Curtiss-Wright Corporation (CW) vs United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (UAL)

UAL leads on 11 of 16 compared metrics.

A side-by-side comparison of Curtiss-Wright Corporation and United Airlines Holdings, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 15, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).

Compare

Total return — CW vs UAL

growth of $100 · last 20y
CW +2482.4%UAL +280.0%CW compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
101001k10kStart $10020102014201820222026$2,582$380
CW UAL

CW vs UAL: by the numbers

  • UAL is the larger company ($38.94B vs $28.17B market cap).
  • UAL trades at the lower earnings multiple (10.71 vs 55.83 P/E).
  • CW converts more revenue to profit (14.17% vs 6.06% net margin).
  • UAL grew revenue faster over the past five years (41.67% vs 8.60% CAGR).
  • CW pays a dividend (0.16% yield) while UAL does not currently pay one.

Which is better, CW or UAL?

Metric tally: CW 5 · UAL 11

It depends on what you're optimizing for:

ValueUAL(lower P/E)
GrowthUAL(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
QualityCW(higher ROIC)

Metrics side by side

Valuation

MetricCWUAL
P/E ratio55.8310.71
Forward P/E44.688.32
P/S ratio7.840.65
P/B ratio10.742.47
PEG ratio1.941.66
EV / EBITDA35.537.17
FCF yield2.09%8.18%

Profitability

MetricCWUAL
Gross margin37.17%64.24%
Operating margin18.48%8.44%
Net margin14.17%6.06%
ROE19.42%23.09%
ROIC12.41%6.63%

Dividends

MetricCWUAL
Dividend yield0.16%
Payout ratio9.43%

Growth (annualized)

MetricCWUAL
Revenue CAGR (5Y)8.60%41.67%
EPS CAGR (5Y)21.79%-2.15%
FCF CAGR (5Y)8.67%61.78%
Total return CAGR (5Y)43.68%16.76%

Frequently asked

Which is better, CW or UAL?
It depends on your goal. value: UAL (lower P/E); growth: UAL (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: CW (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, UAL leads 11 to 5.
Is CW or UAL cheaper?
On trailing earnings, UAL is cheaper: CW trades at a 55.83 P/E and UAL at 10.71.
Which has grown faster, CW or UAL?
Over the past five years, UAL grew revenue faster — CW at a 8.60% CAGR versus UAL at 41.67%.
Does CW or UAL pay a bigger dividend?
CW pays a dividend (0.16% yield) while UAL does not currently pay one.
Is CW or UAL more profitable?
CW runs the higher net margin — CW at 14.17% versus UAL at 6.06%.
Which has been the better investment, CW or UAL?
Over the past 10-year, CW delivered the higher annualized total return — CW at 25.23% versus UAL at 10.84%. 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 15, 2026.