Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. (STRL) vs Xylem Inc. (XYL)

STRL leads on 9 of 16 compared metrics, though XYL is the cheaper stock.

A side-by-side comparison of Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. and Xylem Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 24, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).

Compare
Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. logo
STRL
Sterling Infrastructure, Inc.
$27.38B
$892.25Industrials
Xylem Inc. logo
XYL
Xylem Inc.
$26.24B
$110.40Industrials

Total return — STRL vs XYL

growth of $100 · last 15y
STRL +7095.6%XYL +355.3%STRL compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
101001k10kStart $10020142017202020232026$7,196$455
STRL XYL

STRL vs XYL: by the numbers

  • •STRL is the larger company ($27.38B vs $26.24B market cap).
  • •XYL trades at the lower earnings multiple (27.46 vs 79.81 P/E).
  • •STRL converts more revenue to profit (12.02% vs 10.70% net margin).
  • •STRL grew revenue faster over the past five years (14.81% vs 12.66% CAGR).
  • •XYL pays a dividend (1.50% yield) while STRL does not currently pay one.

Which is better, STRL or XYL?

Metric tally: STRL 9 · XYL 7

It depends on what you're optimizing for:

ValueXYL(lower P/E)
GrowthSTRL(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
QualitySTRL(higher ROIC)

Metrics side by side

Valuation

MetricSTRLXYL
P/E ratio79.8127.46●
Forward P/E37.1019.95●
P/S ratio9.602.96●
P/B ratio23.282.45●
PEG ratio2.34●4.89
EV / EBITDA46.6515.60●
FCF yield1.59%3.60%●

Profitability

MetricSTRLXYL
Gross margin23.29%38.61%●
Operating margin17.25%●13.60%
Net margin12.02%●10.70%
ROE29.14%●8.87%
ROIC19.06%●6.37%

Dividends

MetricSTRLXYL
Dividend yield—1.50%
Payout ratio—42.24%

Growth (annualized)

MetricSTRLXYL
Revenue CAGR (5Y)14.81%●12.66%
EPS CAGR (5Y)44.28%●22.76%
FCF CAGR (5Y)31.85%●8.96%
Total return CAGR (5Y)109.90%●0.21%

Frequently asked

Which is better, STRL or XYL?
It depends on your goal. value: XYL (lower P/E); growth: STRL (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: STRL (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, STRL leads 9 to 7.
Is STRL or XYL cheaper?
On trailing earnings, XYL is cheaper: STRL trades at a 79.81 P/E and XYL at 27.46.
Which has grown faster, STRL or XYL?
Over the past five years, STRL grew revenue faster — STRL at a 14.81% CAGR versus XYL at 12.66%.
Does STRL or XYL pay a bigger dividend?
XYL pays a dividend (1.50% yield) while STRL does not currently pay one.
Is STRL or XYL more profitable?
STRL runs the higher net margin — STRL at 12.02% versus XYL at 10.70%.
Which has been the better investment, STRL or XYL?
Over the past 10-year, STRL delivered the higher annualized total return — STRL at 67.55% versus XYL at 10.41%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

Go deeper

Full STRL analysisFull XYL analysisInteractive comparison tool

Dig into the metrics

Sterling Infrastructure P/E ratioXylem P/E ratioSterling Infrastructure dividend yieldXylem dividend yieldSterling Infrastructure ROEXylem ROESterling Infrastructure operating marginXylem operating marginSterling Infrastructure revenue growthXylem revenue growthSterling Infrastructure free cash flowXylem free cash flow

Sterling Infrastructure & Xylem appear in these rankings

Highest ROE StocksHighest ROIC StocksBest 10-Year Total Return Stocks

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 24, 2026.