AER vs. NDSN: AerCap vs. Nordson Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do AerCap (AER) and Nordson (NDSN) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

AerCap (AER) and Nordson (NDSN) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but AER is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors while NDSN is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for AerCap (AER) and Nordson (NDSN)
Profile Item	AER	NDSN
Name	AerCap Holdings N.V.	Nordson Corporation
Country/Region	Ireland	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Trading Companies & Distributors	Machinery
GICS Sub-Industry	Trading Companies & Distributors	Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization	25.76 billion USD	17.26 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	Nasdaq
Listing Date	November 21, 2006	March 18, 1980
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AER

NDSN

GSPC

AerCap (AER) vs. Nordson (NDSN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for AerCap (AER) and Nordson (NDSN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for AerCap (AER) and Nordson (NDSN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for AerCap (AER) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	AER	NDSN
Total Return (1Y)	32.17%	40.90%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	39.43%	14.93%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	21.06%	5.48%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AER

NDSN

GSPC

AerCap (AER) vs. Nordson (NDSN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for AerCap (AER) and Nordson (NDSN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for AerCap (AER) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	AER	NDSN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	26.10%	23.53%
Beta (5Y)	0.95	0.98
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-44.81%	-39.15%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.13M	381.48K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

AER and NDSN are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for AerCap (AER) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	AER	NDSN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.07	1.56
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.59	2.43

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both AerCap (AER) at 17.00% and Nordson (NDSN) at 17.76% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

17.00%

Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
AER: 17.00%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

17.76%

Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
NDSN: 17.76%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

AerCap (AER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

AerCap (AER) at 34.47% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Nordson (NDSN) at 18.63% also retains a top-quartile share.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

34.47%

AER: 34.47%
Max: 27.47%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

18.63%

Max: 27.47%
NDSN: 18.63%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

AerCap (AER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

AerCap (AER) at 62.55% shows unusually strong operating efficiency — above its industry’s operating margin range — and Nordson (NDSN) at 27.40% also operates in the top quartile.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

62.55%

AER: 62.55%
Max: 36.60%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

27.40%

Max: 36.60%
NDSN: 27.40%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

AerCap (AER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for AerCap (AER) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	AER	NDSN
ROE (TTM)	17.00%	17.76%
ROA (TTM)	4.52%	8.47%
Net Margin (TTM)	34.47%	18.63%
Operating Margin (TTM)	62.55%	27.40%
Gross Margin (TTM)	63.02%	55.39%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both AerCap (AER) at 6.50% and Nordson (NDSN) at 3.78% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

AerCap (AER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

AerCap (AER) at 97.41% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Nordson (NDSN) at 4.93% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for AER.

AerCap (AER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for AerCap (AER) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	AER	NDSN
Revenue Growth (YoY)	6.50%	3.78%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	6.69%	2.53%
EPS Growth (YoY)	97.41%	4.93%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	--	-1.15%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both AerCap (AER) at 1.45 and Nordson (NDSN) at 1.82 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

1.45

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
AER: 1.45
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

1.82

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
NDSN: 1.82
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

AerCap (AER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Nordson (NDSN) at 0.56 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while AerCap (AER) at 2.33 uses more debt funding than most peers.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

2.33

AER: 2.33
Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

0.56

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
NDSN: 0.56
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

AerCap (AER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for AerCap (AER) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	AER	NDSN
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.45	1.82
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	2.33	0.56
Net Debt / EBITDA	7.77	1.78

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both AerCap (AER) at 0.96% and Nordson (NDSN) at 1.06% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

0.96%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
AER: 0.96%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

1.06%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
NDSN: 1.06%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

AerCap (AER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

AerCap (AER) at 7.52% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Nordson (NDSN) at 33.20% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

7.52%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
AER: 7.52%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

33.20%

Max: 67.39%
NDSN: 33.20%
Q3: 28.02%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

AerCap (AER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for AerCap (AER) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	AER	NDSN
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.96%	1.06%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	7.52%	33.20%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

AerCap (AER) at 8.67 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Nordson (NDSN) at 31.36 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for AER, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

8.67

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
AER: 8.67
Min: 3.03

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

31.36

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
NDSN: 31.36
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

AerCap (AER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

AerCap (AER) at 2.84 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Nordson (NDSN) at 5.79 sits in the pricier quartile — NDSN costs more per dollar of sales.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

2.84

Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
AER: 2.84
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

5.79

Max: 7.54
NDSN: 5.79
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

AerCap (AER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

AerCap (AER) at 1.36 looks cheap against book in the lower P/B ratio quartile, while Nordson (NDSN) at 5.28 carries a premium in the upper quartile — a clear price-to-book gap.

AER

Capital Goods industry group

1.36

Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
AER: 1.36
Min: -1.08

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

5.28

Max: 9.66
NDSN: 5.28
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

AerCap (AER) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for AerCap (AER) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	AER	NDSN
P/E Ratio (TTM)	8.67	31.36
P/S Ratio (TTM)	2.84	5.79
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	1.36	5.28
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	-6.60%	3.56%