Crane Company (CR) vs Powell Industries, Inc. (POWL)

POWL leads on 9 of 17 compared metrics, though CR is the cheaper stock.

A side-by-side comparison of Crane Company and Powell Industries, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 26, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).

Compare

Total return — CR vs POWL

growth of $100 · last 30y
CR +1138.3%POWL +8060.4%POWL compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
101001k10kStart $100200120062011201620212026$1,238$8,160
CR POWL

CR vs POWL: by the numbers

  • CR is the larger company ($12.91B vs $11.39B market cap).
  • CR trades at the lower earnings multiple (40.95 vs 57.56 P/E).
  • POWL converts more revenue to profit (16.51% vs 13.36% net margin).
  • POWL grew revenue faster over the past five years (19.84% vs -3.01% CAGR).
  • CR pays the higher dividend yield (0.43% vs 0.12%).

Which is better, CR or POWL?

Metric tally: CR 8 · POWL 9

It depends on what you're optimizing for:

ValueCR(lower P/E)
GrowthPOWL(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
QualityPOWL(higher ROIC)

Metrics side by side

Valuation

MetricCRPOWL
P/E ratio40.9557.56
Forward P/E29.2944.84
P/S ratio5.379.51
P/B ratio6.2515.18
PEG ratio1.211.03
EV / EBITDA27.5041.14
FCF yield1.99%1.79%

Profitability

MetricCRPOWL
Gross margin41.60%30.10%
Operating margin17.32%19.76%
Net margin13.36%16.51%
ROE15.56%26.36%
ROIC9.56%25.41%

Dividends

MetricCRPOWL
Dividend yield0.43%0.12%
Payout ratio15.20%7.18%

Growth (annualized)

MetricCRPOWL
Revenue CAGR (5Y)-3.01%19.84%
EPS CAGR (5Y)15.53%59.98%
FCF CAGR (5Y)-6.47%34.56%
Total return CAGR (5Y)20.63%105.64%

Frequently asked

Which is better, CR or POWL?
It depends on your goal. value: CR (lower P/E); growth: POWL (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: POWL (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, POWL leads 9 to 8.
Is CR or POWL cheaper?
On trailing earnings, CR is cheaper: CR trades at a 40.95 P/E and POWL at 57.56.
Which has grown faster, CR or POWL?
Over the past five years, POWL grew revenue faster — CR at a -3.01% CAGR versus POWL at 19.84%.
Does CR or POWL pay a bigger dividend?
CR yields 0.43% and POWL yields 0.12% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
Is CR or POWL more profitable?
POWL runs the higher net margin — CR at 13.36% versus POWL at 16.51%.
Which has been the better investment, CR or POWL?
Over the past 10-year, POWL delivered the higher annualized total return — CR at 16.45% versus POWL at 48.22%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

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 26, 2026.