FERG vs. HWM: Ferguson Enterprises vs. Howmet Aerospace Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) and Howmet Aerospace (HWM) 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

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) and Howmet Aerospace (HWM) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but FERG is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors while HWM is classified in Aerospace & Defense.

Company profile comparison for Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) and Howmet Aerospace (HWM)
Profile Item	FERG	HWM
Name	Ferguson Enterprises Inc.	Howmet Aerospace Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Trading Companies & Distributors	Aerospace & Defense
GICS Sub-Industry	Trading Companies & Distributors	Aerospace & Defense
Market Capitalization	45.21 billion USD	81.84 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	January 5, 2010	November 1, 2016
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

FERG

HWM

GSPC

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) vs. Howmet Aerospace (HWM), 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 Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) and Howmet Aerospace (HWM). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) and Howmet Aerospace (HWM). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) and Howmet Aerospace (HWM)
Metric	FERG	HWM
Total Return (1Y)	6.92%	5.06%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	20.73%	64.83%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	13.21%	46.04%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

FERG

HWM

GSPC

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) vs. Howmet Aerospace (HWM), 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 Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) and Howmet Aerospace (HWM). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) and Howmet Aerospace (HWM)
Metric	FERG	HWM
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	32.85%	37.60%
Beta (5Y)	1.08	1.27
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-43.31%	-36.47%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.46M	3.47M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

FERG and HWM 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 Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) and Howmet Aerospace (HWM)
Metric	FERG	HWM
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.08	0.02
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.12	0.03

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Howmet Aerospace (HWM) earns 37.65% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) has no ROE this period.

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

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

HWM

Capital Goods industry group

37.65%

Max: 40.55%
HWM: 37.65%
Q3: 19.29%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) vs. Howmet Aerospace (HWM): FERG does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; HWM is benchmarked against the Capital Goods industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Howmet Aerospace (HWM) at 21.10% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 6.32%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

6.32%

Max: 27.47%
Q3: 12.10%
FERG: 6.32%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

HWM

Capital Goods industry group

21.10%

Max: 27.47%
HWM: 21.10%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) vs. Howmet Aerospace (HWM): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Howmet Aerospace (HWM) at 28.78% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 10.16%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

10.16%

Max: 36.60%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
FERG: 10.16%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

HWM

Capital Goods industry group

28.78%

Max: 36.60%
HWM: 28.78%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) vs. Howmet Aerospace (HWM): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) and Howmet Aerospace (HWM)
Metric	FERG	HWM
ROE (TTM)	--	37.65%
ROA (TTM)	--	13.97%
Net Margin (TTM)	6.32%	21.10%
Operating Margin (TTM)	10.16%	28.78%
Gross Margin (TTM)	30.63%	36.63%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Only one side can be read here: Howmet Aerospace (HWM) reports revenue growth of 11.06%, ranked against its industry; Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) has no revenue growth figure this period.

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) vs. Howmet Aerospace (HWM): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Howmet Aerospace (HWM) at 32.03% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 19.11% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for HWM.

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) vs. Howmet Aerospace (HWM): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) and Howmet Aerospace (HWM)
Metric	FERG	HWM
Revenue Growth (YoY)	--	11.06%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	--	13.37%
EPS Growth (YoY)	19.11%	32.03%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	--	49.51%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 1.73 and Howmet Aerospace (HWM) at 1.86 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

1.73

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
FERG: 1.73
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

HWM

Capital Goods industry group

1.86

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
HWM: 1.86
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) vs. Howmet Aerospace (HWM): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 1.11 and Howmet Aerospace (HWM) at 0.80 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

1.11

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
FERG: 1.11
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

HWM

Capital Goods industry group

0.80

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
HWM: 0.80
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) vs. Howmet Aerospace (HWM): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) and Howmet Aerospace (HWM)
Metric	FERG	HWM
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.73	1.86
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.11	0.80
Net Debt / EBITDA	2.10	1.35

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 1.80% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Howmet Aerospace (HWM) at 0.25% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, FERG the richer one.

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

1.80%

Max: 2.66%
FERG: 1.80%
Q3: 1.14%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

HWM

Capital Goods industry group

0.25%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
HWM: 0.25%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) vs. Howmet Aerospace (HWM): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Howmet Aerospace (HWM) at 9.80% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 33.57% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

33.57%

Max: 67.39%
FERG: 33.57%
Q3: 28.02%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

HWM

Capital Goods industry group

9.80%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
HWM: 9.80%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) vs. Howmet Aerospace (HWM): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) and Howmet Aerospace (HWM)
Metric	FERG	HWM
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.80%	0.25%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	33.57%	9.80%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 23.00 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Howmet Aerospace (HWM) at 40.35 sits in the richer quartile — HWM needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

23.00

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
FERG: 23.00
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

HWM

Capital Goods industry group

40.35

Max: 59.38
HWM: 40.35
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) vs. Howmet Aerospace (HWM): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 1.44 prices around its industry’s typical P/S ratio, while Howmet Aerospace (HWM) at 8.41 clears its benchmark range — HWM looks notably rich on sales.

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

1.44

Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
FERG: 1.44
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

HWM

Capital Goods industry group

8.41

HWM: 8.41
Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) vs. Howmet Aerospace (HWM): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) at 7.29 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Howmet Aerospace (HWM) at 14.20 prices even higher, above its industry range.

FERG

Capital Goods industry group

7.29

Max: 9.66
FERG: 7.29
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

HWM

Capital Goods industry group

14.20

HWM: 14.20
Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) vs. Howmet Aerospace (HWM): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Ferguson Enterprises (FERG) and Howmet Aerospace (HWM)
Metric	FERG	HWM
P/E Ratio (TTM)	23.00	40.35
P/S Ratio (TTM)	1.44	8.41
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	7.29	14.20
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	--	1.58%