ABM vs HON vs CARR vs JCI

For growth investors, Honeywell International Inc.

(HON) is the stronger pick with 7. 8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -3. 3% for Carrier Global Corporation (CARR). ABM Industries Incorporated (ABM) offers the better valuation at 15. 5x trailing P/E (10. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Honeywell International Inc. (HON) a "Buy" — based on 28 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, ABM Industries Incorporated (ABM) is the cheapest at 15.

5x versus Johnson Controls International plc at 53. 0x. On forward P/E, ABM Industries Incorporated is actually cheaper at 10. 2x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: ABM Industries Incorporated wins at 0. 04x versus Honeywell International Inc. 's 11. 03x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Johnson Controls International plc (JCI) delivered a total return of +122.

8%, compared to -14. 5% for ABM Industries Incorporated (ABM). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CARR returned +491. 3% versus ABM's +47. 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), ABM Industries Incorporated (ABM) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

71β versus Carrier Global Corporation's 1. 21β — meaning CARR is approximately 70% more volatile than ABM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Johnson Controls International plc (JCI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 86% versus 2% for Honeywell International Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Honeywell International Inc.

(HON) is pulling ahead at 7. 8% versus -3. 3% for Carrier Global Corporation (CARR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: ABM Industries Incorporated grew EPS 102. 3% year-over-year, compared to -72. 4% for Carrier Global Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, CARR leads at 7. 9% 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.

Johnson Controls International plc (JCI) is the more profitable company, earning 13.

9% net margin versus 1. 9% for ABM Industries Incorporated — meaning it keeps 13. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HON leads at 17. 5% versus 3. 7% for ABM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — HON leads at 36. 9%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, ABM Industries Incorporated (ABM) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 04x versus Honeywell International Inc. 's 11. 03x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, ABM Industries Incorporated (ABM) trades at 10. 2x forward P/E versus 28. 8x for Johnson Controls International plc — 18. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ABM: 24. 4% to $50. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

ABM Industries Incorporated (ABM) offers the highest yield at 2. 6%, versus 1. 1% for Johnson Controls International plc (JCI).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Honeywell International Inc.

(HON) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 74), 2. 2% yield, +132. 4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (HON: +132. 4%, CARR: +491. 3%), 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: ABM is a small-cap deep-value stock; HON is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; CARR is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; JCI 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.