GD vs. WAB: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 20, 2025

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

Company Profile

Symbol	GD	WAB
Company Name	General Dynamics Corporation	Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
Country	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry	Aerospace & Defense	Machinery
Market Capitalization	85.40 billion USD	33.23 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	January 2, 1962	June 16, 1995
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of GD and WAB 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.

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

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	GD	WAB
5-Day Price Return	1.52%	3.45%
13-Week Price Return	14.93%	-3.28%
26-Week Price Return	24.25%	-6.31%
52-Week Price Return	9.03%	25.09%
Month-to-Date Return	1.89%	1.22%
Year-to-Date Return	20.49%	2.54%
10-Day Avg. Volume	1.03M	1.42M
3-Month Avg. Volume	1.31M	1.05M
3-Month Volatility	19.10%	21.79%
Beta	0.48	1.11

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

GD

17.99%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 43.89%
Q3: 22.42%
Median: 12.50%
Q1: 5.21%
Min: -6.24%

GD’s Return on Equity of 17.99% is on par with the norm for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

WAB

11.11%

Machinery Industry

Max: 34.68%
Q3: 19.06%
Median: 13.13%
Q1: 8.53%
Min: -4.87%

WAB’s Return on Equity of 11.11% is on par with the norm for the Machinery industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

GD vs. WAB: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

GD

8.13%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 14.54%
Q3: 8.08%
Median: 6.17%
Q1: 2.49%
Min: -1.63%

A Net Profit Margin of 8.13% places GD in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

WAB

10.92%

Machinery Industry

Max: 19.74%
Q3: 11.24%
Median: 8.13%
Q1: 5.38%
Min: -1.11%

WAB’s Net Profit Margin of 10.92% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Machinery industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

GD vs. WAB: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

GD

10.30%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 16.63%
Q3: 10.38%
Median: 8.29%
Q1: 6.21%
Min: 0.95%

GD’s Operating Profit Margin of 10.30% is around the midpoint for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

WAB

16.22%

Machinery Industry

Max: 26.63%
Q3: 16.15%
Median: 11.27%
Q1: 7.72%
Min: -4.91%

An Operating Profit Margin of 16.22% places WAB in the upper quartile for the Machinery industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

GD vs. WAB: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	GD	WAB
Return on Equity (TTM)	17.99%	11.11%
Return on Assets (TTM)	7.21%	6.00%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	8.13%	10.92%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	10.30%	16.22%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	15.40%	33.57%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

GD

1.36

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 3.09
Q3: 1.98
Median: 1.23
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.02

GD’s Current Ratio of 1.36 aligns with the median group of the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

WAB

1.76

Machinery Industry

Max: 3.83
Q3: 2.32
Median: 1.72
Q1: 1.28
Min: 0.78

WAB’s Current Ratio of 1.76 aligns with the median group of the Machinery industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

GD vs. WAB: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

GD

0.37

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 1.70
Q3: 1.04
Median: 0.68
Q1: 0.41
Min: 0.00

Falling into the lower quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, GD’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.37 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.

WAB

0.44

Machinery Industry

Max: 1.49
Q3: 0.75
Median: 0.44
Q1: 0.26
Min: 0.00

WAB’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.44 is typical for the Machinery industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

GD vs. WAB: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

GD

15.01

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 36.57
Q3: 19.90
Median: 7.04
Q1: 2.40
Min: -7.63

GD’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 15.01 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

WAB

7.65

Machinery Industry

Max: 67.55
Q3: 33.79
Median: 13.87
Q1: 7.97
Min: -1.43

In the lower quartile for the Machinery industry, WAB’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.65 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.

GD vs. WAB: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	GD	WAB
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.36	1.76
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	0.83	1.05
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	0.37	0.44
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	15.01	7.65

Growth

Revenue Growth

GD vs. WAB: 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

GD vs. WAB: 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)

GD

1.84%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 2.03%
Q3: 1.22%
Median: 0.43%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

With a Dividend Yield of 1.84%, GD offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Aerospace & Defense industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.

WAB

0.49%

Machinery Industry

Max: 5.32%
Q3: 2.84%
Median: 1.87%
Q1: 1.09%
Min: 0.00%

WAB’s Dividend Yield of 0.49% is in the lower quartile for the Machinery industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.

GD vs. WAB: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

GD

38.28%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 83.87%
Q3: 49.90%
Median: 16.48%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

GD’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 38.28% is within the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

WAB

13.53%

Machinery Industry

Max: 202.17%
Q3: 98.65%
Median: 55.54%
Q1: 29.03%
Min: 0.00%

WAB’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 13.53% is in the lower quartile for the Machinery industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.

GD vs. WAB: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	GD	WAB
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.84%	0.49%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	38.28%	13.53%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

GD

20.76

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 65.97
Q3: 54.11
Median: 34.53
Q1: 23.66
Min: 0.00

In the lower quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, GD’s P/E Ratio of 20.76 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.

WAB

27.86

Machinery Industry

Max: 53.66
Q3: 31.29
Median: 22.00
Q1: 16.18
Min: 7.00

WAB’s P/E Ratio of 27.86 is within the middle range for the Machinery industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

GD vs. WAB: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

GD

1.69

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 8.07
Q3: 4.49
Median: 2.42
Q1: 1.39
Min: 0.00

GD’s P/S Ratio of 1.69 aligns with the market consensus for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

WAB

3.04

Machinery Industry

Max: 5.04
Q3: 2.72
Median: 1.67
Q1: 1.04
Min: 0.24

WAB’s P/S Ratio of 3.04 is in the upper echelon for the Machinery industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.

GD vs. WAB: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

GD

3.32

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 13.67
Q3: 7.92
Median: 4.65
Q1: 2.68
Min: 0.82

GD’s P/B Ratio of 3.32 is within the conventional range for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

WAB

3.32

Machinery Industry

Max: 7.23
Q3: 3.90
Median: 2.52
Q1: 1.47
Min: 0.49

WAB’s P/B Ratio of 3.32 is within the conventional range for the Machinery industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

GD vs. WAB: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	GD	WAB
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	20.76	27.86
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	1.69	3.04
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	3.32	3.32
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	19.22	22.12