HWM vs. SWK: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at HWM and SWK, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | HWM | SWK |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Howmet Aerospace Inc. | Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Aerospace & Defense | Machinery |
| Market Capitalization | 78.55 billion USD | 11.43 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | November 1, 2016 | March 17, 1980 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of HWM and SWK 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 | HWM | SWK |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 3.16% | -1.01% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 5.43% | 9.71% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 46.29% | -5.24% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 97.79% | -32.25% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 12.71% | 0.05% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 79.42% | -7.42% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.37M | 2.02M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 2.87M | 2.23M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 28.09% | 37.86% |
| Beta | 1.49 | 1.22 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
HWM
29.58%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 37.11%
- Q3
- 20.14%
- Median
- 11.72%
- Q1
- 6.30%
- Min
- -6.24%
In the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry, HWM’s Return on Equity of 29.58% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
SWK
6.59%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 33.68%
- Q3
- 20.05%
- Median
- 12.37%
- Q1
- 8.67%
- Min
- -7.69%
SWK’s Return on Equity of 6.59% is in the lower quartile for the Machinery industry. This indicates a less efficient generation of profit from its equity base when compared to its competitors.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
HWM
18.09%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 13.66%
- Q3
- 8.61%
- Median
- 6.59%
- Q1
- 4.92%
- Min
- 1.01%
HWM’s Net Profit Margin of 18.09% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
SWK
3.85%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 19.72%
- Q3
- 11.07%
- Median
- 7.62%
- Q1
- 5.05%
- Min
- -1.52%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Machinery industry, SWK’s Net Profit Margin of 3.85% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
HWM
24.28%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 22.35%
- Q3
- 12.83%
- Median
- 9.29%
- Q1
- 6.38%
- Min
- -2.15%
HWM’s Operating Profit Margin of 24.28% 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.
SWK
4.70%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 26.63%
- Q3
- 15.99%
- Median
- 11.27%
- Q1
- 7.72%
- Min
- -0.51%
SWK’s Operating Profit Margin of 4.70% is in the lower quartile for the Machinery industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | HWM | SWK |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 29.58% | 6.59% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 13.03% | 2.63% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 18.09% | 3.85% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 24.28% | 4.70% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 32.69% | 30.03% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
HWM
2.31
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 3.35
- Q3
- 2.03
- Median
- 1.24
- Q1
- 1.04
- Min
- 0.77
HWM’s Current Ratio of 2.31 is in the upper quartile for the Aerospace & Defense industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
SWK
1.04
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 3.13
- Q3
- 2.12
- Median
- 1.72
- Q1
- 1.34
- Min
- 0.77
SWK’s Current Ratio of 1.04 falls into the lower quartile for the Machinery industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
HWM
0.65
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 1.72
- Q3
- 0.96
- Median
- 0.63
- Q1
- 0.37
- Min
- 0.03
HWM’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.65 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.
SWK
0.74
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 1.56
- Q3
- 0.79
- Median
- 0.44
- Q1
- 0.27
- Min
- 0.00
SWK’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.74 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.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
HWM
7.92
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 36.57
- Q3
- 19.08
- Median
- 7.25
- Q1
- 2.65
- Min
- -7.63
HWM’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.92 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Aerospace & Defense industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
SWK
1.75
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 81.58
- Q3
- 37.68
- Median
- 13.76
- Q1
- 7.97
- Min
- -1.43
In the lower quartile for the Machinery industry, SWK’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 1.75 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | HWM | SWK |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.31 | 1.04 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.91 | 0.29 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.65 | 0.74 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 7.92 | 1.75 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
HWM
0.19%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 2.72%
- Q3
- 1.45%
- Median
- 0.48%
- Q1
- 0.08%
- Min
- 0.00%
HWM’s Dividend Yield of 0.19% is consistent with its peers in the Aerospace & Defense industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
SWK
7.58%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 4.55%
- Q3
- 2.66%
- Median
- 1.90%
- Q1
- 1.23%
- Min
- 0.00%
SWK’s Dividend Yield of 7.58% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Machinery industry. While this may seem attractive, an unusually high yield can sometimes be a warning sign, reflecting a falling stock price or market concerns about the dividend’s sustainability.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
HWM
10.74%
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 110.40%
- Q3
- 50.43%
- Median
- 17.11%
- Q1
- 0.46%
- Min
- 0.00%
HWM’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 10.74% is within the typical range for the Aerospace & Defense industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
SWK
148.38%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 198.34%
- Q3
- 101.42%
- Median
- 62.79%
- Q1
- 29.85%
- Min
- 0.00%
SWK’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 148.38% is in the upper quartile for the Machinery 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 | HWM | SWK |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.19% | 7.58% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 10.74% | 148.38% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
HWM
56.40
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 67.20
- Q3
- 55.74
- Median
- 33.28
- Q1
- 27.49
- Min
- 15.02
A P/E Ratio of 56.40 places HWM 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.
SWK
19.59
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 47.95
- Q3
- 30.11
- Median
- 22.35
- Q1
- 16.56
- Min
- 6.48
SWK’s P/E Ratio of 19.59 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.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
HWM
10.20
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 9.06
- Q3
- 4.87
- Median
- 2.47
- Q1
- 1.61
- Min
- 0.33
With a P/S Ratio of 10.20, HWM 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.
SWK
0.75
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 4.97
- Q3
- 2.76
- Median
- 1.65
- Q1
- 1.04
- Min
- 0.04
In the lower quartile for the Machinery industry, SWK’s P/S Ratio of 0.75 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
HWM
14.90
Aerospace & Defense Industry
- Max
- 14.90
- Q3
- 8.93
- Median
- 4.70
- Q1
- 3.03
- Min
- 0.83
HWM’s P/B Ratio of 14.90 is in the upper tier for the Aerospace & Defense 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.
SWK
1.16
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 7.29
- Q3
- 4.06
- Median
- 2.67
- Q1
- 1.54
- Min
- 0.52
SWK’s P/B Ratio of 1.16 is in the lower quartile for the Machinery industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | HWM | SWK |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 56.40 | 19.59 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 10.20 | 0.75 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 14.90 | 1.16 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 77.40 | 6.90 |