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BWXT vs. RKLB: BWX Technologies vs. Rocket Lab Stock Comparison

How do BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Rocket Lab (RKLB) 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 Rocket Lab (RKLB) are both classified in the Aerospace & Defense sub-industry within the broader Aerospace & Defense industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Rocket Lab (RKLB)
Profile ItemBWXTRKLB
NameBWX Technologies, Inc.Rocket Lab Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryAerospace & DefenseAerospace & Defense
GICS Sub-IndustryAerospace & DefenseAerospace & Defense
Market Capitalization10.95 billion USD33.93 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateAugust 2, 2010November 24, 2020
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BWXT
RKLB
GSPC
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB), 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 Rocket Lab (RKLB). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Rocket Lab (RKLB)
MetricBWXTRKLB
Total Return (1Y)-33.33%12.96%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)20.43%138.86%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)20.57%31.49%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BWXT
RKLB
GSPC
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB), 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 Rocket Lab (RKLB). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Rocket Lab (RKLB) carries a highly aggressive beta of 3.14, indicating much higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, whereas BWX Technologies (BWXT) is closer to market-like at 0.73 — a noticeable difference in market-sensitivity profile.

Risk profile metrics for BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Rocket Lab (RKLB)
MetricBWXTRKLB
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)45.97%95.71%
Beta (5Y)0.733.14
Max Drawdown (5Y)-51.64%-78.32%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.19M19.51M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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BWXT and RKLB 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 Rocket Lab (RKLB)
MetricBWXTRKLB
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.820.09
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-1.110.14

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Rocket Lab (RKLB) reports a negative ROE of -7.92%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile BWX Technologies (BWXT) reports 28.27%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

-7.92%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
RKLB
-7.92%
Min
-17.12%
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Rocket Lab (RKLB) reports a negative net margin of -21.51%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile BWX Technologies (BWXT) reports 10.41%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

-21.51%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
RKLB
-21.51%
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Rocket Lab (RKLB) reports a negative operating margin of -24.57%, usually indicating that operating costs exceeded revenue at the operating-income line. Meanwhile BWX Technologies (BWXT) reports 11.55%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

-24.57%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
RKLB
-24.57%
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Rocket Lab (RKLB)
MetricBWXTRKLB
ROE (TTM)28.27%-7.92%
ROA (TTM)5.49%-4.62%
Net Margin (TTM)10.41%-21.51%
Operating Margin (TTM)11.55%-24.57%
Gross Margin (TTM)22.61%37.26%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Rocket Lab (RKLB) at 37.96% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while BWX Technologies (BWXT) at 18.30% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for RKLB.

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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: BWX Technologies (BWXT) reports EPS growth of 16.61%, ranked against its industry; Rocket Lab (RKLB) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Rocket Lab (RKLB)
MetricBWXTRKLB
Revenue Growth (YoY)18.30%37.96%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)12.73%41.82%
EPS Growth (YoY)16.61%--
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)11.25%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

BWX Technologies (BWXT) at 1.88 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Rocket Lab (RKLB) at 5.48 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets 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

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

5.48

RKLB
5.48
Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Rocket Lab (RKLB) at 0.04 keeps leverage in the lower quartile, while BWX Technologies (BWXT) at 1.43 sits in the higher-leverage quartile.

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

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

0.04

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
RKLB
0.04
Min
0.00
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): 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 Rocket Lab (RKLB)
MetricBWXTRKLB
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.885.48
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.430.04
Net Debt / EBITDA2.92--

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Rocket Lab (RKLB) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile BWX Technologies (BWXT) reports a yield of 0.92%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Rocket Lab (RKLB) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile BWX Technologies (BWXT) reports a payout of 26.04%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Rocket Lab (RKLB)
MetricBWXTRKLB
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.92%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)26.04%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: BWX Technologies (BWXT) trades at 29.37 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Rocket Lab (RKLB) has no P/E ratio this period.

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

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

--

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
RKLB
--
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): RKLB does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; BWXT is benchmarked against the Capital Goods industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

BWX Technologies (BWXT) at 3.04 prices around its industry’s typical P/S ratio, while Rocket Lab (RKLB) at 44.12 clears its benchmark range — RKLB looks notably rich on sales.

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

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

44.12

RKLB
44.12
Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): 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 Rocket Lab (RKLB) at 9.09 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

RKLB

Capital Goods industry group

9.09

Max
9.66
RKLB
9.09
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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BWX Technologies (BWXT) vs. Rocket Lab (RKLB): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for BWX Technologies (BWXT) and Rocket Lab (RKLB)
MetricBWXTRKLB
P/E Ratio (TTM)29.37--
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.0444.12
P/B Ratio (MRQ)7.729.09
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.64%-0.74%