Seek Returns

AIT vs. SWK: Applied Industrial vs. Stanley Black & Decker Stock Comparison

How do Applied Industrial (AIT) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) 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

Applied Industrial (AIT) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but AIT is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors while SWK is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
Profile ItemAITSWK
NameApplied Industrial Technologies Inc.Stanley Black & Decker Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsMachinery
GICS Sub-IndustryTrading Companies & DistributorsIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization10.35 billion USD17.08 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AIT
SWK
GSPC
Loading price history…
Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK), 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricAITSWK
Total Return (1Y)15.62%83.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)24.49%17.07%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)24.56%-5.19%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AIT
SWK
GSPC
Loading price history…
Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK), 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricAITSWK
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)28.72%38.68%
Beta (5Y)0.861.10
Max Drawdown (5Y)-26.42%-68.03%
Avg. Volume (3M)295.41K1.67M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
AIT and SWK 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 Applied Industrial (AIT) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricAITSWK
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.392.04
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.533.57

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Applied Industrial (AIT) at 22.51% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 9.44% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for AIT.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

22.51%

Max
40.55%
AIT
22.51%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

9.44%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
SWK
9.44%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
Loading chart…
Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Applied Industrial (AIT) at 8.39% and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 5.53% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

8.39%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
AIT
8.39%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

5.53%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
SWK
5.53%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
Loading chart…
Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Applied Industrial (AIT) at 11.12% and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 8.71% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

11.12%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
AIT
11.12%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

8.71%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
SWK
8.71%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
Loading chart…
Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricAITSWK
ROE (TTM)22.51%9.44%
ROA (TTM)11.43%3.48%
Net Margin (TTM)8.39%5.53%
Operating Margin (TTM)11.12%8.71%
Gross Margin (TTM)30.40%32.16%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Applied Industrial (AIT) at 8.84% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at -1.53% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

Loading chart…
Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) reports EPS growth of 35.90%, ranked against its industry; Applied Industrial (AIT) has no EPS growth figure this period.

Loading chart…
Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricAITSWK
Revenue Growth (YoY)8.84%-1.53%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.02%-3.71%
EPS Growth (YoY)--35.90%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)7.40%-26.81%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Applied Industrial (AIT) at 2.89 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 1.42 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for SWK.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

2.89

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
AIT
2.89
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

1.42

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
SWK
1.42
Min
0.36
Loading chart…
Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Applied Industrial (AIT) at 0.15 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 0.58 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

0.15

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
AIT
0.15
Min
0.00

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

0.58

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
SWK
0.58
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricAITSWK
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.891.42
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.150.58
Net Debt / EBITDA0.272.69

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Applied Industrial (AIT) at 0.71% pays an industry-typical yield; Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 2.89% is above its entire peer range — the higher number, but one that calls for a look at payout sustainability before treating it as an advantage.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

0.71%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
AIT
0.71%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

2.89%

SWK
2.89%
Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Applied Industrial (AIT) at 17.63% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 59.68% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

17.63%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
AIT
17.63%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

59.68%

Max
67.39%
SWK
59.68%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricAITSWK
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.71%2.89%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)17.63%59.68%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Applied Industrial (AIT) at 25.10 and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 20.58 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

25.10

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
AIT
25.10
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

20.58

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
SWK
20.58
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
Loading chart…
Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Applied Industrial (AIT) at 2.05 and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 1.12 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

2.05

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
AIT
2.05
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

1.12

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
SWK
1.12
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
Loading chart…
Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 1.93 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Applied Industrial (AIT) at 5.50 carries an above-peer premium to book — AIT is pricier on assets.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

5.50

Max
9.66
AIT
5.50
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

1.93

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
SWK
1.93
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
Loading chart…
Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricAITSWK
P/E Ratio (TTM)25.1020.58
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.051.12
P/B Ratio (MRQ)5.501.93
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.24%11.37%