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HON vs. XYL: Honeywell vs. Xylem Stock Comparison

How do Honeywell (HON) and Xylem (XYL) 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 Xylem (XYL) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but HON is classified in Industrial Conglomerates while XYL is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for Honeywell (HON) and Xylem (XYL)
Profile ItemHONXYL
NameHoneywell International Inc.Xylem Inc.
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 USD22.44 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962October 13, 2011
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

HON
XYL
GSPC
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Xylem (XYL), 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 Xylem (XYL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Honeywell (HON) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricHONXYL
Total Return (1Y)14.14%-33.10%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)9.90%2.29%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)2.32%-4.47%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

HON
XYL
GSPC
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Xylem (XYL), 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 Xylem (XYL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Honeywell (HON) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricHONXYL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.11%30.74%
Beta (5Y)0.800.96
Max Drawdown (5Y)-25.21%-44.89%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.82M2.60M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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HON and XYL 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 Xylem (XYL)
MetricHONXYL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.36-1.22
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.52-1.48

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Honeywell (HON) at 44.39% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than Xylem (XYL) at 9.76%, 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%

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

9.76%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
XYL
9.76%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Honeywell (HON) at 18.68% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Xylem (XYL) at 11.94%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

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%

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

11.94%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
XYL
11.94%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Honeywell (HON) at 16.92% and Xylem (XYL) at 15.95% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

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%

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

15.95%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
XYL
15.95%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Honeywell (HON) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricHONXYL
ROE (TTM)44.39%9.76%
ROA (TTM)7.13%5.07%
Net Margin (TTM)18.68%11.94%
Operating Margin (TTM)16.92%15.95%
Gross Margin (TTM)37.21%39.32%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Honeywell (HON) at 7.85% and Xylem (XYL) at 5.52% 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. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Honeywell (HON) at -8.27% and Xylem (XYL) at 7.40% 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. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Honeywell (HON) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricHONXYL
Revenue Growth (YoY)7.85%5.52%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)1.82%17.84%
EPS Growth (YoY)-8.27%7.40%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)3.20%25.99%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Honeywell (HON) at 0.96 and Xylem (XYL) at 1.39 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

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

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

1.39

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
XYL
1.39
Min
0.36
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Honeywell (HON) at 0.76 and Xylem (XYL) at 0.29 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

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

0.29

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
XYL
0.29
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Xylem (XYL): 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 Xylem (XYL)
MetricHONXYL
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.961.39
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.760.29
Net Debt / EBITDA1.231.18

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Xylem (XYL) at 1.69% earns its spot in the top quartile of its industry’s yields; Honeywell (HON) at 3.63% is past the top of its own peer range — territory where a dividend-safety check matters more than the headline number.

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%

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

1.69%

Max
2.66%
XYL
1.69%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Honeywell (HON) at 38.87% and Xylem (XYL) at 37.47% 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%

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

37.47%

Max
67.39%
XYL
37.47%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Honeywell (HON) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricHONXYL
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.63%1.69%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)38.87%37.47%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Honeywell (HON) at 10.91 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Xylem (XYL) at 21.69 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

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

21.69

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
XYL
21.69
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Honeywell (HON) at 1.85 and Xylem (XYL) at 2.48 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

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

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

2.48

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
XYL
2.48
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Honeywell (HON) at 3.12 and Xylem (XYL) at 2.19 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

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

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

2.19

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
XYL
2.19
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Honeywell (HON) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Honeywell (HON) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricHONXYL
P/E Ratio (TTM)10.9121.69
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.852.48
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.122.19
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)10.07%5.39%