ACM vs. RKLB: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on July 7, 2025

Here’s a clear look at ACM and RKLB, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Overview

ACM’s market capitalization stands at 15.31 billion USD, while RKLB’s is 16.45 billion USD, indicating their market valuations are broadly comparable.

RKLB carries a higher beta at 2.09, indicating it’s more sensitive to market moves, while ACM (beta: 0.97) exhibits greater stability.

Symbol	ACM	RKLB
Company Name	Aecom	Rocket Lab USA, Inc.
Country	US	US
Sector	Industrials	Industrials
Industry	Engineering & Construction	Aerospace & Defense
CEO	W. Troy Rudd	Peter Beck
Price	115.75 USD	35.66 USD
Market Cap	15.31 billion USD	16.45 billion USD
Beta	0.97	2.09
Exchange	NYSE	NASDAQ
IPO Date	May 10, 2007	November 24, 2020
ADR	No	No

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of ACM and RKLB by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.

Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

ACM vs. RKLB: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Profitability

Return on Equity

ACM

27.52%

Engineering & Construction Industry

Max: 39.77%
Q3: 28.08%
Median: 13.64%
Q1: 7.13%
Min: -14.48%

ACM’s Return on Equity of 27.52% is on par with the norm for the Engineering & Construction industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

RKLB

-48.92%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 42.57%
Q3: 16.67%
Median: 8.39%
Q1: -0.77%
Min: -23.36%

RKLB has a negative Return on Equity of -48.92%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.

ACM vs. RKLB: A comparison of their ROE against their respective Engineering & Construction and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Return on Invested Capital

ACM

6.55%

Engineering & Construction Industry

Max: 22.01%
Q3: 12.65%
Median: 8.09%
Q1: 4.79%
Min: -2.53%

ACM’s Return on Invested Capital of 6.55% is in line with the norm for the Engineering & Construction industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.

RKLB

-22.20%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 23.42%
Q3: 8.86%
Median: 5.47%
Q1: -5.60%
Min: -22.46%

RKLB has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -22.20%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.

ACM vs. RKLB: A comparison of their ROIC against their respective Engineering & Construction and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin

ACM

3.85%

Engineering & Construction Industry

Max: 11.23%
Q3: 6.47%
Median: 3.96%
Q1: 2.79%
Min: -2.45%

ACM’s Net Profit Margin of 3.85% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Engineering & Construction industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

RKLB

-44.32%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 22.67%
Q3: 8.04%
Median: 4.95%
Q1: -5.07%
Min: -16.58%

RKLB has a negative Net Profit Margin of -44.32%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.

ACM vs. RKLB: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin against their respective Engineering & Construction and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin

ACM

5.98%

Engineering & Construction Industry

Max: 13.74%
Q3: 8.50%
Median: 6.20%
Q1: 4.58%
Min: 0.34%

ACM’s Operating Profit Margin of 5.98% is around the midpoint for the Engineering & Construction industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

RKLB

-44.19%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 22.01%
Q3: 11.49%
Median: 8.96%
Q1: 3.77%
Min: -4.96%

RKLB has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -44.19%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.

ACM vs. RKLB: A comparison of their Operating Margin against their respective Engineering & Construction and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	ACM	RKLB
Return on Equity (TTM)	27.52%	-48.92%
Return on Assets (TTM)	5.24%	-16.46%
Return on Invested Capital (TTM)	6.55%	-22.20%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	3.85%	-44.32%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	5.98%	-44.19%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	7.09%	26.67%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio

ACM

Engineering & Construction Industry

Max: 2.02
Q3: 1.66
Median: 1.38
Q1: 1.24
Min: 0.94

Current Ratio data for ACM is currently unavailable.

RKLB

2.08

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 5.13
Q3: 3.36
Median: 2.16
Q1: 1.20
Min: 0.41

RKLB’s Current Ratio of 2.08 aligns with the median group of the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

ACM vs. RKLB: A comparison of their Current Ratio against their respective Engineering & Construction and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio

ACM

1.32

Engineering & Construction Industry

Max: 1.76
Q3: 0.91
Median: 0.67
Q1: 0.28
Min: 0.01

ACM’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Engineering & Construction industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.32. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.

RKLB

1.14

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 1.20
Q3: 0.73
Median: 0.51
Q1: 0.09
Min: 0.00

RKLB’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Aerospace & Defense industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.14. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.

ACM vs. RKLB: A comparison of their D/E Ratio against their respective Engineering & Construction and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio

ACM

5.28

Engineering & Construction Industry

Max: 20.20
Q3: 11.91
Median: 6.46
Q1: 3.18
Min: -2.69

ACM’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 5.28 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Engineering & Construction industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

RKLB

-36.50

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 12.62
Q3: 7.38
Median: 2.95
Q1: 1.68
Min: -6.68

RKLB has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -36.50. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.

ACM vs. RKLB: A comparison of their Interest Coverage against their respective Engineering & Construction and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	ACM	RKLB
Current Ratio (TTM)	--	2.08
Quick Ratio (TTM)	--	1.72
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM)	1.32	1.14
Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM)	0.26	0.39
Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM)	1.23	-1.11
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	5.28	-36.50

Growth

The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ACM and RKLB. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.

Revenue Growth

ACM vs. RKLB: A comparison of their annual year-over-year Revenue Growth.

Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth

ACM vs. RKLB: A comparison of their annual year-over-year Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth.

Free Cash Flow Growth

ACM vs. RKLB: A comparison of their annual year-over-year Free Cash Flow Growth.

Dividend

Dividend Yield

ACM

0.86%

Engineering & Construction Industry

Max: 1.31%
Q3: 0.40%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

With a Dividend Yield of 0.86%, ACM offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Engineering & Construction industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.

RKLB

0.00%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 6.00%
Q3: 0.66%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

RKLB currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

ACM vs. RKLB: A comparison of their Dividend Yield against their respective Engineering & Construction and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio

ACM

20.16%

Engineering & Construction Industry

Max: 32.30%
Q3: 7.09%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

ACM’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 20.16% is in the upper quartile for the Engineering & Construction industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.

RKLB

0.00%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 172.02%
Q3: 32.47%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

RKLB has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.

ACM vs. RKLB: A comparison of their Payout Ratio against their respective Engineering & Construction and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	ACM	RKLB
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.86%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	20.16%	0.00%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio

ACM

24.84

Engineering & Construction Industry

Max: 95.41
Q3: 56.70
Median: 32.28
Q1: 22.94
Min: 4.72

ACM’s P/E Ratio of 24.84 is within the middle range for the Engineering & Construction industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

RKLB

-87.30

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 75.34
Q3: 54.40
Median: 38.63
Q1: 26.10
Min: 16.44

RKLB has a negative P/E Ratio of -87.30. This occurs when a company has negative earnings (a net loss), making the ratio unsuitable for valuation analysis.

ACM vs. RKLB: A comparison of their P/E Ratio against their respective Engineering & Construction and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Forward P/E to Growth Ratio

ACM

2.51

Engineering & Construction Industry

Max: 4.99
Q3: 3.64
Median: 2.51
Q1: 1.64
Min: 0.03

The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Engineering & Construction industry.

RKLB

10.77

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 10.68
Q3: 5.36
Median: 2.31
Q1: 1.47
Min: 0.01

RKLB’s Forward PEG Ratio of 10.77 is exceptionally high for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This suggests its stock price is very high relative to its expected earnings growth, signaling significant overvaluation risk.

ACM vs. RKLB: A comparison of their Forward PEG Ratio against their respective Engineering & Construction and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio

ACM

0.95

Engineering & Construction Industry

Max: 3.34
Q3: 2.05
Median: 1.50
Q1: 0.83
Min: 0.44

ACM’s P/S Ratio of 0.95 aligns with the market consensus for the Engineering & Construction industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

RKLB

35.31

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 19.34
Q3: 9.54
Median: 2.71
Q1: 1.59
Min: 0.35

With a P/S Ratio of 35.31, RKLB trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Aerospace & Defense industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.

ACM vs. RKLB: A comparison of their P/S Ratio against their respective Engineering & Construction and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio

ACM

6.71

Engineering & Construction Industry

Max: 10.70
Q3: 7.33
Median: 4.69
Q1: 2.53
Min: 0.79

ACM’s P/B Ratio of 6.71 is within the conventional range for the Engineering & Construction industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

RKLB

41.80

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 16.08
Q3: 8.12
Median: 4.12
Q1: 2.69
Min: 0.69

At 41.80, RKLB’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Aerospace & Defense industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.

ACM vs. RKLB: A comparison of their P/B Ratio against their respective Engineering & Construction and Aerospace & Defense industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	ACM	RKLB
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM)	24.84	-87.30
Forward PEG Ratio (TTM)	2.51	10.77
Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM)	0.95	35.31
Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM)	6.71	41.80
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM)	18.31	-92.90
EV-to-EBITDA (TTM)	14.51	-99.43
EV-to-Sales (TTM)	1.04	35.71