Powell Industries, Inc. (POWL) vs Walmart Inc. (WMT)
POWL leads on 11 of 17 compared metrics, though WMT is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of Powell Industries, Inc. and Walmart 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).
POWL
Powell Industries, Inc.
$294.75Industrials
WMT
Walmart Inc.
$121.04Consumer Defensive
Total return — POWL vs WMT
growth of $100 · last 30yPOWL +7124.3%WMT +2695.4%POWL compounded faster
POWL WMT
POWL vs WMT: by the numbers
- •WMT is the larger company ($963.25B vs $10.74B market cap).
- •WMT trades at the lower earnings multiple (42.47 vs 57.61 P/E).
- •POWL converts more revenue to profit (16.51% vs 3.18% net margin).
- •POWL grew revenue faster over the past five years (19.84% vs 5.20% CAGR).
- •WMT pays the higher dividend yield (0.80% vs 0.12%).
Which is better, POWL or WMT?
Metric tally: POWL 11 · WMT 6It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueWMT(lower P/E)
GrowthPOWL(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeWMT(higher dividend yield)
QualityPOWL(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | POWL | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 57.61 | 42.47● |
| Forward P/E | 44.88 | 36.88● |
| P/S ratio | 9.51 | 1.33● |
| P/B ratio | 15.19 | 10.26● |
| PEG ratio | 1.03● | 3.29 |
| EV / EBITDA | 41.17 | 23.28● |
| FCF yield | 1.79%● | 1.30% |
Profitability
| Metric | POWL | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 30.10%● | 24.98% |
| Operating margin | 19.76%● | 4.16% |
| Net margin | 16.51%● | 3.18% |
| ROE | 26.36%● | 24.44% |
| ROIC | 25.41%● | 11.87% |
Dividends
| Metric | POWL | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.12% | 0.80%● |
| Payout ratio | 7.18% | 35.22% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | POWL | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 19.84%● | 5.20% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 59.98%● | 10.95% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 34.56%● | -9.94% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 99.30%● | 22.41% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, POWL or WMT?
- It depends on your goal. value: WMT (lower P/E); growth: POWL (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: WMT (higher dividend yield); quality: POWL (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, POWL leads 11 to 6.
- Is POWL or WMT cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, WMT is cheaper: POWL trades at a 57.61 P/E and WMT at 42.47.
- Which has grown faster, POWL or WMT?
- Over the past five years, POWL grew revenue faster — POWL at a 19.84% CAGR versus WMT at 5.20%.
- Does POWL or WMT pay a bigger dividend?
- POWL yields 0.12% and WMT yields 0.80% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is POWL or WMT more profitable?
- POWL runs the higher net margin — POWL at 16.51% versus WMT at 3.18%.
- Which has been the better investment, POWL or WMT?
- Over the past 10-year, POWL delivered the higher annualized total return — POWL at 47.08% versus WMT at 19.73%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Powell Industries P/E ratioWalmart P/E ratioPowell Industries dividend yieldWalmart dividend yieldPowell Industries ROEWalmart ROEPowell Industries operating marginWalmart operating marginPowell Industries revenue growthWalmart revenue growthPowell Industries free cash flowWalmart free cash flow
Powell Industries & Walmart appear in these rankings
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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.