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CW vs. GNRC: Curtiss-Wright vs. Generac Stock Comparison

How do Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Generac (GNRC) 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

Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Generac (GNRC) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but CW is classified in Aerospace & Defense while GNRC is classified in Electrical Equipment.

Company profile comparison for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Generac (GNRC)
Profile ItemCWGNRC
NameCurtiss-Wright CorporationGenerac Holdings Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryAerospace & DefenseElectrical Equipment
GICS Sub-IndustryAerospace & DefenseElectrical Components & Equipment
Market Capitalization16.81 billion USD10.43 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980February 11, 2010
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CW
GNRC
GSPC
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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Generac (GNRC), 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 Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Generac (GNRC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Generac (GNRC). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Generac (GNRC)
MetricCWGNRC
Total Return (1Y)-15.83%23.38%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)33.49%23.05%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)29.54%-15.31%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CW
GNRC
GSPC
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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Generac (GNRC), 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 Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Generac (GNRC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Generac (GNRC)
MetricCWGNRC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)38.26%59.48%
Beta (5Y)0.931.84
Max Drawdown (5Y)-45.25%-81.73%
Avg. Volume (3M)427.49K1.22M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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CW and GNRC 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 Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Generac (GNRC)
MetricCWGNRC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.530.32
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.710.50

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 21.82% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Generac (GNRC) at 10.64% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for CW.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

21.82%

Max
40.55%
CW
21.82%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%

GNRC

Capital Goods industry group

10.64%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
GNRC
10.64%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Generac (GNRC): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 14.86% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Generac (GNRC) at 6.52%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

14.86%

Max
27.47%
CW
14.86%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%

GNRC

Capital Goods industry group

6.52%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
GNRC
6.52%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Generac (GNRC): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 19.87% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Generac (GNRC) at 11.67%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

19.87%

Max
36.60%
CW
19.87%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%

GNRC

Capital Goods industry group

11.67%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
GNRC
11.67%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Generac (GNRC): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Generac (GNRC)
MetricCWGNRC
ROE (TTM)21.82%10.64%
ROA (TTM)8.90%4.24%
Net Margin (TTM)14.86%6.52%
Operating Margin (TTM)19.87%11.67%
Gross Margin (TTM)38.07%38.18%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 12.08% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Generac (GNRC) at -2.02% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Generac (GNRC): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 21.99% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Generac (GNRC) at -50.09% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Generac (GNRC): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Generac (GNRC)
MetricCWGNRC
Revenue Growth (YoY)12.08%-2.02%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)11.01%-2.67%
EPS Growth (YoY)21.99%-50.09%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)19.09%-20.83%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Generac (GNRC) at 1.97 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 1.42 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for CW.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

1.42

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
CW
1.42
Min
0.36

GNRC

Capital Goods industry group

1.97

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
GNRC
1.97
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Generac (GNRC): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 0.45 and Generac (GNRC) at 0.47 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

0.45

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
CW
0.45
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00

GNRC

Capital Goods industry group

0.47

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
GNRC
0.47
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Generac (GNRC): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Generac (GNRC)
MetricCWGNRC
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.421.97
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.450.47
Net Debt / EBITDA1.001.65

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Generac (GNRC) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Curtiss-Wright (CW) reports a yield of 0.23%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

0.23%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
CW
0.23%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

GNRC

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
GNRC
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Generac (GNRC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Generac (GNRC) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Curtiss-Wright (CW) reports a payout of 6.67%, ranking against industry peers normally.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

6.67%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
CW
6.67%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

GNRC

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
GNRC
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Generac (GNRC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Generac (GNRC)
MetricCWGNRC
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.23%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)6.67%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 30.92 and Generac (GNRC) at 34.87 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

30.92

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
CW
30.92
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03

GNRC

Capital Goods industry group

34.87

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
GNRC
34.87
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Generac (GNRC): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Generac (GNRC) at 2.26 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 4.50 sits in the pricier quartile — CW costs more per dollar of sales.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

4.50

Max
7.54
CW
4.50
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03

GNRC

Capital Goods industry group

2.26

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
GNRC
2.26
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Generac (GNRC): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Generac (GNRC) at 3.46 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 6.64 carries an above-peer premium to book — CW is pricier on assets.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

6.64

Max
9.66
CW
6.64
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08

GNRC

Capital Goods industry group

3.46

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
GNRC
3.46
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Generac (GNRC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Generac (GNRC)
MetricCWGNRC
P/E Ratio (TTM)30.9234.87
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.502.26
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.643.46
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.86%3.21%