The Kroger Co. (KR) vs Powell Industries, Inc. (POWL)

POWL leads on 9 of 16 compared metrics, though KR is the cheaper stock.

A side-by-side comparison of The Kroger Co. and Powell Industries, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 14, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).

Not enough overlapping price history to compare KR and POWL.

KR vs POWL: by the numbers

  • KR is the larger company ($39.90B vs $10.74B market cap).
  • KR trades at the lower earnings multiple (42.02 vs 57.61 P/E).
  • POWL converts more revenue to profit (16.51% vs 0.69% net margin).
  • POWL grew revenue faster over the past five years (19.84% vs 2.19% CAGR).
  • KR pays the higher dividend yield (2.16% vs 0.12%).

Which is better, KR or POWL?

Metric tally: KR 7 · POWL 9

It depends on what you're optimizing for:

ValueKR(lower P/E)
GrowthPOWL(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeKR(higher dividend yield)
QualityPOWL(higher ROIC)

Valuation

MetricKRPOWL
P/E ratio42.0257.61
Forward P/E11.5444.88
P/S ratio0.289.51
P/B ratio6.8915.19
PEG ratio1.03
EV / EBITDA10.8041.17
FCF yield8.64%1.79%

Profitability

MetricKRPOWL
Gross margin23.30%30.10%
Operating margin1.28%19.76%
Net margin0.69%16.51%
ROE17.14%26.36%
ROIC4.70%25.41%

Dividends

MetricKRPOWL
Dividend yield2.16%0.12%
Payout ratio89.74%7.18%

Growth (annualized)

MetricKRPOWL
Revenue CAGR (5Y)2.19%19.84%
EPS CAGR (5Y)-13.96%59.98%
FCF CAGR (5Y)-2.23%34.56%
Total return CAGR (5Y)13.20%99.30%

Frequently asked

Which is better, KR or POWL?
It depends on your goal. value: KR (lower P/E); growth: POWL (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: KR (higher dividend yield); quality: POWL (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, POWL leads 9 to 7.
Is KR or POWL cheaper?
On trailing earnings, KR is cheaper: KR trades at a 42.02 P/E and POWL at 57.61.
Which has grown faster, KR or POWL?
Over the past five years, POWL grew revenue faster — KR at a 2.19% CAGR versus POWL at 19.84%.
Does KR or POWL pay a bigger dividend?
KR yields 2.16% and POWL yields 0.12% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
Is KR or POWL more profitable?
POWL runs the higher net margin — KR at 0.69% versus POWL at 16.51%.
Which has been the better investment, KR or POWL?
Over the past 10-year, POWL delivered the higher annualized total return — KR at 8.00% versus POWL at 47.08%. 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 14, 2026.