CSL vs. WWD: Carlisle vs. Woodward Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Carlisle (CSL) and Woodward (WWD) 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

Carlisle (CSL) and Woodward (WWD) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but CSL is classified in Building Products while WWD is classified in Aerospace & Defense.

Company profile comparison for Carlisle (CSL) and Woodward (WWD)
Profile Item	CSL	WWD
Name	Carlisle Companies Incorporated	Woodward, Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Building Products	Aerospace & Defense
GICS Sub-Industry	Building Products	Aerospace & Defense
Market Capitalization	14.52 billion USD	18.74 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	Nasdaq
Listing Date	February 21, 1973	April 4, 1994
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CSL

WWD

GSPC

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Woodward (WWD), 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 Carlisle (CSL) and Woodward (WWD). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Carlisle (CSL) and Woodward (WWD). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Woodward (WWD)
Metric	CSL	WWD
Total Return (1Y)	24.99%	25.66%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	15.85%	36.83%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	12.02%	23.54%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CSL

WWD

GSPC

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Woodward (WWD), 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 Carlisle (CSL) and Woodward (WWD). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Woodward (WWD)
Metric	CSL	WWD
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	38.46%	40.29%
Beta (5Y)	0.76	0.87
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-37.72%	-37.25%
Avg. Volume (3M)	509.16K	665.85K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

CSL and WWD 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 Carlisle (CSL) and Woodward (WWD)
Metric	CSL	WWD
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.54	0.53
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.87	0.85

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Carlisle (CSL) at 42.34% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Woodward (WWD) at 22.34% also sits in the top quartile.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

42.34%

CSL: 42.34%
Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

22.34%

Max: 40.55%
WWD: 22.34%
Q3: 19.29%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Carlisle (CSL) at 13.78% and Woodward (WWD) at 13.17% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

13.78%

Max: 27.47%
CSL: 13.78%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

13.17%

Max: 27.47%
WWD: 13.17%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Carlisle (CSL) at 20.21% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Woodward (WWD) at 17.76%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

20.21%

Max: 36.60%
CSL: 20.21%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

17.76%

Max: 36.60%
Q3: 18.33%
WWD: 17.76%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Woodward (WWD)
Metric	CSL	WWD
ROE (TTM)	42.34%	22.34%
ROA (TTM)	10.20%	8.62%
Net Margin (TTM)	13.78%	13.17%
Operating Margin (TTM)	20.21%	17.76%
Gross Margin (TTM)	34.66%	29.63%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Woodward (WWD) at 7.30% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Carlisle (CSL) at 0.33% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Woodward (WWD) at 19.63% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Carlisle (CSL) at -38.46% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Woodward (WWD)
Metric	CSL	WWD
Revenue Growth (YoY)	0.33%	7.30%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	-2.70%	14.40%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-38.46%	19.63%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-0.84%	38.44%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Carlisle (CSL) at 2.41 and Woodward (WWD) at 1.65 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

2.41

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
CSL: 2.41
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

1.65

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
WWD: 1.65
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Woodward (WWD) at 0.56 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Carlisle (CSL) at 2.01 uses more debt funding than most peers.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

2.01

Max: 2.33
CSL: 2.01
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

0.56

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

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Woodward (WWD)
Metric	CSL	WWD
Current Ratio (MRQ)	2.41	1.65
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	2.01	0.56
Net Debt / EBITDA	1.93	1.13

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Carlisle (CSL) at 1.20% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Woodward (WWD) at 0.32% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, CSL the richer one.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

1.20%

Max: 2.66%
CSL: 1.20%
Q3: 1.14%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

0.32%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
WWD: 0.32%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Carlisle (CSL) at 25.50% and Woodward (WWD) at 13.35% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

25.50%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
CSL: 25.50%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

13.35%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
WWD: 13.35%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Woodward (WWD)
Metric	CSL	WWD
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.20%	0.32%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	25.50%	13.35%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Carlisle (CSL) at 21.06 and Woodward (WWD) at 35.30 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

21.06

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
CSL: 21.06
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

35.30

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
WWD: 35.30
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Carlisle (CSL) at 2.79 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Woodward (WWD) at 4.47 sits in the pricier quartile — WWD costs more per dollar of sales.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

2.79

Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
CSL: 2.79
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

4.47

Max: 7.54
WWD: 4.47
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Woodward (WWD) at 7.60 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Carlisle (CSL) at 10.11 prices even higher, above its industry range.

CSL

Capital Goods industry group

10.11

CSL: 10.11
Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

7.60

Max: 9.66
WWD: 7.60
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

Carlisle (CSL) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Carlisle (CSL) and Woodward (WWD)
Metric	CSL	WWD
P/E Ratio (TTM)	21.06	35.30
P/S Ratio (TTM)	2.79	4.47
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	10.11	7.60
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	4.01%	1.00%