Matson, Inc. (MATX) vs Powell Industries, Inc. (POWL)

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

A side-by-side comparison of Matson, 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).

Total return — MATX vs POWL

growth of $100 · last 30y
MATX +1268.2%POWL +7124.3%POWL compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
101001k10kStart $100200120062011201620212026$1,368$7,224
MATX POWL

MATX vs POWL: by the numbers

  • POWL is the larger company ($10.74B vs $6.11B market cap).
  • MATX trades at the lower earnings multiple (14.84 vs 57.61 P/E).
  • POWL converts more revenue to profit (16.51% vs 12.92% net margin).
  • POWL grew revenue faster over the past five years (19.84% vs 5.17% CAGR).
  • MATX pays the higher dividend yield (0.71% vs 0.12%).

Which is better, MATX or POWL?

Metric tally: MATX 8 · POWL 9

It depends on what you're optimizing for:

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

Valuation

MetricMATXPOWL
P/E ratio14.8457.61
Forward P/E14.4444.88
P/S ratio1.869.51
P/B ratio2.2615.19
PEG ratio0.581.03
EV / EBITDA8.6641.17
FCF yield6.77%1.79%

Profitability

MetricMATXPOWL
Gross margin22.42%30.10%
Operating margin13.50%19.76%
Net margin12.92%16.51%
ROE15.72%26.36%
ROIC8.85%25.41%

Dividends

MetricMATXPOWL
Dividend yield0.71%0.12%
Payout ratio10.26%7.18%

Growth (annualized)

MetricMATXPOWL
Revenue CAGR (5Y)5.17%19.84%
EPS CAGR (5Y)25.67%59.98%
FCF CAGR (5Y)7.72%34.56%
Total return CAGR (5Y)27.18%99.30%

Frequently asked

Which is better, MATX or POWL?
It depends on your goal. value: MATX (lower P/E); growth: POWL (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: MATX (higher dividend yield); quality: POWL (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, POWL leads 9 to 8.
Is MATX or POWL cheaper?
On trailing earnings, MATX is cheaper: MATX trades at a 14.84 P/E and POWL at 57.61.
Which has grown faster, MATX or POWL?
Over the past five years, POWL grew revenue faster — MATX at a 5.17% CAGR versus POWL at 19.84%.
Does MATX or POWL pay a bigger dividend?
MATX yields 0.71% and POWL yields 0.12% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
Is MATX or POWL more profitable?
POWL runs the higher net margin — MATX at 12.92% versus POWL at 16.51%.
Which has been the better investment, MATX or POWL?
Over the past 10-year, POWL delivered the higher annualized total return — MATX at 21.90% 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 13, 2026.