WAB vs. WTS: Wabtec vs. Watts Water Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Wabtec (WAB) and Watts Water (WTS) 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

Wabtec (WAB) and Watts Water (WTS) both belong to the Machinery industry, though WAB is classified under Construction Machinery & Heavy Transportation Equipment while WTS falls under Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components.

Company profile comparison for Wabtec (WAB) and Watts Water (WTS)
Profile Item	WAB	WTS
Name	Wabtec Corporation	Watts Water Technologies, Inc. Class A Common Stock
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Machinery	Machinery
GICS Sub-Industry	Construction Machinery & Heavy Transportation Equipment	Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization	47.59 billion USD	11.55 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	June 16, 1995	August 21, 1986
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

WAB

WTS

GSPC

Wabtec (WAB) vs. Watts Water (WTS), 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 Wabtec (WAB) and Watts Water (WTS). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Wabtec (WAB) and Watts Water (WTS)
Metric	WAB	WTS
Total Return (1Y)	44.64%	33.85%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	39.37%	25.59%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	25.90%	12.56%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

WAB

WTS

GSPC

Wabtec (WAB) vs. Watts Water (WTS), 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 Wabtec (WAB) and Watts Water (WTS). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Wabtec (WAB) and Watts Water (WTS)
Metric	WAB	WTS
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	27.53%	27.38%
Beta (5Y)	0.91	1.11
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-23.55%	-44.08%
Avg. Volume (3M)	890.96K	225.08K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

WAB and WTS 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 Wabtec (WAB) and Watts Water (WTS)
Metric	WAB	WTS
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.47	1.08
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	2.34	1.78

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Watts Water (WTS) at 20.91% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Wabtec (WAB) at 12.24% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for WTS.

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%

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

20.91%

Max: 40.55%
WTS: 20.91%
Q3: 19.29%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

Wabtec (WAB) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Watts Water (WTS) at 16.00% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Wabtec (WAB) at 11.20%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

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%

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

16.00%

Max: 27.47%
WTS: 16.00%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

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

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Wabtec (WAB) at 20.22% and Watts Water (WTS) at 20.85% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

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%

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

20.85%

Max: 36.60%
WTS: 20.85%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Wabtec (WAB) and Watts Water (WTS)
Metric	WAB	WTS
ROE (TTM)	12.24%	20.91%
ROA (TTM)	6.28%	12.05%
Net Margin (TTM)	11.20%	16.00%
Operating Margin (TTM)	20.22%	20.85%
Gross Margin (TTM)	36.17%	49.09%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Wabtec (WAB) at 7.51% and Watts Water (WTS) at 8.27% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Wabtec (WAB) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Wabtec (WAB) at 13.08% and Watts Water (WTS) at 17.03% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Wabtec (WAB) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Wabtec (WAB) and Watts Water (WTS)
Metric	WAB	WTS
Revenue Growth (YoY)	7.51%	8.27%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	10.12%	7.20%
EPS Growth (YoY)	13.08%	17.03%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	25.44%	10.78%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Watts Water (WTS) at 2.80 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.

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

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

2.80

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
WTS: 2.80
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

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

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Watts Water (WTS) at 0.08 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Wabtec (WAB) at 0.60 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

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

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

0.08

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
WTS: 0.08
Min: 0.00

Wabtec (WAB) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Wabtec (WAB) and Watts Water (WTS)
Metric	WAB	WTS
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.10	2.80
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.60	0.08
Net Debt / EBITDA	2.28	-0.40

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Wabtec (WAB) at 0.42% and Watts Water (WTS) at 0.66% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

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%

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

0.66%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
WTS: 0.66%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Wabtec (WAB) at 14.66% and Watts Water (WTS) at 17.24% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

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%

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

17.24%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
WTS: 17.24%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Wabtec (WAB) and Watts Water (WTS)
Metric	WAB	WTS
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.42%	0.66%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	14.66%	17.24%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Wabtec (WAB) at 35.23 and Watts Water (WTS) at 25.95 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

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

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

25.95

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
WTS: 25.95
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Wabtec (WAB) at 3.90 and Watts Water (WTS) at 4.14 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

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

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

4.14

Max: 7.54
WTS: 4.14
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

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

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Wabtec (WAB) at 4.20 and Watts Water (WTS) at 4.98 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

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

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

4.98

Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
WTS: 4.98
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Wabtec (WAB) and Watts Water (WTS)
Metric	WAB	WTS
P/E Ratio (TTM)	35.23	25.95
P/S Ratio (TTM)	3.90	4.14
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	4.20	4.98
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	2.60%	2.21%