OC vs AAON

For growth investors, AAON, Inc.

(AAON) is the stronger pick with 20. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -7. 9% for Owens Corning (OC). AAON, Inc. (AAON) offers the better valuation at 76. 2x trailing P/E (49. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate AAON, Inc. (AAON) a "Buy" — based on 5 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 forward P/E, Owens Corning is actually cheaper at 13.

1x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, AAON, Inc.

(AAON) delivered a total return of +134. 3%, compared to +28. 2% for Owens Corning (OC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AAON returned +440. 9% versus OC's +187. 3%. 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), Owens Corning (OC) is the lower-risk stock at 1.

41β versus AAON, Inc. 's 1. 83β — meaning AAON is approximately 30% more volatile than OC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, AAON, Inc. (AAON) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 48% versus 158% for Owens Corning — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), AAON, Inc.

(AAON) is pulling ahead at 20. 1% versus -7. 9% for Owens Corning (OC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: AAON, Inc. grew EPS -36. 1% year-over-year, compared to -185. 1% for Owens Corning. Over a 3-year CAGR, AAON leads at 17. 5% 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.

AAON, Inc.

(AAON) is the more profitable company, earning 7. 5% net margin versus -5. 2% for Owens Corning — meaning it keeps 7. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: OC leads at 17. 0% versus 10. 1% for AAON. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — OC leads at 28. 5%, 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, Owens Corning (OC) trades at 13.

1x forward P/E versus 49. 6x for AAON, Inc. — 36. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AAON: 21. 1% to $119. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Owens Corning (OC) offers the highest yield at 2. 3%, versus 0. 4% for AAON, Inc. (AAON).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Owens Corning (OC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (2.

3% yield, +187. 3% 10Y return). AAON, Inc. (AAON) carries a higher beta of 1. 83 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (OC: +187. 3%, AAON: +440. 9%), 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: OC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; AAON is a small-cap high-growth stock. OC pays a dividend while AAON does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.