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NDSN vs. WSO.B: Nordson vs. Watsco Stock Comparison

How do Nordson (NDSN) and Watsco (WSO.B) 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 Watsco (WSO.B) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but NDSN is classified in Machinery while WSO.B is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors.

Company profile comparison for Nordson (NDSN) and Watsco (WSO.B)
Profile ItemNDSNWSO.B
NameNordson CorporationWatsco Inc. Class B Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryMachineryTrading Companies & Distributors
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & ComponentsTrading Companies & Distributors
Market Capitalization17.26 billion USD12.92 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateMarch 18, 1980March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NDSN
WSO.B
GSPC
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B), 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 Watsco (WSO.B). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricNDSNWSO.B
Total Return (1Y)40.90%-11.21%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)14.93%-3.05%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)5.48%4.30%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NDSN
WSO.B
GSPC
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B), 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 Watsco (WSO.B). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricNDSNWSO.B
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)23.53%40.28%
Beta (5Y)0.980.64
Max Drawdown (5Y)-39.15%-43.41%
Avg. Volume (3M)381.48K74

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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NDSN and WSO.B 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 Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricNDSNWSO.B
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.56-0.38
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.43-0.57

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Nordson (NDSN) at 17.76% and Watsco (WSO.B) at 16.21% 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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

16.21%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
WSO.B
16.21%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): 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 Watsco (WSO.B) at 6.31%, 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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

6.31%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
WSO.B
6.31%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): 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 Watsco (WSO.B) at 10.14%, 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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

10.14%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
WSO.B
10.14%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricNDSNWSO.B
ROE (TTM)17.76%16.21%
ROA (TTM)8.47%8.27%
Net Margin (TTM)18.63%6.31%
Operating Margin (TTM)27.40%10.14%
Gross Margin (TTM)55.39%27.18%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Nordson (NDSN) at 3.78% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Watsco (WSO.B) at -4.98% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Nordson (NDSN) at 4.93% and Watsco (WSO.B) at -7.47% 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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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricNDSNWSO.B
Revenue Growth (YoY)3.78%-4.98%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)2.53%-0.16%
EPS Growth (YoY)4.93%-7.47%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.15%-6.89%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Nordson (NDSN) at 1.82 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Watsco (WSO.B) at 3.15 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

3.15

Max
5.22
WSO.B
3.15
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Watsco (WSO.B) at 0.16 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Nordson (NDSN) at 0.56 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

0.16

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
WSO.B
0.16
Min
0.00
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): 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 Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricNDSNWSO.B
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.823.15
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.560.16
Net Debt / EBITDA1.78-0.14

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Nordson (NDSN) at 1.06% pays an industry-typical yield; Watsco (WSO.B) at 4.02% 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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

4.02%

WSO.B
4.02%
Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Watsco (WSO.B) reports payout ratio above 100% at 109.66%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Nordson (NDSN) reports 33.20%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

109.66%

WSO.B
109.66%
Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricNDSNWSO.B
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.06%4.02%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)33.20%109.66%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Nordson (NDSN) at 31.36 and Watsco (WSO.B) at 27.26 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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

27.26

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
WSO.B
27.26
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Watsco (WSO.B) at 1.74 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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

1.74

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
WSO.B
1.74
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Watsco (WSO.B) at 3.99 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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

3.99

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
WSO.B
3.99
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Nordson (NDSN) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Nordson (NDSN) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricNDSNWSO.B
P/E Ratio (TTM)31.3627.26
P/S Ratio (TTM)5.791.74
P/B Ratio (MRQ)5.283.99
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.56%3.50%