GD vs. PCAR: General Dynamics vs. PACCAR Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do General Dynamics (GD) and PACCAR (PCAR) 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 PACCAR (PCAR) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but GD is classified in Aerospace & Defense while PCAR is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for General Dynamics (GD) and PACCAR (PCAR)
Profile Item	GD	PCAR
Name	General Dynamics Corp.	PACCAR Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Aerospace & Defense	Machinery
GICS Sub-Industry	Aerospace & Defense	Construction Machinery & Heavy Transportation Equipment
Market Capitalization	95.68 billion USD	53.69 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	Nasdaq
Listing Date	January 2, 1962	March 17, 1980
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

PCAR

GSPC

General Dynamics (GD) vs. PACCAR (PCAR), 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 PACCAR (PCAR). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for General Dynamics (GD) and PACCAR (PCAR)
Metric	GD	PCAR
Total Return (1Y)	6.52%	9.49%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	16.95%	11.04%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	14.65%	16.64%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

PCAR

GSPC

General Dynamics (GD) vs. PACCAR (PCAR), 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 PACCAR (PCAR). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for General Dynamics (GD) and PACCAR (PCAR)
Metric	GD	PCAR
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	23.03%	27.23%
Beta (5Y)	0.30	0.94
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-22.55%	-27.75%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.19M	3.33M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

GD and PCAR 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 PACCAR (PCAR)
Metric	GD	PCAR
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.10	0.19
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.15	0.30

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both General Dynamics (GD) at 18.01% and PACCAR (PCAR) at 13.71% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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%

PCAR

Capital Goods industry group

13.71%

Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
PCAR: 13.71%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

General Dynamics (GD) vs. PACCAR (PCAR): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both General Dynamics (GD) at 8.24% and PACCAR (PCAR) at 9.50% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

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%

PCAR

Capital Goods industry group

9.50%

Max: 27.47%
Q3: 12.10%
PCAR: 9.50%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

General Dynamics (GD) vs. PACCAR (PCAR): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both General Dynamics (GD) at 10.49% and PACCAR (PCAR) at 12.59% 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%

PCAR

Capital Goods industry group

12.59%

Max: 36.60%
Q3: 18.33%
PCAR: 12.59%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

General Dynamics (GD) vs. PACCAR (PCAR): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for General Dynamics (GD) and PACCAR (PCAR)
Metric	GD	PCAR
ROE (TTM)	18.01%	13.71%
ROA (TTM)	6.23%	4.53%
Net Margin (TTM)	8.24%	9.50%
Operating Margin (TTM)	10.49%	12.59%
Gross Margin (TTM)	15.42%	14.21%

Growth

Revenue Growth

General Dynamics (GD) at 10.13% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while PACCAR (PCAR) at -15.50% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

General Dynamics (GD) vs. PACCAR (PCAR): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

General Dynamics (GD) at 13.35% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while PACCAR (PCAR) at -42.91% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

General Dynamics (GD) vs. PACCAR (PCAR): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for General Dynamics (GD) and PACCAR (PCAR)
Metric	GD	PCAR
Revenue Growth (YoY)	10.13%	-15.50%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	10.07%	-0.44%
EPS Growth (YoY)	13.35%	-42.91%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	8.22%	-7.80%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

PACCAR (PCAR) at 5.47 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while General Dynamics (GD) at 1.43 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.

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

PCAR

Capital Goods industry group

5.47

PCAR: 5.47
Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

General Dynamics (GD) vs. PACCAR (PCAR): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both General Dynamics (GD) at 0.33 and PACCAR (PCAR) at 0.72 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

PCAR

Capital Goods industry group

0.72

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
PCAR: 0.72
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

General Dynamics (GD) vs. PACCAR (PCAR): 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 PACCAR (PCAR)
Metric	GD	PCAR
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.43	5.47
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.33	0.72
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.68	1.62

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both General Dynamics (GD) at 1.76% and PACCAR (PCAR) at 1.30% offer top-quartile dividend income relative to share price within their industries.

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%

PCAR

Capital Goods industry group

1.30%

Max: 2.66%
PCAR: 1.30%
Q3: 1.14%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

General Dynamics (GD) vs. PACCAR (PCAR): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

PACCAR (PCAR) at 25.95% 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%

PCAR

Capital Goods industry group

25.95%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
PCAR: 25.95%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

General Dynamics (GD) vs. PACCAR (PCAR): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for General Dynamics (GD) and PACCAR (PCAR)
Metric	GD	PCAR
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.76%	1.30%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	36.90%	25.95%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

PACCAR (PCAR) at 19.46 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while General Dynamics (GD) at 20.84 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for PCAR, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

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

PCAR

Capital Goods industry group

19.46

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
PCAR: 19.46
Min: 3.03

General Dynamics (GD) vs. PACCAR (PCAR): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both General Dynamics (GD) at 1.69 and PACCAR (PCAR) at 1.85 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

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

PCAR

Capital Goods industry group

1.85

Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
PCAR: 1.85
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

General Dynamics (GD) vs. PACCAR (PCAR): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both General Dynamics (GD) at 3.50 and PACCAR (PCAR) at 2.57 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

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

PCAR

Capital Goods industry group

2.57

Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
PCAR: 2.57
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

General Dynamics (GD) vs. PACCAR (PCAR): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for General Dynamics (GD) and PACCAR (PCAR)
Metric	GD	PCAR
P/E Ratio (TTM)	20.84	19.46
P/S Ratio (TTM)	1.69	1.85
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	3.50	2.57
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	4.76%	3.23%