SWK vs. WSO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at SWK and WSO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | SWK | WSO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. | Watsco, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Machinery | Trading Companies & Distributors |
| Market Capitalization | 11.72 billion USD | 16.72 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | June 7, 1984 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of SWK and WSO 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 | SWK | WSO |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 3.57% | 0.75% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 12.66% | -11.18% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -13.88% | -18.05% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -24.90% | -15.22% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 11.96% | -9.36% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -5.67% | -13.76% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.14M | 0.30M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 2.51M | 0.33M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 36.00% | 27.59% |
| Beta | 1.21 | 0.95 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
SWK
6.59%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 34.68%
- Q3
- 19.06%
- Median
- 13.13%
- Q1
- 8.53%
- Min
- -4.87%
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.
WSO
19.73%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 32.33%
- Q3
- 19.92%
- Median
- 14.05%
- Q1
- 11.46%
- Min
- 0.91%
WSO’s Return on Equity of 19.73% is on par with the norm for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
SWK
3.85%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 19.74%
- Q3
- 11.24%
- Median
- 8.13%
- Q1
- 5.38%
- Min
- -1.11%
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.
WSO
7.08%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 17.73%
- Q3
- 10.81%
- Median
- 6.13%
- Q1
- 4.33%
- Min
- 2.09%
WSO’s Net Profit Margin of 7.08% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
SWK
4.70%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 26.63%
- Q3
- 16.15%
- Median
- 11.27%
- Q1
- 7.72%
- Min
- -4.91%
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.
WSO
10.26%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 25.50%
- Q3
- 15.13%
- Median
- 7.46%
- Q1
- 5.44%
- Min
- 3.55%
WSO’s Operating Profit Margin of 10.26% is around the midpoint for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | SWK | WSO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 6.59% | 19.73% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 2.63% | 11.69% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 3.85% | 7.08% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 4.70% | 10.26% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 30.03% | 27.54% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
SWK
1.04
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 3.83
- Q3
- 2.32
- Median
- 1.72
- Q1
- 1.28
- Min
- 0.78
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.
WSO
3.08
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 2.82
- Q3
- 2.13
- Median
- 1.60
- Q1
- 1.43
- Min
- 0.46
WSO’s Current Ratio of 3.08 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
SWK
0.74
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 1.49
- Q3
- 0.75
- Median
- 0.44
- Q1
- 0.26
- 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.
WSO
0.01
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 1.88
- Q3
- 1.18
- Median
- 0.74
- Q1
- 0.54
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, WSO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.01 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
SWK
1.75
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 67.55
- Q3
- 33.79
- Median
- 13.87
- 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.
WSO
140.00
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 15.13
- Q3
- 7.93
- Median
- 5.75
- Q1
- 2.70
- Min
- -1.67
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 140.00, WSO demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | SWK | WSO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.04 | 3.08 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.29 | 1.26 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.74 | 0.01 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 1.75 | 140.00 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
SWK
7.39%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 5.32%
- Q3
- 2.84%
- Median
- 1.87%
- Q1
- 1.09%
- Min
- 0.00%
SWK’s Dividend Yield of 7.39% 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.
WSO
2.58%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 4.99%
- Q3
- 3.04%
- Median
- 1.94%
- Q1
- 1.22%
- Min
- 0.00%
WSO’s Dividend Yield of 2.58% is consistent with its peers in the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
SWK
148.38%
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 202.17%
- Q3
- 98.65%
- Median
- 55.54%
- Q1
- 29.03%
- 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.
WSO
84.37%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 95.14%
- Q3
- 62.08%
- Median
- 51.17%
- Q1
- 26.24%
- Min
- 0.00%
WSO’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 84.37% is in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors 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 | SWK | WSO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 7.39% | 2.58% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 148.38% | 84.37% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
SWK
20.08
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 53.66
- Q3
- 31.29
- Median
- 22.00
- Q1
- 16.18
- Min
- 7.00
SWK’s P/E Ratio of 20.08 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.
WSO
32.64
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 48.55
- Q3
- 26.73
- Median
- 17.17
- Q1
- 10.78
- Min
- 1.62
A P/E Ratio of 32.64 places WSO in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
SWK
0.77
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 5.04
- Q3
- 2.72
- Median
- 1.67
- Q1
- 1.04
- Min
- 0.24
In the lower quartile for the Machinery industry, SWK’s P/S Ratio of 0.77 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.
WSO
2.31
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 4.88
- Q3
- 2.56
- Median
- 1.02
- Q1
- 0.60
- Min
- 0.29
WSO’s P/S Ratio of 2.31 aligns with the market consensus for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
SWK
1.16
Machinery Industry
- Max
- 7.23
- Q3
- 3.90
- Median
- 2.52
- Q1
- 1.47
- Min
- 0.49
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.
WSO
6.47
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 8.77
- Q3
- 4.33
- Median
- 2.00
- Q1
- 1.11
- Min
- 0.35
WSO’s P/B Ratio of 6.47 is in the upper tier for the Trading Companies & Distributors 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | SWK | WSO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 20.08 | 32.64 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 0.77 | 2.31 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 1.16 | 6.47 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 7.08 | 23.35 |