Generac Holdings Inc. (GNRC) vs Powell Industries, Inc. (POWL)
POWL leads on 9 of 15 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Generac Holdings Inc. and Powell Industries, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 13, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
GNRC
Generac Holdings Inc.
$262.36Industrials
POWL
Powell Industries, Inc.
$294.75Industrials
Total return — GNRC vs POWL
growth of $100 · last 16yGNRC +2869.1%POWL +2983.2%POWL compounded faster
GNRC POWL
GNRC vs POWL: by the numbers
- •GNRC is the larger company ($15.44B vs $10.74B market cap).
- •POWL trades at the lower earnings multiple (57.61 vs 82.24 P/E).
- •POWL converts more revenue to profit (16.51% vs 4.37% net margin).
- •POWL grew revenue faster over the past five years (19.84% vs 8.96% CAGR).
- •POWL pays a dividend (0.12% yield) while GNRC does not currently pay one.
Which is better, GNRC or POWL?
Metric tally: GNRC 6 · POWL 9It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValuePOWL(lower P/E)
GrowthPOWL(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
QualityPOWL(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | GNRC | POWL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 82.24 | 57.61● |
| Forward P/E | 23.89● | 44.88 |
| P/S ratio | 3.59● | 9.51 |
| P/B ratio | 5.81● | 15.19 |
| PEG ratio | — | 1.03 |
| EV / EBITDA | 36.48● | 41.17 |
| FCF yield | 2.70%● | 1.79% |
Profitability
| Metric | GNRC | POWL |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 38.14%● | 30.10% |
| Operating margin | 7.46% | 19.76%● |
| Net margin | 4.37% | 16.51%● |
| ROE | 7.07% | 26.36%● |
| ROIC | 5.29% | 25.41%● |
Dividends
| Metric | GNRC | POWL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | — | 0.12% |
| Payout ratio | — | 7.18% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | GNRC | POWL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 8.96% | 19.84%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | -13.42% | 59.98%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -5.31% | 34.56%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -5.55% | 99.30%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, GNRC or POWL?
- It depends on your goal. value: POWL (lower P/E); growth: POWL (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: POWL (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, POWL leads 9 to 6.
- Is GNRC or POWL cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, POWL is cheaper: GNRC trades at a 82.24 P/E and POWL at 57.61.
- Which has grown faster, GNRC or POWL?
- Over the past five years, POWL grew revenue faster — GNRC at a 8.96% CAGR versus POWL at 19.84%.
- Does GNRC or POWL pay a bigger dividend?
- POWL pays a dividend (0.12% yield) while GNRC does not currently pay one.
- Is GNRC or POWL more profitable?
- POWL runs the higher net margin — GNRC at 4.37% versus POWL at 16.51%.
- Which has been the better investment, GNRC or POWL?
- Over the past 10-year, POWL delivered the higher annualized total return — GNRC at 21.37% versus POWL at 47.08%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Generac P/E ratioPowell Industries P/E ratioGenerac dividend yieldPowell Industries dividend yieldGenerac ROEPowell Industries ROEGenerac operating marginPowell Industries operating marginGenerac revenue growthPowell Industries revenue growthGenerac free cash flowPowell Industries free cash flow
Generac & 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 June 13, 2026.