HEI vs. WSO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at HEI and WSO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | HEI | WSO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | HEICO Corporation | Watsco, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Aerospace & Defense | Trading Companies & Distributors |
| Market Capitalization | 37.08 billion USD | 17.03 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | June 7, 1984 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of HEI 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.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | HEI | WSO |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -1.28% | -0.68% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 9.28% | -14.22% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 36.74% | -12.12% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 28.60% | -12.10% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -5.99% | -7.12% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 29.23% | -11.63% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.36M | 0.29M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.46M | 0.32M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 27.71% | 27.52% |
| Beta | 1.10 | 0.96 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
HEI
16.14%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 43.89%
- Q3
- 22.42%
- Median
- 12.50%
- Q1
- 5.21%
- Min
- -6.24%
HEI’s Return on Equity of 16.14% is on par with the norm for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
WSO
19.73%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 32.33%
- Q3
- 19.92%
- Median
- 14.05%
- Q1
- 11.46%
- Min
- 0.91%
WSO’s Return on Equity of 19.73% is on par with the norm for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
HEI
14.54%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 14.54%
- Q3
- 8.08%
- Median
- 6.17%
- Q1
- 2.49%
- Min
- -1.63%
A Net Profit Margin of 14.54% places HEI in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
WSO
7.08%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 17.73%
- Q3
- 10.81%
- Median
- 6.13%
- Q1
- 4.33%
- Min
- 2.09%
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.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
HEI
22.01%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 16.63%
- Q3
- 10.38%
- Median
- 8.29%
- Q1
- 6.21%
- Min
- 0.95%
HEI’s Operating Profit Margin of 22.01% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense 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
- 25.50%
- Q3
- 15.13%
- Median
- 7.46%
- Q1
- 5.44%
- Min
- 3.55%
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.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | HEI | WSO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 16.14% | 19.73% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 7.76% | 11.69% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.54% | 7.08% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 22.01% | 10.26% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 39.35% | 27.54% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
HEI
3.43
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 3.09
- Q3
- 1.98
- Median
- 1.23
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- 0.02
HEI’s Current Ratio of 3.43 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
WSO
3.08
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 2.82
- Q3
- 2.13
- Median
- 1.60
- Q1
- 1.43
- Min
- 0.46
WSO’s Current Ratio of 3.08 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
HEI
0.57
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 1.70
- Q3
- 1.04
- Median
- 0.68
- Q1
- 0.41
- Min
- 0.00
HEI’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.57 is typical for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
WSO
0.01
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 1.88
- Q3
- 1.18
- Median
- 0.74
- Q1
- 0.54
- Min
- 0.00
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.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
HEI
5.54
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 36.57
- Q3
- 19.90
- Median
- 7.04
- Q1
- 2.40
- Min
- -7.63
HEI’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 5.54 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Aerospace & Defense 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
- 5.75
- Q1
- 2.70
- 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.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | HEI | WSO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 3.43 | 3.08 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.44 | 1.26 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.57 | 0.01 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 5.54 | 140.00 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
HEI
0.08%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 2.03%
- Q3
- 1.22%
- Median
- 0.43%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
HEI’s Dividend Yield of 0.08% is consistent with its peers in the Aerospace & Defense industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
WSO
2.58%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 4.99%
- Q3
- 3.04%
- Median
- 1.94%
- Q1
- 1.22%
- Min
- 0.00%
WSO’s Dividend Yield of 2.58% is consistent with its peers in the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
HEI
10.02%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 83.87%
- Q3
- 49.90%
- Median
- 16.48%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
HEI’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 10.02% is within the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
WSO
84.37%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 95.14%
- Q3
- 62.08%
- Median
- 51.17%
- Q1
- 26.24%
- 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.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | HEI | WSO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.08% | 2.58% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 10.02% | 84.37% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
HEI
61.85
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 65.97
- Q3
- 54.11
- Median
- 34.53
- Q1
- 23.66
- Min
- 0.00
A P/E Ratio of 61.85 places HEI in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
WSO
32.64
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 48.55
- Q3
- 26.73
- Median
- 17.17
- Q1
- 10.78
- Min
- 1.62
A P/E Ratio of 32.64 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.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
HEI
8.99
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 8.07
- Q3
- 4.49
- Median
- 2.42
- Q1
- 1.39
- Min
- 0.00
With a P/S Ratio of 8.99, HEI trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Aerospace & Defense industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
WSO
2.31
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 4.88
- Q3
- 2.56
- Median
- 1.02
- Q1
- 0.60
- Min
- 0.29
WSO’s P/S Ratio of 2.31 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.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
HEI
7.73
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 13.67
- Q3
- 7.92
- Median
- 4.65
- Q1
- 2.68
- Min
- 0.82
HEI’s P/B Ratio of 7.73 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.
WSO
6.47
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 8.77
- Q3
- 4.33
- Median
- 2.00
- Q1
- 1.11
- Min
- 0.35
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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | HEI | WSO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 61.85 | 32.64 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 8.99 | 2.31 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 7.73 | 6.47 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 48.78 | 23.35 |