A. O. Smith Corporation (AOS) vs Saia, Inc. (SAIA)
A side-by-side comparison of A. O. Smith Corporation and Saia, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of September 3, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
AOS
A. O. Smith Corporation
$60.60IndustrialsDelayed quote: Sep 3, 2026, 1:20 PM EDT
SAIA
Saia, Inc.
$341.51IndustrialsDelayed quote: Sep 3, 2026, 1:20 PM EDT
Total return — AOS vs SAIA
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yAOS +45.2% (+3.8%/yr)SAIA +991.5% (+27.0%/yr)SAIA compounded faster over this window
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
AOS SAIA
AOS vs SAIA: by the numbers
- •SAIA is the larger company ($9.11B vs $8.40B market cap).
- •AOS trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (16.51 vs 32.05 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •AOS converts more revenue to profit (13.15% vs 8.19% net margin).
- •SAIA grew revenue faster over the past five years (11.00% vs 3.37% CAGR).
- •AOS pays a dividend (2.43% yield), while SAIA has no payments in the available dividend history.
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | AOS | SAIA |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 16.51 | 32.05 |
| Forward P/E | 15.86 | 29.27 |
| P/S ratio | 2.16 | 2.63 |
| P/B ratio | 4.46 | 3.27 |
| EV / EBITDA | 11.44 | 14.48 |
| FCF yield | 7.79% | 2.86% |
Profitability
| Metric | AOS | SAIA |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 38.59% | 16.12% |
| Operating margin | 17.57% | 11.04% |
| Net margin | 13.15% | 8.19% |
| ROE | 27.16% | 10.19% |
| ROIC | 18.44% | 8.47% |
Dividends
| Metric | AOS | SAIA |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 2.43% | N/A |
| Payout ratio | 37.31% | N/A |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | AOS | SAIA |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 3.37% | 11.00% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 12.52% | 12.52% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 4.38% | -18.92% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -2.46% | 6.15% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, AOS or SAIA?
- AOS has the lower trailing P/E: AOS trades at 16.51 and SAIA at 32.05. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, AOS or SAIA?
- Over the past five years, SAIA grew revenue faster — AOS at a 3.37% CAGR versus SAIA at 11.00%.
- Does AOS or SAIA pay a bigger dividend?
- AOS pays a dividend (2.43% yield), while SAIA has no payments in the available dividend history.
- Is AOS or SAIA more profitable?
- AOS runs the higher net margin — AOS at 13.15% versus SAIA at 8.19%.
- How have AOS and SAIA total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, AOS delivered 3.79% and SAIA delivered 26.90% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
A. O. Smith P/E ratioSaia P/E ratioA. O. Smith dividend yieldA. O. Smith ROESaia ROEA. O. Smith operating marginSaia operating marginA. O. Smith revenue growthSaia revenue growthA. O. Smith free cash flowSaia free cash flow
A. O. Smith & Saia 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 September 3, 2026.