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HON vs. NDSN: Honeywell vs. Nordson Stock Comparison

How do Honeywell (HON) 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

Honeywell (HON) and Nordson (NDSN) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but HON is classified in Industrial Conglomerates while NDSN is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for Honeywell (HON) and Nordson (NDSN)
Profile ItemHONNDSN
NameHoneywell International Inc.Nordson Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryIndustrial ConglomeratesMachinery
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial ConglomeratesIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization69.74 billion USD17.26 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962March 18, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

HON
NDSN
GSPC
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Honeywell (HON) 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 Honeywell (HON) and Nordson (NDSN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Honeywell (HON) and Nordson (NDSN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Honeywell (HON) and Nordson (NDSN)
MetricHONNDSN
Total Return (1Y)14.14%40.90%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)9.90%14.93%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)2.32%5.48%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

HON
NDSN
GSPC
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Honeywell (HON) 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 Honeywell (HON) and Nordson (NDSN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Honeywell (HON) and Nordson (NDSN)
MetricHONNDSN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.11%23.53%
Beta (5Y)0.800.98
Max Drawdown (5Y)-25.21%-39.15%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.82M381.48K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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HON 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 Honeywell (HON) and Nordson (NDSN)
MetricHONNDSN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.361.56
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.522.43

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Honeywell (HON) at 44.39% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than Nordson (NDSN) at 17.76%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

HON

Capital Goods industry group

44.39%

HON
44.39%
Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
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%
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Honeywell (HON) at 18.68% and Nordson (NDSN) at 18.63% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

HON

Capital Goods industry group

18.68%

Max
27.47%
HON
18.68%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
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%
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Honeywell (HON) 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 Honeywell (HON) at 16.92%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

HON

Capital Goods industry group

16.92%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
HON
16.92%
Median
11.12%
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%
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Honeywell (HON) and Nordson (NDSN)
MetricHONNDSN
ROE (TTM)44.39%17.76%
ROA (TTM)7.13%8.47%
Net Margin (TTM)18.68%18.63%
Operating Margin (TTM)16.92%27.40%
Gross Margin (TTM)37.21%55.39%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Honeywell (HON) at 7.85% 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.

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Honeywell (HON) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Honeywell (HON) at -8.27% 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.

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Honeywell (HON) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Honeywell (HON) and Nordson (NDSN)
MetricHONNDSN
Revenue Growth (YoY)7.85%3.78%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)1.82%2.53%
EPS Growth (YoY)-8.27%4.93%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)3.20%-1.15%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Nordson (NDSN) at 1.82 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Honeywell (HON) at 0.96 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for HON.

HON

Capital Goods industry group

0.96

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
HON
0.96
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
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Honeywell (HON) at 0.76 and Nordson (NDSN) at 0.56 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

HON

Capital Goods industry group

0.76

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
HON
0.76
Median
0.60
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
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Honeywell (HON) 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 Honeywell (HON) and Nordson (NDSN)
MetricHONNDSN
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.961.82
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.760.56
Net Debt / EBITDA1.231.78

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Nordson (NDSN) at 1.06% pays an industry-typical yield; Honeywell (HON) at 3.63% is above its entire peer range — the higher number, but one that calls for a look at payout sustainability before treating it as an advantage.

HON

Capital Goods industry group

3.63%

HON
3.63%
Max
2.66%
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%
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Honeywell (HON) at 38.87% and Nordson (NDSN) at 33.20% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

HON

Capital Goods industry group

38.87%

Max
67.39%
HON
38.87%
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%
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Honeywell (HON) and Nordson (NDSN)
MetricHONNDSN
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.63%1.06%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)38.87%33.20%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Honeywell (HON) at 10.91 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 HON, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

HON

Capital Goods industry group

10.91

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
HON
10.91
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
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Honeywell (HON) at 1.85 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Nordson (NDSN) at 5.79 sits in the pricier quartile — NDSN costs more per dollar of sales.

HON

Capital Goods industry group

1.85

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
HON
1.85
Q1
1.03
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
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Honeywell (HON) at 3.12 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.

HON

Capital Goods industry group

3.12

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
HON
3.12
Median
3.12
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
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Honeywell (HON) and Nordson (NDSN)
MetricHONNDSN
P/E Ratio (TTM)10.9131.36
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.855.79
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.125.28
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)10.07%3.56%