Over the past five years, POWL grew revenue faster — AOS at a 3.37% CAGR versus POWL at 20.49%.
- Does AOS or POWL pay a bigger dividend?
- AOS yields 2.54% and POWL yields 0.18% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is AOS or POWL more profitable?
- POWL runs the higher net margin — AOS at 13.15% versus POWL at 16.49%.
- How have AOS and POWL total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, AOS delivered 3.14% and POWL delivered 39.95% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
A. O. Smith P/E ratioPowell Industries P/E ratioA. O. Smith dividend yieldPowell Industries dividend yieldA. O. Smith ROEPowell Industries ROEA. O. Smith operating marginPowell Industries operating marginA. O. Smith revenue growthPowell Industries revenue growthA. O. Smith free cash flowPowell Industries free cash flow
A. O. Smith & 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 October 4, 2026.