CTAS vs. HWM: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at CTAS and HWM, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | CTAS | HWM |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Cintas Corporation | Howmet Aerospace Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Commercial Services & Supplies | Aerospace & Defense |
| Market Capitalization | 74.69 billion USD | 81.46 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | August 19, 1983 | November 1, 2016 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of CTAS and HWM 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.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | CTAS | HWM |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 0.79% | -3.08% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -13.78% | 18.71% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -13.29% | 28.42% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -16.50% | 75.60% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 1.88% | -1.29% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 2.20% | 85.87% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.38M | 2.03M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.95M | 2.29M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 18.57% | 24.72% |
| Beta | 0.97 | 1.31 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
CTAS
40.41%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 31.86%
- Q3
- 17.95%
- Median
- 10.20%
- Q1
- 6.64%
- Min
- -9.69%
CTAS’s Return on Equity of 40.41% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
HWM
29.70%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 43.89%
- Q3
- 23.64%
- Median
- 12.98%
- Q1
- 8.07%
- Min
- -2.55%
In the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, HWM’s Return on Equity of 29.70% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
CTAS
17.54%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 17.54%
- Q3
- 10.35%
- Median
- 5.85%
- Q1
- 3.23%
- Min
- -2.31%
A Net Profit Margin of 17.54% places CTAS in the upper quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
HWM
18.18%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 14.96%
- Q3
- 9.50%
- Median
- 6.59%
- Q1
- 4.45%
- Min
- 1.01%
HWM’s Net Profit Margin of 18.18% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
CTAS
22.89%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 25.57%
- Q3
- 15.63%
- Median
- 8.06%
- Q1
- 4.76%
- Min
- -7.48%
An Operating Profit Margin of 22.89% places CTAS in the upper quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
HWM
25.10%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 17.97%
- Q3
- 12.09%
- Median
- 9.29%
- Q1
- 6.41%
- Min
- -1.59%
HWM’s Operating Profit Margin of 25.10% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | CTAS | HWM |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 40.41% | 29.70% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 19.17% | 13.33% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.54% | 18.18% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 22.89% | 25.10% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 50.10% | 33.43% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
CTAS
2.24
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 3.94
- Q3
- 2.24
- Median
- 1.28
- Q1
- 0.91
- Min
- 0.58
CTAS’s Current Ratio of 2.24 aligns with the median group of the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
HWM
2.35
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 3.37
- Q3
- 2.01
- Median
- 1.22
- Q1
- 1.07
- Min
- 0.68
HWM’s Current Ratio of 2.35 is in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
CTAS
0.51
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 2.24
- Q3
- 1.11
- Median
- 0.73
- Q1
- 0.30
- Min
- 0.00
CTAS’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.51 is typical for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
HWM
0.62
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 1.89
- Q3
- 0.99
- Median
- 0.63
- Q1
- 0.39
- Min
- 0.03
HWM’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.62 is typical for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
CTAS
24.70
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 24.70
- Q3
- 24.47
- Median
- 9.83
- Q1
- 3.74
- Min
- -10.97
CTAS’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 24.70 is in the upper quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
HWM
7.92
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 29.86
- Q3
- 19.49
- Median
- 7.09
- Q1
- 2.62
- Min
- -7.63
HWM’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.92 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | CTAS | HWM |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.24 | 2.35 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.88 | 0.96 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.51 | 0.62 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 24.70 | 7.92 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
CTAS
0.85%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.46%
- Q3
- 2.38%
- Median
- 1.70%
- Q1
- 0.89%
- Min
- 0.00%
CTAS’s Dividend Yield of 0.85% is in the lower quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
HWM
0.20%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 2.87%
- Q3
- 1.46%
- Median
- 0.58%
- Q1
- 0.10%
- Min
- 0.00%
HWM’s Dividend Yield of 0.20% is consistent with its peers in the Aerospace & Defense industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
CTAS
34.09%
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 137.88%
- Q3
- 72.93%
- Median
- 50.54%
- Q1
- 29.39%
- Min
- 0.00%
CTAS’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 34.09% is within the typical range for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
HWM
11.31%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 110.40%
- Q3
- 51.46%
- Median
- 20.20%
- Q1
- 4.21%
- Min
- 0.00%
HWM’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 11.31% is within the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | CTAS | HWM |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.85% | 0.20% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 34.09% | 11.31% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
CTAS
40.29
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 57.06
- Q3
- 35.30
- Median
- 21.86
- Q1
- 16.24
- Min
- 6.18
A P/E Ratio of 40.29 places CTAS in the upper quartile for the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
HWM
55.41
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 94.22
- Q3
- 53.31
- Median
- 32.27
- Q1
- 24.64
- Min
- 14.57
A P/E Ratio of 55.41 places HWM 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.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
CTAS
7.07
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 6.55
- Q3
- 3.15
- Median
- 1.07
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.06
With a P/S Ratio of 7.07, CTAS trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
HWM
10.07
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 7.20
- Q3
- 3.95
- Median
- 2.35
- Q1
- 1.71
- Min
- 0.32
With a P/S Ratio of 10.07, HWM trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Aerospace & Defense industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
CTAS
17.80
Commercial Services & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 6.18
- Q3
- 4.19
- Median
- 2.44
- Q1
- 1.61
- Min
- 0.40
At 17.80, CTAS’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
HWM
15.38
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 18.61
- Q3
- 9.58
- Median
- 5.45
- Q1
- 3.11
- Min
- 0.94
HWM’s P/B Ratio of 15.38 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | CTAS | HWM |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 40.29 | 55.41 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 7.07 | 10.07 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 17.80 | 15.38 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 43.98 | 62.81 |