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SYM vs. WWD: Symbotic vs. Woodward Stock Comparison

How do Symbotic (SYM) and Woodward (WWD) 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

Symbotic (SYM) and Woodward (WWD) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but SYM is classified in Machinery while WWD is classified in Aerospace & Defense.

Woodward (WWD) has more than two decades of public-market history since April 4, 1994, whereas Symbotic (SYM) listed on March 9, 2021 and has a much shorter record to draw on.

Company profile comparison for Symbotic (SYM) and Woodward (WWD)
Profile ItemSYMWWD
NameSymbotic Inc. Class A Common StockWoodward, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryMachineryAerospace & Defense
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & ComponentsAerospace & Defense
Market Capitalization22.29 billion USD18.74 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateMarch 9, 2021April 4, 1994
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

SYM
WWD
GSPC
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Symbotic (SYM) vs. Woodward (WWD), 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 Symbotic (SYM) and Woodward (WWD). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Symbotic (SYM) and Woodward (WWD). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Symbotic (SYM) and Woodward (WWD)
MetricSYMWWD
Total Return (1Y)-44.66%25.66%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)6.78%36.83%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)30.90%23.54%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

SYM
WWD
GSPC
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Symbotic (SYM) vs. Woodward (WWD), 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 Symbotic (SYM) and Woodward (WWD). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Symbotic (SYM) carries a highly aggressive beta of 2.05, indicating much higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, whereas Woodward (WWD) is closer to market-like at 0.87 — a noticeable difference in market-sensitivity profile.

Risk profile metrics for Symbotic (SYM) and Woodward (WWD)
MetricSYMWWD
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)78.15%40.29%
Beta (5Y)2.050.87
Max Drawdown (5Y)-72.46%-37.25%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.61M665.85K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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SYM and WWD 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 Symbotic (SYM) and Woodward (WWD)
MetricSYMWWD
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.630.53
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.930.85

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Woodward (WWD) at 22.34% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Symbotic (SYM) at 4.39% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for WWD.

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

4.39%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
SYM
4.39%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

22.34%

Max
40.55%
WWD
22.34%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Symbotic (SYM) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Woodward (WWD) at 13.17% keeps a top-quartile share of each sales dollar as profit, while Symbotic (SYM) at 0.31% keeps a bottom-quartile share.

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

0.31%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
SYM
0.31%
Min
-12.89%

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

13.17%

Max
27.47%
WWD
13.17%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Symbotic (SYM) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Woodward (WWD) at 17.76% runs core operations around its industry’s norm, while Symbotic (SYM) at 4.59% operates in the bottom quartile.

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

4.59%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
SYM
4.59%
Min
-12.63%

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

17.76%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
WWD
17.76%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Symbotic (SYM) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Symbotic (SYM) and Woodward (WWD)
MetricSYMWWD
ROE (TTM)4.39%22.34%
ROA (TTM)0.32%8.62%
Net Margin (TTM)0.31%13.17%
Operating Margin (TTM)4.59%17.76%
Gross Margin (TTM)21.27%29.63%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Symbotic (SYM) at 25.65% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Woodward (WWD) at 7.30% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for SYM.

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Symbotic (SYM) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Woodward (WWD) reports EPS growth of 19.63%, ranked against its industry; Symbotic (SYM) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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Symbotic (SYM) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Symbotic (SYM) and Woodward (WWD)
MetricSYMWWD
Revenue Growth (YoY)25.65%7.30%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)55.87%14.40%
EPS Growth (YoY)--19.63%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--38.44%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Woodward (WWD) at 1.65 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Symbotic (SYM) at 1.33 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for SYM.

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

1.33

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
SYM
1.33
Min
0.36

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

1.65

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
WWD
1.65
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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Symbotic (SYM) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Symbotic (SYM) at 0.02 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Woodward (WWD) at 0.56 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

0.02

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
SYM
0.02
Min
0.00

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

0.56

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
WWD
0.56
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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Symbotic (SYM) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Symbotic (SYM) and Woodward (WWD)
MetricSYMWWD
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.331.65
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.020.56
Net Debt / EBITDA-30.441.13

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Symbotic (SYM) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Woodward (WWD) reports a yield of 0.32%, ranking against industry peers normally.

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
SYM
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

0.32%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
WWD
0.32%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Symbotic (SYM) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Symbotic (SYM) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Woodward (WWD) reports a payout of 13.35%, ranking against industry peers normally.

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
SYM
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

13.35%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
WWD
13.35%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Symbotic (SYM) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Symbotic (SYM) and Woodward (WWD)
MetricSYMWWD
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.32%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%13.35%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Woodward (WWD) at 35.30 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Symbotic (SYM) at 460.25 sits above its peer range — an unusually expensive price for SYM’s trailing earnings.

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

460.25

SYM
460.25
Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

35.30

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
WWD
35.30
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Symbotic (SYM) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on sales: Woodward (WWD) at 4.47 sits in the upper P/S ratio quartile, and Symbotic (SYM) at 8.42 prices even higher, above its industry range.

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

8.42

SYM
8.42
Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

4.47

Max
7.54
WWD
4.47
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Symbotic (SYM) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both Symbotic (SYM) at 6.70 and Woodward (WWD) at 7.60 carry a premium to book value versus peers, sitting in the upper P/B ratio quartile of their industries.

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

6.70

Max
9.66
SYM
6.70
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

7.60

Max
9.66
WWD
7.60
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Symbotic (SYM) vs. Woodward (WWD): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Symbotic (SYM) and Woodward (WWD)
MetricSYMWWD
P/E Ratio (TTM)460.2535.30
P/S Ratio (TTM)8.424.47
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.707.60
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.46%1.00%