BALL vs SLGN

For growth investors, Ball Corporation (BALL) is the stronger pick with 11.

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 10. 7% for Silgan Holdings Inc. (SLGN). Silgan Holdings Inc. (SLGN) offers the better valuation at 15. 0x trailing P/E (10. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Ball Corporation (BALL) a "Buy" — based on 23 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.

On trailing P/E, Silgan Holdings Inc.

(SLGN) is the cheapest at 15. 0x versus Ball Corporation at 17. 9x. On forward P/E, Silgan Holdings Inc. is actually cheaper at 10. 7x.

Over the past 5 years, Silgan Holdings Inc.

(SLGN) delivered a total return of +2. 2%, compared to -30. 5% for Ball Corporation (BALL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BALL returned +82. 6% versus SLGN's +82. 0%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Ball Corporation (BALL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

40β versus Silgan Holdings Inc. 's 0. 66β — meaning SLGN is approximately 64% more volatile than BALL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Ball Corporation (BALL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 129% versus 2% for Silgan Holdings Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Ball Corporation (BALL) is pulling ahead at 11.

6% versus 10. 7% for Silgan Holdings Inc. (SLGN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Silgan Holdings Inc. grew EPS 4. 7% year-over-year, compared to -74. 6% for Ball Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, SLGN leads at 0. 4% 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.

Ball Corporation (BALL) is the more profitable company, earning 6.

9% net margin versus 4. 4% for Silgan Holdings Inc. — meaning it keeps 6. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BALL leads at 10. 6% versus 10. 2% for SLGN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SLGN leads at 17. 7%, 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.

On forward earnings alone, Silgan Holdings Inc.

(SLGN) trades at 10. 7x forward P/E versus 14. 9x for Ball Corporation — 4. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SLGN: 24. 7% to $50. 50.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Silgan Holdings Inc. (SLGN) offers the highest yield at 2. 0%, versus 1. 4% for Ball Corporation (BALL).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Ball Corporation (BALL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

40), 1. 4% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BALL: +82. 6%, SLGN: +82. 0%), 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.

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.

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.