HII vs. NDSN: Huntington Ingalls Industries vs. Nordson Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Nordson (NDSN) 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

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Nordson (NDSN) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but HII is classified in Aerospace & Defense while NDSN is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Nordson (NDSN)
Profile Item	HII	NDSN
Name	Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.	Nordson Corporation
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	Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization	11.38 billion USD	17.26 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	Nasdaq
Listing Date	March 22, 2011	March 18, 1980
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

HII

NDSN

GSPC

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) vs. Nordson (NDSN), 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 Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Nordson (NDSN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Nordson (NDSN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	HII	NDSN
Total Return (1Y)	-0.48%	40.90%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	12.21%	14.93%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	11.63%	5.48%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

HII

NDSN

GSPC

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) vs. Nordson (NDSN), 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 Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Nordson (NDSN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	HII	NDSN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	40.58%	23.53%
Beta (5Y)	0.17	0.98
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-45.21%	-39.15%
Avg. Volume (3M)	505.72K	381.48K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

HII and NDSN 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 Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	HII	NDSN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	-0.12	1.56
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	-0.18	2.43

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) at 13.99% and Nordson (NDSN) at 17.76% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

HII

Capital Goods industry group

13.99%

Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
HII: 13.99%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

17.76%

Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
NDSN: 17.76%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Nordson (NDSN) at 18.63% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) at 5.42%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

HII

Capital Goods industry group

5.42%

Max: 27.47%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
HII: 5.42%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

18.63%

Max: 27.47%
NDSN: 18.63%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Nordson (NDSN) at 27.40% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) at 7.72%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

HII

Capital Goods industry group

7.72%

Max: 36.60%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
HII: 7.72%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

27.40%

Max: 36.60%
NDSN: 27.40%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	HII	NDSN
ROE (TTM)	13.99%	17.76%
ROA (TTM)	4.57%	8.47%
Net Margin (TTM)	5.42%	18.63%
Operating Margin (TTM)	7.72%	27.40%
Gross Margin (TTM)	12.72%	55.39%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) at 8.23% and Nordson (NDSN) at 3.78% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) at 10.24% and Nordson (NDSN) at 4.93% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	HII	NDSN
Revenue Growth (YoY)	8.23%	3.78%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	5.35%	2.53%
EPS Growth (YoY)	10.24%	4.93%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	2.15%	-1.15%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Nordson (NDSN) at 1.82 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) at 1.27 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for HII.

HII

Capital Goods industry group

1.27

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
HII: 1.27
Min: 0.36

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

1.82

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
NDSN: 1.82
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) at 0.53 and Nordson (NDSN) at 0.56 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

HII

Capital Goods industry group

0.53

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
HII: 0.53
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

0.56

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
NDSN: 0.56
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	HII	NDSN
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.27	1.82
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.53	0.56
Net Debt / EBITDA	2.05	1.78

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) at 1.91% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Nordson (NDSN) at 1.06% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, HII the richer one.

HII

Capital Goods industry group

1.91%

Max: 2.66%
HII: 1.91%
Q3: 1.14%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

1.06%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
NDSN: 1.06%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) at 29.73% and Nordson (NDSN) at 33.20% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

HII

Capital Goods industry group

29.73%

Max: 67.39%
HII: 29.73%
Q3: 28.02%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

33.20%

Max: 67.39%
NDSN: 33.20%
Q3: 28.02%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	HII	NDSN
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.91%	1.06%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	29.73%	33.20%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) at 15.55 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Nordson (NDSN) at 31.36 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for HII, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

HII

Capital Goods industry group

15.55

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
HII: 15.55
Min: 3.03

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

31.36

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
NDSN: 31.36
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) at 0.84 looks cheap on sales in the lower P/S ratio quartile, while Nordson (NDSN) at 5.79 looks rich in the upper quartile — a clear gap in price per dollar of revenue.

HII

Capital Goods industry group

0.84

Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
HII: 0.84
Min: 0.03

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

5.79

Max: 7.54
NDSN: 5.79
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) at 2.07 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Nordson (NDSN) at 5.28 carries an above-peer premium to book — NDSN is pricier on assets.

HII

Capital Goods industry group

2.07

Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
HII: 2.07
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

5.28

Max: 9.66
NDSN: 5.28
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	HII	NDSN
P/E Ratio (TTM)	15.55	31.36
P/S Ratio (TTM)	0.84	5.79
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	2.07	5.28
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	1.70%	3.56%