Powell Industries, Inc. (POWL) vs Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. (STRL)
A side-by-side comparison of Powell Industries, Inc. and Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of July 28, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
POWL
Powell Industries, Inc.
$201.00IndustrialsDelayed quote: Jul 28, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
STRL
Sterling Infrastructure, Inc.
$538.09IndustrialsDelayed quote: Jul 28, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — POWL vs STRL
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 30yPOWL +15826.9%STRL +48947.2%STRL compounded faster
POWL STRL
POWL vs STRL: by the numbers
- •STRL is the larger company ($16.51B vs $7.32B market cap).
- •POWL trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (42.85 vs 56.76 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •POWL converts more revenue to profit (16.51% vs 12.02% net margin).
- •POWL grew revenue faster over the past five years (19.84% vs 14.81% CAGR).
- •POWL pays a dividend (0.16% yield), while STRL is a former payer with no current dividend run rate.
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | POWL | STRL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 42.85 | 56.76 |
| Forward P/E | 39.49 | 33.59 |
| P/S ratio | 7.08 | 6.83 |
| P/B ratio | 11.30 | 16.56 |
| PEG ratio | 1.03 | 2.34 |
| EV / EBITDA | 32.24 | 33.62 |
| FCF yield | 2.40% | 2.24% |
Profitability
| Metric | POWL | STRL |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 30.10% | 23.29% |
| Operating margin | 19.76% | 17.25% |
| Net margin | 16.51% | 12.02% |
| ROE | 26.36% | 29.14% |
| ROIC | 25.41% | 19.06% |
Dividends
| Metric | POWL | STRL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.16% | N/A |
| Payout ratio | 7.18% | N/A |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | POWL | STRL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 19.84% | 14.81% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 59.98% | 44.28% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 34.56% | 31.85% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 95.11% | 97.56% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, POWL or STRL?
- POWL has the lower trailing P/E: POWL trades at 42.85 and STRL at 56.76. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, POWL or STRL?
- Over the past five years, POWL grew revenue faster — POWL at a 19.84% CAGR versus STRL at 14.81%.
- Does POWL or STRL pay a bigger dividend?
- POWL pays a dividend (0.16% yield), while STRL is a former payer with no current dividend run rate.
- Is POWL or STRL more profitable?
- POWL runs the higher net margin — POWL at 16.51% versus STRL at 12.02%.
- How have POWL and STRL total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, POWL delivered 43.04% and STRL delivered 60.07% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Powell Industries P/E ratioSterling Infrastructure P/E ratioPowell Industries dividend yieldSterling Infrastructure dividend yieldPowell Industries ROESterling Infrastructure ROEPowell Industries operating marginSterling Infrastructure operating marginPowell Industries revenue growthSterling Infrastructure revenue growthPowell Industries free cash flowSterling Infrastructure free cash flow
Powell Industries & Sterling Infrastructure 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 July 28, 2026.