Auto - Parts
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ALSN vs BWA
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Auto - Parts
ALSN vs BWA — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Auto - Parts | Auto - Parts |
| Market Cap | $10.32B | $12.64B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $3.65B | $14.33B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $543M | $362M |
| Gross Margin | 40.8% | 18.9% |
| Operating Margin | 24.1% | 9.7% |
| Forward P/E | 14.1x | 11.8x |
| Total Debt | $2.92B | $4.18B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $1.50B | $2.31B |
ALSN vs BWA — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allison Transmissio… (ALSN) | 100 | 329.2 | +229.2% |
| BorgWarner Inc. (BWA) | 100 | 216.8 | +116.8% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: ALSN vs BWA
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
ALSN is the clearest fit if your priority is long-term compounding.
- 377.7% 10Y total return vs BWA's 124.6%
- 14.9% margin vs BWA's 2.5%
- 0.9% yield, 6-year raise streak, vs BWA's 0.9%
BWA carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 1 yrs, beta 1.04, yield 0.9%
- Rev growth 1.7%, EPS growth -14.7%, 3Y rev CAGR 4.3%
- Lower volatility, beta 1.04, Low D/E 74.4%, current ratio 2.07x
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 1.7% revenue growth vs ALSN's -6.7% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (11.8x vs 14.1x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 14.9% margin vs BWA's 2.5% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 1.04 vs ALSN's 1.08, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | 0.9% yield, 6-year raise streak, vs BWA's 0.9% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +98.9% vs ALSN's +26.9% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 8.4% ROA vs BWA's 2.6%, ROIC 22.2% vs 12.9% |
ALSN vs BWA — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
ALSN vs BWA — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
ALSN leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
BWA is the larger business by revenue, generating $14.3B annually — 3.9x ALSN's $3.6B. ALSN is the more profitable business, keeping 14.9% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to BWA's 2.5%. On growth, ALSN holds the edge at +83.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.6B | $14.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $970M | $2.1B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $543M | $362M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $713M | $1.4B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +40.8% | +18.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +24.1% | +9.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +14.9% | +2.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +19.5% | +10.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +83.6% | +0.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -40.4% | +61.1% |
Valuation Metrics
BWA leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 16.9x trailing earnings, ALSN trades at a 65% valuation discount to BWA's 47.9x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, BWA's 7.1x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than ALSN's 10.7x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $10.3B | $12.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $11.7B | $14.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 16.94x | 47.91x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 14.10x | 11.83x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.74x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 10.71x | 7.10x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.43x | 0.88x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 5.65x | 2.36x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 15.91x | 10.72x |
Profitability & Efficiency
ALSN leads this category, winning 7 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
ALSN delivers a 29.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $29 in annual profit, vs $6 for BWA. BWA carries lower financial leverage with a 0.74x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to ALSN's 1.56x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), BWA scores 8/9 vs ALSN's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +29.5% | +6.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +8.4% | +2.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +22.2% | +12.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +18.6% | +12.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.56x | 0.74x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $1.4B | $1.9B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.5B | $2.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.9B | $4.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 64.20x | 14.17x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
ALSN leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in ALSN five years ago would be worth $28,577 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $13,758 for BWA. Over the past 12 months, BWA leads with a +98.9% total return vs ALSN's +26.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors ALSN at 38.3% vs BWA's 16.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +25.8% | +31.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +26.9% | +98.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +164.5% | +58.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +185.8% | +37.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +377.7% | +124.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +38.3% | +16.6% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — ALSN and BWA each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
BWA is the less volatile stock with a 1.04 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than ALSN's 1.08 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.08x | 1.04x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $137.42 | $70.08 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $76.01 | $30.62 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +90.4% | +87.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 43.3 | 59.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 802K | 2.3M |
Analyst Outlook
Evenly matched — ALSN and BWA each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ALSN as "Hold" and BWA as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 13.8% upside for BWA (target: $70) vs -6.6% for ALSN (target: $116). For income investors, BWA offers the higher dividend yield at 0.90% vs ALSN's 0.86%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $116.00 | $69.80 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 29 | 38 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.9% | +0.9% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 6 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.07 | $0.55 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +3.2% | +4.0% |
ALSN leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). BWA leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 2 tied.
ALSN vs BWA: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ALSN or BWA a better buy right now?
For growth investors, BorgWarner Inc.
(BWA) is the stronger pick with 1. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -6. 7% for Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. (ALSN). Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. (ALSN) offers the better valuation at 16. 9x trailing P/E (14. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate BorgWarner Inc. (BWA) a "Buy" — based on 38 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — ALSN or BWA?
On trailing P/E, Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc.
(ALSN) is the cheapest at 16. 9x versus BorgWarner Inc. at 47. 9x. On forward P/E, BorgWarner Inc. is actually cheaper at 11. 8x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — ALSN or BWA?
Over the past 5 years, Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc.
(ALSN) delivered a total return of +185. 8%, compared to +37. 6% for BorgWarner Inc. (BWA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ALSN returned +377. 7% versus BWA's +124. 6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — ALSN or BWA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), BorgWarner Inc.
(BWA) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 04β versus Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. 's 1. 08β — meaning ALSN is approximately 4% more volatile than BWA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, BorgWarner Inc. (BWA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 74% versus 156% for Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — ALSN or BWA?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), BorgWarner Inc.
(BWA) is pulling ahead at 1. 7% versus -6. 7% for Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. (ALSN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. grew EPS -11. 8% year-over-year, compared to -14. 7% for BorgWarner Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, BWA leads at 4. 3% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
06Which has better profit margins — ALSN or BWA?
Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc.
(ALSN) is the more profitable company, earning 20. 7% net margin versus 1. 9% for BorgWarner Inc. — meaning it keeps 20. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ALSN leads at 32. 3% versus 9. 2% for BWA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ALSN leads at 48. 4%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
07Is ALSN or BWA more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, BorgWarner Inc.
(BWA) trades at 11. 8x forward P/E versus 14. 1x for Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. — 2. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BWA: 13. 8% to $69. 80.
08Which pays a better dividend — ALSN or BWA?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
BorgWarner Inc. (BWA) offers the highest yield at 0. 9%, versus 0. 9% for Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. (ALSN).
09Is ALSN or BWA better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc.
(ALSN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 08), 0. 9% yield, +377. 7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ALSN: +377. 7%, BWA: +124. 6%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
10What are the main differences between ALSN and BWA?
Both stocks operate in the Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
In terms of investment character: ALSN is a mid-cap deep-value stock; BWA is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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