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BWXT vs. LECO: BWX Technologies vs. Lincoln Electric Stock Comparison

How do BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Lincoln Electric (LECO) 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

BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Lincoln Electric (LECO) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but BWXT is classified in Aerospace & Defense while LECO is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Lincoln Electric (LECO)
Profile ItemBWXTLECO
NameBWX Technologies, Inc.Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryAerospace & DefenseMachinery
GICS Sub-IndustryAerospace & DefenseIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization10.95 billion USD14.91 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateAugust 2, 2010April 7, 1994
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BWXT
LECO
GSPC
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO), 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 BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Lincoln Electric (LECO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Lincoln Electric (LECO). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Lincoln Electric (LECO)
MetricBWXTLECO
Total Return (1Y)-33.33%27.30%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)20.43%17.31%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)20.57%16.33%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BWXT
LECO
GSPC
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO), 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 BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Lincoln Electric (LECO). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Lincoln Electric (LECO)
MetricBWXTLECO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)45.97%31.13%
Beta (5Y)0.731.17
Max Drawdown (5Y)-51.64%-34.29%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.19M409.99K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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BWXT and LECO 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 BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Lincoln Electric (LECO)
MetricBWXTLECO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.820.74
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-1.111.11

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both BWX Technologies (BWXT) at 28.27% and Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 38.75% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

BWXT

Capital Goods industry group

28.27%

Max
40.55%
BWXT
28.27%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

38.75%

Max
40.55%
LECO
38.75%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 12.40% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of BWX Technologies (BWXT) at 10.41%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

BWXT

Capital Goods industry group

10.41%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
BWXT
10.41%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

12.40%

Max
27.47%
LECO
12.40%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both BWX Technologies (BWXT) at 11.55% and Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 18.29% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

BWXT

Capital Goods industry group

11.55%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
BWXT
11.55%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

18.29%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
LECO
18.29%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Lincoln Electric (LECO)
MetricBWXTLECO
ROE (TTM)28.27%38.75%
ROA (TTM)5.49%13.32%
Net Margin (TTM)10.41%12.40%
Operating Margin (TTM)11.55%18.29%
Gross Margin (TTM)22.61%35.54%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both BWX Technologies (BWXT) at 18.30% and Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 5.60% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both BWX Technologies (BWXT) at 16.61% and Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 14.36% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Lincoln Electric (LECO)
MetricBWXTLECO
Revenue Growth (YoY)18.30%5.60%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)12.73%4.02%
EPS Growth (YoY)16.61%14.36%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)11.25%5.05%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both BWX Technologies (BWXT) at 1.88 and Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 1.91 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

BWXT

Capital Goods industry group

1.88

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
BWXT
1.88
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

1.91

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
LECO
1.91
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 0.78 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while BWX Technologies (BWXT) at 1.43 uses more debt funding than most peers.

BWXT

Capital Goods industry group

1.43

Max
2.33
BWXT
1.43
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

0.78

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
LECO
0.78
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Lincoln Electric (LECO)
MetricBWXTLECO
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.881.91
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.430.78
Net Debt / EBITDA2.921.00

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 1.16% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while BWX Technologies (BWXT) at 0.92% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, LECO the richer one.

BWXT

Capital Goods industry group

0.92%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
BWXT
0.92%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

1.16%

Max
2.66%
LECO
1.16%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

BWX Technologies (BWXT) at 26.04% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 30.30% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

BWXT

Capital Goods industry group

26.04%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
BWXT
26.04%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

30.30%

Max
67.39%
LECO
30.30%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Lincoln Electric (LECO)
MetricBWXTLECO
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.92%1.16%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)26.04%30.30%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both BWX Technologies (BWXT) at 29.37 and Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 26.40 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

BWXT

Capital Goods industry group

29.37

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
BWXT
29.37
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

26.40

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
LECO
26.40
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both BWX Technologies (BWXT) at 3.04 and Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 3.21 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

BWXT

Capital Goods industry group

3.04

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
BWXT
3.04
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

3.21

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
LECO
3.21
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both BWX Technologies (BWXT) at 7.72 and Lincoln Electric (LECO) at 9.59 carry a premium to book value versus peers, sitting in the upper P/B ratio quartile of their industries.

BWXT

Capital Goods industry group

7.72

Max
9.66
BWXT
7.72
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08

LECO

Capital Goods industry group

9.59

Max
9.66
LECO
9.59
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Lincoln Electric (LECO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Lincoln Electric (LECO)
MetricBWXTLECO
P/E Ratio (TTM)29.3726.40
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.043.21
P/B Ratio (MRQ)7.729.59
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.64%2.68%