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ETN vs. WSO.B: Eaton vs. Watsco Stock Comparison

How do Eaton (ETN) and Watsco (WSO.B) 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

Eaton (ETN) and Watsco (WSO.B) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but ETN is classified in Electrical Equipment while WSO.B is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors.

Company profile comparison for Eaton (ETN) and Watsco (WSO.B)
Profile ItemETNWSO.B
NameEaton Corporation plcWatsco Inc. Class B Common Stock
Country/RegionIrelandUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryElectrical EquipmentTrading Companies & Distributors
GICS Sub-IndustryElectrical Components & EquipmentTrading Companies & Distributors
Market Capitalization132.76 billion USD12.92 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJune 1, 1972March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ETN
WSO.B
GSPC
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Eaton (ETN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B), 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 Eaton (ETN) and Watsco (WSO.B). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Eaton (ETN) and Watsco (WSO.B). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Eaton (ETN) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricETNWSO.B
Total Return (1Y)-2.33%-11.21%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)19.68%-3.05%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)17.50%4.30%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ETN
WSO.B
GSPC
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Eaton (ETN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B), 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 Eaton (ETN) and Watsco (WSO.B). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Eaton (ETN) trades around 2.32M shares per day on average, while Watsco (WSO.B) sees only 74 — a volume gap that can matter for position sizing, exit liquidity, and order execution.

Risk profile metrics for Eaton (ETN) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricETNWSO.B
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)43.57%40.28%
Beta (5Y)1.140.64
Max Drawdown (5Y)-34.46%-43.41%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.32M74

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ETN and WSO.B 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 Eaton (ETN) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricETNWSO.B
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.15-0.38
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.21-0.57

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Eaton (ETN) at 19.55% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Watsco (WSO.B) at 16.21% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for ETN.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

19.55%

Max
40.55%
ETN
19.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

16.21%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
WSO.B
16.21%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Eaton (ETN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Eaton (ETN) at 12.18% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Watsco (WSO.B) at 6.31%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

12.18%

Max
27.47%
ETN
12.18%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

6.31%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
WSO.B
6.31%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Eaton (ETN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Eaton (ETN) at 17.85% and Watsco (WSO.B) at 10.14% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

17.85%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
ETN
17.85%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

10.14%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
WSO.B
10.14%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Eaton (ETN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Eaton (ETN) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricETNWSO.B
ROE (TTM)19.55%16.21%
ROA (TTM)7.22%8.27%
Net Margin (TTM)12.18%6.31%
Operating Margin (TTM)17.85%10.14%
Gross Margin (TTM)35.16%27.18%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Eaton (ETN) at 10.33% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Watsco (WSO.B) at -4.98% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Eaton (ETN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Eaton (ETN) at 10.00% and Watsco (WSO.B) at -7.47% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Eaton (ETN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Eaton (ETN) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricETNWSO.B
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.33%-4.98%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)9.77%-0.16%
EPS Growth (YoY)10.00%-7.47%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)19.39%-6.89%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Watsco (WSO.B) at 3.15 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Eaton (ETN) at 1.23 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

1.23

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
ETN
1.23
Min
0.36

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

3.15

Max
5.22
WSO.B
3.15
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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Eaton (ETN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Watsco (WSO.B) at 0.16 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Eaton (ETN) at 1.00 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

1.00

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
ETN
1.00
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

0.16

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
WSO.B
0.16
Min
0.00
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Eaton (ETN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Eaton (ETN) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricETNWSO.B
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.233.15
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.000.16
Net Debt / EBITDA2.85-0.14

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Eaton (ETN) at 1.33% earns its spot in the top quartile of its industry’s yields; Watsco (WSO.B) at 4.02% is past the top of its own peer range — territory where a dividend-safety check matters more than the headline number.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

1.33%

Max
2.66%
ETN
1.33%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

4.02%

WSO.B
4.02%
Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Eaton (ETN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Watsco (WSO.B) reports payout ratio above 100% at 109.66%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Eaton (ETN) reports 43.36%, ranking against industry peers normally.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

43.36%

Max
67.39%
ETN
43.36%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

109.66%

WSO.B
109.66%
Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Eaton (ETN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Eaton (ETN) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricETNWSO.B
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.33%4.02%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)43.36%109.66%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Eaton (ETN) at 34.14 and Watsco (WSO.B) at 27.26 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

34.14

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
ETN
34.14
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

27.26

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
WSO.B
27.26
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Eaton (ETN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Watsco (WSO.B) at 1.74 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Eaton (ETN) at 4.15 sits in the pricier quartile — ETN costs more per dollar of sales.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

4.15

Max
7.54
ETN
4.15
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

1.74

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
WSO.B
1.74
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Eaton (ETN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Watsco (WSO.B) at 3.99 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Eaton (ETN) at 6.33 carries an above-peer premium to book — ETN is pricier on assets.

ETN

Capital Goods industry group

6.33

Max
9.66
ETN
6.33
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

3.99

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
WSO.B
3.99
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Eaton (ETN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Eaton (ETN) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricETNWSO.B
P/E Ratio (TTM)34.1427.26
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.151.74
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.333.99
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.29%3.50%