Preformed Line Products Company (PLPC) vs Upwork Inc. (UPWK)
UPWK leads on 13 of 14 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Preformed Line Products Company and Upwork 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).
Total return — PLPC vs UPWK
growth of $100 · last 8yPLPC +426.9%UPWK -59.9%PLPC compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
PLPC UPWK
PLPC vs UPWK: by the numbers
- •PLPC is the larger company ($1.84B vs $1.05B market cap).
- •UPWK trades at the lower earnings multiple (10.61 vs 54.02 P/E).
- •UPWK converts more revenue to profit (13.81% vs 4.92% net margin).
- •UPWK grew revenue faster over the past five years (14.37% vs 7.70% CAGR).
- •PLPC pays a dividend (0.22% yield) while UPWK does not currently pay one.
Which is better, PLPC or UPWK?
Metric tally: PLPC 1 · UPWK 13It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueUPWK(lower P/E)
GrowthUPWK(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
QualityUPWK(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | PLPC | UPWK |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 54.02 | 10.61● |
| Forward P/E | 38.50 | 4.84● |
| P/S ratio | 2.65 | 1.46● |
| P/B ratio | 3.91 | 2.02● |
| PEG ratio | 15.61 | — |
| EV / EBITDA | 26.09 | 6.91● |
| FCF yield | 1.88% | 19.46%● |
Profitability
| Metric | PLPC | UPWK |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 30.86% | 77.54%● |
| Operating margin | 7.99% | 15.60%● |
| Net margin | 4.92% | 13.81%● |
| ROE | 7.24% | 19.16%● |
| ROIC | 7.78% | 9.66%● |
Dividends
| Metric | PLPC | UPWK |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.22% | — |
| Payout ratio | 11.44% | — |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | PLPC | UPWK |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 7.70% | 14.37%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 3.46% | — |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -0.67% | 78.14%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 37.46%● | -30.01% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, PLPC or UPWK?
- It depends on your goal. value: UPWK (lower P/E); growth: UPWK (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: UPWK (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, UPWK leads 13 to 1.
- Is PLPC or UPWK cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, UPWK is cheaper: PLPC trades at a 54.02 P/E and UPWK at 10.61.
- Which has grown faster, PLPC or UPWK?
- Over the past five years, UPWK grew revenue faster — PLPC at a 7.70% CAGR versus UPWK at 14.37%.
- Does PLPC or UPWK pay a bigger dividend?
- PLPC pays a dividend (0.22% yield) while UPWK does not currently pay one.
- Is PLPC or UPWK more profitable?
- UPWK runs the higher net margin — PLPC at 4.92% versus UPWK at 13.81%.
- Which has been the better investment, PLPC or UPWK?
- Over the past 5-year, PLPC delivered the higher annualized total return — PLPC at 25.90% versus UPWK at -30.01%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Preformed Line Products P/E ratioUpwork P/E ratioPreformed Line Products dividend yieldUpwork dividend yieldPreformed Line Products ROEUpwork ROEPreformed Line Products operating marginUpwork operating marginPreformed Line Products revenue growthUpwork revenue growthPreformed Line Products free cash flowUpwork free cash flow
Preformed Line Products & Upwork 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 14, 2026.