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NDSN vs. SWK: Nordson vs. Stanley Black & Decker Stock Comparison

How do Nordson (NDSN) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) 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

Nordson (NDSN) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) are both classified in the Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components sub-industry within the broader Machinery industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Nordson (NDSN) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
Profile ItemNDSNSWK
NameNordson CorporationStanley Black & Decker Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryMachineryMachinery
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & ComponentsIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization17.26 billion USD17.08 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateMarch 18, 1980March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NDSN
SWK
GSPC
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK), 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 Nordson (NDSN) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Nordson (NDSN) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricNDSNSWK
Total Return (1Y)40.90%83.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)14.93%17.07%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)5.48%-5.19%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NDSN
SWK
GSPC
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK), 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 Nordson (NDSN) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricNDSNSWK
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)23.53%38.68%
Beta (5Y)0.981.10
Max Drawdown (5Y)-39.15%-68.03%
Avg. Volume (3M)381.48K1.67M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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NDSN and SWK 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 Nordson (NDSN) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricNDSNSWK
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.562.04
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.433.57

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Nordson (NDSN) at 17.76% and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 9.44% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

9.44%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
SWK
9.44%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 5.53%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

5.53%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
SWK
5.53%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 8.71%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

8.71%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
SWK
8.71%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricNDSNSWK
ROE (TTM)17.76%9.44%
ROA (TTM)8.47%3.48%
Net Margin (TTM)18.63%5.53%
Operating Margin (TTM)27.40%8.71%
Gross Margin (TTM)55.39%32.16%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Nordson (NDSN) at 3.78% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at -1.53% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 35.90% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Nordson (NDSN) at 4.93% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for SWK.

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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricNDSNSWK
Revenue Growth (YoY)3.78%-1.53%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)2.53%-3.71%
EPS Growth (YoY)4.93%35.90%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.15%-26.81%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Nordson (NDSN) at 1.82 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 1.42 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for SWK.

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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

1.42

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
SWK
1.42
Min
0.36
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Nordson (NDSN) at 0.56 and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 0.58 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

0.58

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
SWK
0.58
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricNDSNSWK
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.821.42
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.560.58
Net Debt / EBITDA1.782.69

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Nordson (NDSN) at 1.06% pays an industry-typical yield; Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 2.89% 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.

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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

2.89%

SWK
2.89%
Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Nordson (NDSN) at 33.20% and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 59.68% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

59.68%

Max
67.39%
SWK
59.68%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricNDSNSWK
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.06%2.89%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)33.20%59.68%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Nordson (NDSN) at 31.36 and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 20.58 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

20.58

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
SWK
20.58
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 1.12 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.

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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

1.12

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
SWK
1.12
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 1.93 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.

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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

1.93

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
SWK
1.93
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricNDSNSWK
P/E Ratio (TTM)31.3620.58
P/S Ratio (TTM)5.791.12
P/B Ratio (MRQ)5.281.93
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.56%11.37%