Seek Returns logo

FER vs. WSO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on

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

Company Profile

SymbolFERWSO
Company NameFerrovial SEWatsco, Inc.
CountryNetherlandsUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS IndustryConstruction & EngineeringTrading Companies & Distributors
Market Capitalization43.21 billion USD16.76 billion USD
ExchangeNasdaqGSNYSE
Listing DateAugust 13, 2012June 7, 1984
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of FER and WSO 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.

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

Historical Performance at a Glance

SymbolFERWSO
5-Day Price Return4.36%1.41%
13-Week Price Return12.36%-10.48%
26-Week Price Return21.19%-19.87%
52-Week Price Return35.84%-15.31%
Month-to-Date Return3.65%1.41%
Year-to-Date Return24.53%-13.48%
10-Day Avg. Volume0.71M0.53M
3-Month Avg. Volume0.64M0.38M
3-Month Volatility14.11%27.98%
Beta0.921.02

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

FER

56.21%

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max
26.79%
Q3
16.47%
Median
10.66%
Q1
8.46%
Min
-1.86%

FER’s Return on Equity of 56.21% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Construction & Engineering industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.

WSO

19.73%

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
32.99%
Q3
19.66%
Median
13.72%
Q1
9.74%
Min
-0.34%

In the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, WSO’s Return on Equity of 19.73% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.

FER vs. WSO: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Trading Companies & Distributors industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

FER

35.99%

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max
11.67%
Q3
6.13%
Median
3.82%
Q1
2.31%
Min
-2.77%

FER’s Net Profit Margin of 35.99% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Construction & Engineering industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.

WSO

7.08%

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
16.11%
Q3
9.48%
Median
5.89%
Q1
3.68%
Min
-1.09%

WSO’s Net Profit Margin of 7.08% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

FER vs. WSO: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Trading Companies & Distributors industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

FER

34.91%

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max
17.78%
Q3
9.61%
Median
6.19%
Q1
3.73%
Min
-1.78%

FER’s Operating Profit Margin of 34.91% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Construction & Engineering industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.

WSO

10.26%

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
26.26%
Q3
14.59%
Median
7.05%
Q1
4.94%
Min
-8.06%

WSO’s Operating Profit Margin of 10.26% is around the midpoint for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

FER vs. WSO: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Trading Companies & Distributors industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

SymbolFERWSO
Return on Equity (TTM)56.21%19.73%
Return on Assets (TTM)12.11%11.69%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)35.99%7.08%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)34.91%10.26%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)87.83%27.54%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

FER

0.94

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max
2.17
Q3
1.50
Median
1.23
Q1
1.00
Min
0.65

FER’s Current Ratio of 0.94 falls into the lower quartile for the Construction & Engineering industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.

WSO

3.08

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
3.32
Q3
2.27
Median
1.60
Q1
1.41
Min
0.26

WSO’s Current Ratio of 3.08 is in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.

FER vs. WSO: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Trading Companies & Distributors industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

FER

1.95

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max
2.37
Q3
1.24
Median
0.62
Q1
0.31
Min
0.00

FER’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Construction & Engineering industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.95. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.

WSO

0.01

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
1.93
Q3
1.24
Median
0.79
Q1
0.61
Min
0.01

Falling into the lower quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, WSO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.01 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.

FER vs. WSO: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Trading Companies & Distributors industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

FER

9.20

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max
36.37
Q3
17.88
Median
8.20
Q1
4.98
Min
-6.49

FER’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 9.20 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Construction & Engineering industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

WSO

140.00

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
15.13
Q3
7.93
Median
5.67
Q1
2.04
Min
-1.67

With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 140.00, WSO demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.

FER vs. WSO: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Trading Companies & Distributors industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

SymbolFERWSO
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.943.08
Quick Ratio (MRQ)0.861.26
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)1.950.01
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)9.20140.00

Growth

Revenue Growth

FER vs. WSO: 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

FER vs. WSO: 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)

FER

0.34%

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max
5.80%
Q3
3.33%
Median
2.22%
Q1
0.21%
Min
0.00%

FER’s Dividend Yield of 0.34% is consistent with its peers in the Construction & Engineering industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

WSO

2.64%

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
5.25%
Q3
2.95%
Median
2.06%
Q1
1.11%
Min
0.00%

WSO’s Dividend Yield of 2.64% is consistent with its peers in the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

FER vs. WSO: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Trading Companies & Distributors industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

FER

3.63%

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max
139.17%
Q3
74.39%
Median
51.48%
Q1
15.67%
Min
0.00%

FER’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 3.63% is in the lower quartile for the Construction & Engineering industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.

WSO

84.37%

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
136.12%
Q3
71.34%
Median
47.49%
Q1
22.56%
Min
0.00%

WSO’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 84.37% is in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.

FER vs. WSO: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Trading Companies & Distributors industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

SymbolFERWSO
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.34%2.64%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)3.63%84.37%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

FER

10.79

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max
41.00
Q3
26.91
Median
16.02
Q1
13.49
Min
1.65

In the lower quartile for the Construction & Engineering industry, FER’s P/E Ratio of 10.79 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.

WSO

31.90

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
42.69
Q3
25.21
Median
16.99
Q1
13.13
Min
5.35

A P/E Ratio of 31.90 places WSO in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.

FER vs. WSO: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Trading Companies & Distributors industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

FER

3.88

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max
2.93
Q3
1.65
Median
0.71
Q1
0.45
Min
0.11

With a P/S Ratio of 3.88, FER trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Construction & Engineering industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.

WSO

2.26

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
4.90
Q3
2.71
Median
1.06
Q1
0.70
Min
0.30

WSO’s P/S Ratio of 2.26 aligns with the market consensus for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

FER vs. WSO: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Trading Companies & Distributors industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

FER

5.63

Construction & Engineering Industry

Max
7.96
Q3
4.06
Median
1.98
Q1
1.23
Min
0.24

FER’s P/B Ratio of 5.63 is in the upper tier for the Construction & Engineering 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.

WSO

6.47

Trading Companies & Distributors Industry

Max
7.55
Q3
4.63
Median
2.09
Q1
1.30
Min
0.31

WSO’s P/B Ratio of 6.47 is in the upper tier for the Trading Companies & Distributors 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.

FER vs. WSO: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Construction & Engineering and Trading Companies & Distributors industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

SymbolFERWSO
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)10.7931.90
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)3.882.26
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)5.636.47
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)31.6622.82