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GD vs. GEV: General Dynamics vs. GE Vernova Stock Comparison

How do General Dynamics (GD) and GE Vernova (GEV) 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

General Dynamics (GD) and GE Vernova (GEV) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but GD is classified in Aerospace & Defense while GEV is classified in Electrical Equipment.

General Dynamics (GD) carries decades of public-market history since January 2, 1962, while GE Vernova (GEV) listed on March 27, 2024 — long-window comparisons have far more historical data on the GD side.

Company profile comparison for General Dynamics (GD) and GE Vernova (GEV)
Profile ItemGDGEV
NameGeneral Dynamics Corp.GE Vernova Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryAerospace & DefenseElectrical Equipment
GICS Sub-IndustryAerospace & DefenseHeavy Electrical Equipment
Market Capitalization95.68 billion USD204.89 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962March 27, 2024
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GD
GEV
GSPC
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General Dynamics (GD) vs. GE Vernova (GEV), 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 General Dynamics (GD) and GE Vernova (GEV). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for General Dynamics (GD) and GE Vernova (GEV). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for General Dynamics (GD) and GE Vernova (GEV)
MetricGDGEV
Total Return (1Y)6.52%44.63%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)16.95%--
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)14.65%--

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GD
GEV
GSPC
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General Dynamics (GD) vs. GE Vernova (GEV), 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 General Dynamics (GD) and GE Vernova (GEV). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for General Dynamics (GD) and GE Vernova (GEV)
MetricGDGEV
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)23.03%55.54%
Beta (5Y)0.301.12
Max Drawdown (5Y)-22.55%-38.29%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.19M2.65M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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GD and GEV 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 General Dynamics (GD) and GE Vernova (GEV)
MetricGDGEV
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.100.73
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.151.08

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

GE Vernova (GEV) at 93.04% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than General Dynamics (GD) at 18.01%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

GD

Capital Goods industry group

18.01%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
GD
18.01%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%

GEV

Capital Goods industry group

93.04%

GEV
93.04%
Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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General Dynamics (GD) vs. GE Vernova (GEV): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

GE Vernova (GEV) at 23.54% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of General Dynamics (GD) at 8.24%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

GD

Capital Goods industry group

8.24%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
GD
8.24%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%

GEV

Capital Goods industry group

23.54%

Max
27.47%
GEV
23.54%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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General Dynamics (GD) vs. GE Vernova (GEV): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both General Dynamics (GD) at 10.49% and GE Vernova (GEV) at 12.77% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

GD

Capital Goods industry group

10.49%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
GD
10.49%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%

GEV

Capital Goods industry group

12.77%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
GEV
12.77%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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General Dynamics (GD) vs. GE Vernova (GEV): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for General Dynamics (GD) and GE Vernova (GEV)
MetricGDGEV
ROE (TTM)18.01%93.04%
ROA (TTM)6.23%3.22%
Net Margin (TTM)8.24%23.54%
Operating Margin (TTM)10.49%12.77%
Gross Margin (TTM)15.42%21.79%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both General Dynamics (GD) at 10.13% and GE Vernova (GEV) at 8.97% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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General Dynamics (GD) vs. GE Vernova (GEV): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

GE Vernova (GEV) at 217.03% clears its industry range for EPS growth, a much stronger earnings trajectory than General Dynamics (GD) at 13.35%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

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General Dynamics (GD) vs. GE Vernova (GEV): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for General Dynamics (GD) and GE Vernova (GEV)
MetricGDGEV
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.13%8.97%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)10.07%8.68%
EPS Growth (YoY)13.35%217.03%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)8.22%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both General Dynamics (GD) at 1.43 and GE Vernova (GEV) at 0.83 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

GD

Capital Goods industry group

1.43

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
GD
1.43
Min
0.36

GEV

Capital Goods industry group

0.83

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
GEV
0.83
Min
0.36
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General Dynamics (GD) vs. GE Vernova (GEV): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both General Dynamics (GD) at 0.33 and GE Vernova (GEV) at 0.30 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

GD

Capital Goods industry group

0.33

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
GD
0.33
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00

GEV

Capital Goods industry group

0.30

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
GEV
0.30
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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General Dynamics (GD) vs. GE Vernova (GEV): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for General Dynamics (GD) and GE Vernova (GEV)
MetricGDGEV
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.430.83
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.330.30
Net Debt / EBITDA0.68-2.50

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

General Dynamics (GD) at 1.76% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while GE Vernova (GEV) at 0.26% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, GD the richer one.

GD

Capital Goods industry group

1.76%

Max
2.66%
GD
1.76%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

GEV

Capital Goods industry group

0.26%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
GEV
0.26%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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General Dynamics (GD) vs. GE Vernova (GEV): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

GE Vernova (GEV) at 4.59% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while General Dynamics (GD) at 36.90% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

GD

Capital Goods industry group

36.90%

Max
67.39%
GD
36.90%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

GEV

Capital Goods industry group

4.59%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
GEV
4.59%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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General Dynamics (GD) vs. GE Vernova (GEV): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for General Dynamics (GD) and GE Vernova (GEV)
MetricGDGEV
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.76%0.26%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)36.90%4.59%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both General Dynamics (GD) at 20.84 and GE Vernova (GEV) at 20.32 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

GD

Capital Goods industry group

20.84

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
GD
20.84
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03

GEV

Capital Goods industry group

20.32

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
GEV
20.32
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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General Dynamics (GD) vs. GE Vernova (GEV): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

General Dynamics (GD) at 1.69 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while GE Vernova (GEV) at 4.65 sits in the pricier quartile — GEV costs more per dollar of sales.

GD

Capital Goods industry group

1.69

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
GD
1.69
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03

GEV

Capital Goods industry group

4.65

Max
7.54
GEV
4.65
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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General Dynamics (GD) vs. GE Vernova (GEV): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

General Dynamics (GD) at 3.50 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while GE Vernova (GEV) at 18.00 prices above its benchmark range — GEV looks rich relative to book.

GD

Capital Goods industry group

3.50

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
GD
3.50
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08

GEV

Capital Goods industry group

18.00

GEV
18.00
Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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General Dynamics (GD) vs. GE Vernova (GEV): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for General Dynamics (GD) and GE Vernova (GEV)
MetricGDGEV
P/E Ratio (TTM)20.8420.32
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.694.65
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.5018.00
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.76%10.79%