RKLB vs. XYL: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 28, 2025

Here’s a clear look at RKLB and XYL, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

Symbol	RKLB	XYL
Company Name	Rocket Lab Corporation	Xylem Inc.
Country	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry	Aerospace & Defense	Machinery
Market Capitalization	22.78 billion USD	34.73 billion USD
Exchange	NasdaqCM	NYSE
Listing Date	November 24, 2020	October 13, 2011
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of RKLB and XYL 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.

RKLB vs. XYL: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	RKLB	XYL
5-Day Price Return	15.40%	0.59%
13-Week Price Return	82.88%	13.89%
26-Week Price Return	82.11%	9.53%
52-Week Price Return	590.35%	5.35%
Month-to-Date Return	2.83%	-1.35%
Year-to-Date Return	85.39%	22.97%
10-Day Avg. Volume	19.77M	1.07M
3-Month Avg. Volume	20.77M	1.33M
3-Month Volatility	74.57%	25.25%
Beta	2.20	1.14

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

RKLB

-48.14%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 43.89%
Q3: 22.42%
Median: 12.50%
Q1: 5.21%
Min: -6.24%

RKLB has a negative Return on Equity of -48.14%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.

XYL

8.70%

Machinery Industry

Max: 34.68%
Q3: 19.06%
Median: 13.13%
Q1: 8.53%
Min: -4.87%

XYL’s Return on Equity of 8.70% is on par with the norm for the Machinery industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

RKLB vs. XYL: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

RKLB

-45.87%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 14.54%
Q3: 8.08%
Median: 6.17%
Q1: 2.49%
Min: -1.63%

RKLB has a negative Net Profit Margin of -45.87%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.

XYL

10.74%

Machinery Industry

Max: 19.74%
Q3: 11.24%
Median: 8.13%
Q1: 5.38%
Min: -1.11%

XYL’s Net Profit Margin of 10.74% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Machinery industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

RKLB vs. XYL: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

RKLB

-44.08%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 16.63%
Q3: 10.38%
Median: 8.29%
Q1: 6.21%
Min: 0.95%

RKLB has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -44.08%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.

XYL

11.81%

Machinery Industry

Max: 26.63%
Q3: 16.15%
Median: 11.27%
Q1: 7.72%
Min: -4.91%

XYL’s Operating Profit Margin of 11.81% is around the midpoint for the Machinery industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

RKLB vs. XYL: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	RKLB	XYL
Return on Equity (TTM)	-48.14%	8.70%
Return on Assets (TTM)	-17.98%	5.66%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	-45.87%	10.74%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	-44.08%	11.81%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	29.04%	37.81%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

RKLB

2.67

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 3.09
Q3: 1.98
Median: 1.23
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.02

RKLB’s Current Ratio of 2.67 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.

XYL

1.90

Machinery Industry

Max: 3.83
Q3: 2.32
Median: 1.72
Q1: 1.28
Min: 0.78

XYL’s Current Ratio of 1.90 aligns with the median group of the Machinery industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

RKLB vs. XYL: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

RKLB

0.63

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 1.70
Q3: 1.04
Median: 0.68
Q1: 0.41
Min: 0.00

RKLB’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.63 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.

XYL

0.18

Machinery Industry

Max: 1.49
Q3: 0.75
Median: 0.44
Q1: 0.26
Min: 0.00

Falling into the lower quartile for the Machinery industry, XYL’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.18 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.

RKLB vs. XYL: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

RKLB

-45.87

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 36.57
Q3: 19.90
Median: 7.04
Q1: 2.40
Min: -7.63

RKLB has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -45.87. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.

XYL

55.35

Machinery Industry

Max: 67.55
Q3: 33.79
Median: 13.87
Q1: 7.97
Min: -1.43

XYL’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 55.35 is in the upper quartile for the Machinery industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.

RKLB vs. XYL: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	RKLB	XYL
Current Ratio (MRQ)	2.67	1.90
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	2.21	1.31
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	0.63	0.18
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	-45.87	55.35

Growth

Revenue Growth

RKLB vs. XYL: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

RKLB vs. XYL: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

RKLB

0.00%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 2.03%
Q3: 1.22%
Median: 0.43%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

RKLB currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

XYL

1.05%

Machinery Industry

Max: 5.32%
Q3: 2.84%
Median: 1.87%
Q1: 1.09%
Min: 0.00%

XYL’s Dividend Yield of 1.05% is in the lower quartile for the Machinery industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.

RKLB vs. XYL: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

RKLB

0.00%

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 83.87%
Q3: 49.90%
Median: 16.48%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

RKLB has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.

XYL

39.55%

Machinery Industry

Max: 202.17%
Q3: 98.65%
Median: 55.54%
Q1: 29.03%
Min: 0.00%

XYL’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 39.55% is within the typical range for the Machinery industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

RKLB vs. XYL: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	RKLB	XYL
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.00%	1.05%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	0.00%	39.55%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

RKLB

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 65.97
Q3: 54.11
Median: 34.53
Q1: 23.66
Min: 0.00

P/E Ratio data for RKLB is currently unavailable.

XYL

37.52

Machinery Industry

Max: 53.66
Q3: 31.29
Median: 22.00
Q1: 16.18
Min: 7.00

A P/E Ratio of 37.52 places XYL in the upper quartile for the Machinery industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.

RKLB vs. XYL: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

RKLB

38.93

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 8.07
Q3: 4.49
Median: 2.42
Q1: 1.39
Min: 0.00

With a P/S Ratio of 38.93, RKLB 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.

XYL

4.03

Machinery Industry

Max: 5.04
Q3: 2.72
Median: 1.67
Q1: 1.04
Min: 0.24

XYL’s P/S Ratio of 4.03 is in the upper echelon for the Machinery industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.

RKLB vs. XYL: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

RKLB

23.97

Aerospace & Defense Industry

Max: 13.67
Q3: 7.92
Median: 4.65
Q1: 2.68
Min: 0.82

At 23.97, RKLB’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Aerospace & Defense industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.

XYL

2.84

Machinery Industry

Max: 7.23
Q3: 3.90
Median: 2.52
Q1: 1.47
Min: 0.49

XYL’s P/B Ratio of 2.84 is within the conventional range for the Machinery industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

RKLB vs. XYL: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Aerospace & Defense and Machinery industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	RKLB	XYL
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	--	37.52
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	38.93	4.03
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	23.97	2.84
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	--	40.41