ISSC vs ATRO

For growth investors, Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc.

(ISSC) is the stronger pick with 78. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 8. 4% for Astronics Corporation (ATRO). Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc. (ISSC) offers the better valuation at 23. 8x trailing P/E (26. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc. (ISSC) a "Buy" — based on 2 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, Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc.

(ISSC) is the cheapest at 23. 8x versus Astronics Corporation at 96. 2x. On forward P/E, Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc. is actually cheaper at 26. 6x.

Over the past 5 years, Astronics Corporation (ATRO) delivered a total return of +399.

4%, compared to +243. 9% for Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc. (ISSC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ISSC returned +696. 4% versus ATRO's +198. 5%. 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), Astronics Corporation (ATRO) is the lower-risk stock at 1.

74β versus Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc. 's 2. 34β — meaning ISSC is approximately 34% more volatile than ATRO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc. (ISSC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 37% versus 3% for Astronics Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc.

(ISSC) is pulling ahead at 78. 6% versus 8. 4% for Astronics Corporation (ATRO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Astronics Corporation grew EPS 276. 1% year-over-year, compared to 120. 0% for Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ISSC leads at 44. 8% 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.

Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc.

(ISSC) is the more profitable company, earning 18. 5% net margin versus 3. 4% for Astronics Corporation — meaning it keeps 18. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ISSC leads at 23. 8% versus 8. 9% for ATRO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ISSC leads at 48. 1%, 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, Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc.

(ISSC) trades at 26. 6x forward P/E versus 29. 5x for Astronics Corporation — 2. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ATRO: 37. 3% to $107. 00.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc.

(ISSC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (+696. 4% 10Y return). Astronics Corporation (ATRO) carries a higher beta of 1. 74 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (ISSC: +696. 4%, ATRO: +198. 5%), 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 Industrials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: ISSC is a small-cap high-growth stock; ATRO is a small-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.