NDSN vs. WAB: Nordson vs. Wabtec Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Nordson (NDSN) and Wabtec (WAB) 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 Wabtec (WAB) both belong to the Machinery industry, though NDSN is classified under Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components while WAB falls under Construction Machinery & Heavy Transportation Equipment.

Company profile comparison for Nordson (NDSN) and Wabtec (WAB)
Profile Item	NDSN	WAB
Name	Nordson Corporation	Wabtec Corporation
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Machinery	Machinery
GICS Sub-Industry	Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components	Construction Machinery & Heavy Transportation Equipment
Market Capitalization	17.26 billion USD	47.59 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	Nasdaq	NYSE
Listing Date	March 18, 1980	June 16, 1995
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NDSN

WAB

GSPC

Nordson (NDSN) vs. Wabtec (WAB), 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 Wabtec (WAB). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Wabtec (WAB)
Metric	NDSN	WAB
Total Return (1Y)	40.90%	44.64%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	14.93%	39.37%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	5.48%	25.90%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NDSN

WAB

GSPC

Nordson (NDSN) vs. Wabtec (WAB), 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 Wabtec (WAB). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Wabtec (WAB)
Metric	NDSN	WAB
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	23.53%	27.53%
Beta (5Y)	0.98	0.91
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-39.15%	-23.55%
Avg. Volume (3M)	381.48K	890.96K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

NDSN and WAB 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 Wabtec (WAB)
Metric	NDSN	WAB
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.56	1.47
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	2.43	2.34

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Nordson (NDSN) at 17.76% and Wabtec (WAB) at 12.24% 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%

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

12.24%

Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
WAB: 12.24%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

Nordson (NDSN) vs. Wabtec (WAB): 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 Wabtec (WAB) at 11.20%, 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%

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

11.20%

Max: 27.47%
Q3: 12.10%
WAB: 11.20%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

Nordson (NDSN) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Nordson (NDSN) at 27.40% and Wabtec (WAB) at 20.22% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

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%

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

20.22%

Max: 36.60%
WAB: 20.22%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

Nordson (NDSN) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Wabtec (WAB)
Metric	NDSN	WAB
ROE (TTM)	17.76%	12.24%
ROA (TTM)	8.47%	6.28%
Net Margin (TTM)	18.63%	11.20%
Operating Margin (TTM)	27.40%	20.22%
Gross Margin (TTM)	55.39%	36.17%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Nordson (NDSN) at 3.78% and Wabtec (WAB) at 7.51% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

EPS Growth

Both Nordson (NDSN) at 4.93% and Wabtec (WAB) at 13.08% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Wabtec (WAB)
Metric	NDSN	WAB
Revenue Growth (YoY)	3.78%	7.51%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	2.53%	10.12%
EPS Growth (YoY)	4.93%	13.08%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-1.15%	25.44%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Nordson (NDSN) at 1.82 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Wabtec (WAB) at 1.10 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for WAB.

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

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

1.10

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
WAB: 1.10
Min: 0.36

Nordson (NDSN) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Nordson (NDSN) at 0.56 and Wabtec (WAB) at 0.60 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

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

0.60

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
WAB: 0.60
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

Nordson (NDSN) vs. Wabtec (WAB): 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 Wabtec (WAB)
Metric	NDSN	WAB
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.82	1.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.56	0.60
Net Debt / EBITDA	1.78	2.28

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Nordson (NDSN) at 1.06% and Wabtec (WAB) at 0.42% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

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%

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

0.42%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
WAB: 0.42%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Nordson (NDSN) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Wabtec (WAB) at 14.66% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Nordson (NDSN) at 33.20% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

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%

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

14.66%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
WAB: 14.66%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Nordson (NDSN) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Wabtec (WAB)
Metric	NDSN	WAB
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.06%	0.42%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	33.20%	14.66%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Nordson (NDSN) at 31.36 and Wabtec (WAB) at 35.23 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

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

35.23

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
WAB: 35.23
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

Nordson (NDSN) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Nordson (NDSN) at 5.79 and Wabtec (WAB) at 3.90 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

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

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

3.90

Max: 7.54
WAB: 3.90
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

Nordson (NDSN) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Wabtec (WAB) at 4.20 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

WAB

Capital Goods industry group

4.20

Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
WAB: 4.20
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

Nordson (NDSN) vs. Wabtec (WAB): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Wabtec (WAB)
Metric	NDSN	WAB
P/E Ratio (TTM)	31.36	35.23
P/S Ratio (TTM)	5.79	3.90
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	5.28	4.20
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	3.56%	2.60%