BWXT vs. XYL: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 18, 2025

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

Company Profile

Symbol	BWXT	XYL
Company Name	BWX Technologies, Inc.	Xylem Inc.
Country	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry	Aerospace & Defense	Machinery
Market Capitalization	16.16 billion USD	34.94 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	August 2, 2010	October 13, 2011
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of BWXT and XYL 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.

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

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	BWXT	XYL
5-Day Price Return	-1.54%	0.03%
13-Week Price Return	65.06%	12.79%
26-Week Price Return	56.70%	9.21%
52-Week Price Return	81.78%	12.57%
Month-to-Date Return	16.34%	-0.75%
Year-to-Date Return	58.69%	23.71%
10-Day Avg. Volume	1.59M	1.44M
3-Month Avg. Volume	1.21M	1.46M
3-Month Volatility	45.87%	25.73%
Beta	0.76	1.14

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

BWXT

26.61%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 43.89%
Q3: 22.42%
Median: 12.50%
Q1: 5.21%
Min: -6.24%

In the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, BWXT’s Return on Equity of 26.61% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.

XYL

8.70%

Machinery Industry

Max: 34.68%
Q3: 19.06%
Median: 13.13%
Q1: 8.53%
Min: -4.87%

XYL’s Return on Equity of 8.70% is on par with the norm for the Machinery industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

BWXT vs. XYL: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

BWXT

10.28%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 14.54%
Q3: 8.08%
Median: 6.17%
Q1: 2.49%
Min: -1.63%

A Net Profit Margin of 10.28% places BWXT in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

XYL

10.74%

Machinery Industry

Max: 19.74%
Q3: 11.24%
Median: 8.13%
Q1: 5.38%
Min: -1.11%

XYL’s Net Profit Margin of 10.74% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Machinery industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

BWXT vs. XYL: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

BWXT

13.54%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 16.63%
Q3: 10.38%
Median: 8.29%
Q1: 6.21%
Min: 0.95%

An Operating Profit Margin of 13.54% places BWXT in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

XYL

11.81%

Machinery Industry

Max: 26.63%
Q3: 16.15%
Median: 11.27%
Q1: 7.72%
Min: -4.91%

XYL’s Operating Profit Margin of 11.81% is around the midpoint for the Machinery industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

BWXT vs. XYL: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	BWXT	XYL
Return on Equity (TTM)	26.61%	8.70%
Return on Assets (TTM)	9.37%	5.66%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	10.28%	10.74%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	13.54%	11.81%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	24.26%	37.81%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

BWXT

1.69

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 3.09
Q3: 1.98
Median: 1.23
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.02

BWXT’s Current Ratio of 1.69 aligns with the median group of the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

XYL

1.90

Machinery Industry

Max: 3.83
Q3: 2.32
Median: 1.72
Q1: 1.28
Min: 0.78

XYL’s Current Ratio of 1.90 aligns with the median group of the Machinery industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

BWXT vs. XYL: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

BWXT

1.29

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 1.70
Q3: 1.04
Median: 0.68
Q1: 0.41
Min: 0.00

BWXT’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Aerospace & Defense industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.29. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.

XYL

0.18

Machinery Industry

Max: 1.49
Q3: 0.75
Median: 0.44
Q1: 0.26
Min: 0.00

Falling into the lower quartile for the Machinery industry, XYL’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.18 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.

BWXT vs. XYL: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

BWXT

93.87

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 36.57
Q3: 19.90
Median: 7.04
Q1: 2.40
Min: -7.63

With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 93.87, BWXT demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.

XYL

55.35

Machinery Industry

Max: 67.55
Q3: 33.79
Median: 13.87
Q1: 7.97
Min: -1.43

XYL’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 55.35 is in the upper quartile for the Machinery industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.

BWXT vs. XYL: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	BWXT	XYL
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.69	1.90
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	1.60	1.31
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	1.29	0.18
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	93.87	55.35

Growth

Revenue Growth

BWXT vs. XYL: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

BWXT vs. XYL: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

BWXT

0.56%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 2.03%
Q3: 1.22%
Median: 0.43%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

BWXT’s Dividend Yield of 0.56% is consistent with its peers in the Aerospace & Defense industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

XYL

1.05%

Machinery Industry

Max: 5.32%
Q3: 2.84%
Median: 1.87%
Q1: 1.09%
Min: 0.00%

XYL’s Dividend Yield of 1.05% is in the lower quartile for the Machinery industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.

BWXT vs. XYL: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

BWXT

30.84%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 83.87%
Q3: 49.90%
Median: 16.48%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

BWXT’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 30.84% is within the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

XYL

39.55%

Machinery Industry

Max: 202.17%
Q3: 98.65%
Median: 55.54%
Q1: 29.03%
Min: 0.00%

XYL’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 39.55% is within the typical range for the Machinery industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

BWXT vs. XYL: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	BWXT	XYL
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.56%	1.05%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	30.84%	39.55%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

BWXT

54.81

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 65.97
Q3: 54.11
Median: 34.53
Q1: 23.66
Min: 0.00

A P/E Ratio of 54.81 places BWXT in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.

XYL

37.52

Machinery Industry

Max: 53.66
Q3: 31.29
Median: 22.00
Q1: 16.18
Min: 7.00

A P/E Ratio of 37.52 places XYL in the upper quartile for the Machinery industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.

BWXT vs. XYL: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

BWXT

5.63

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 8.07
Q3: 4.49
Median: 2.42
Q1: 1.39
Min: 0.00

BWXT’s P/S Ratio of 5.63 is in the upper echelon for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.

XYL

4.03

Machinery Industry

Max: 5.04
Q3: 2.72
Median: 1.67
Q1: 1.04
Min: 0.24

XYL’s P/S Ratio of 4.03 is in the upper echelon for the Machinery industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.

BWXT vs. XYL: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

BWXT

11.11

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 13.67
Q3: 7.92
Median: 4.65
Q1: 2.68
Min: 0.82

BWXT’s P/B Ratio of 11.11 is in the upper tier for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.

XYL

2.84

Machinery Industry

Max: 7.23
Q3: 3.90
Median: 2.52
Q1: 1.47
Min: 0.49

XYL’s P/B Ratio of 2.84 is within the conventional range for the Machinery 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.

BWXT vs. XYL: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	BWXT	XYL
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	54.81	37.52
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	5.63	4.03
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	11.11	2.84
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	43.85	40.41