ADT vs JCI vs ALLE vs HON

For growth investors, Honeywell International Inc.

(HON) is the stronger pick with 7. 8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 8% for Johnson Controls International plc (JCI). ADT Inc. (ADT) offers the better valuation at 10. 3x trailing P/E (7. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate ADT Inc. (ADT) a "Buy" — based on 17 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, ADT Inc.

(ADT) is the cheapest at 10. 3x versus Johnson Controls International plc at 52. 9x. On forward P/E, ADT Inc. is actually cheaper at 7. 5x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Allegion plc wins at 0. 92x versus Honeywell International Inc. 's 11. 18x — 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.

9%, compared to -19. 8% for ADT Inc. (ADT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: JCI returned +343. 3% versus ADT's -28. 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), Allegion plc (ALLE) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

67β versus ADT Inc. 's 0. 98β — meaning ADT is approximately 47% more volatile than ALLE 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 2. 8% for Johnson Controls International plc (JCI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: ADT Inc. grew EPS 28. 8% year-over-year, compared to -15. 5% for Honeywell International Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ALLE leads at 7. 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.

Allegion plc (ALLE) is the more profitable company, earning 15.

8% net margin versus 11. 6% for ADT Inc. — meaning it keeps 15. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ADT leads at 26. 0% versus 12. 0% for JCI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ADT leads at 49. 3%, 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, Allegion plc (ALLE) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 92x versus Honeywell International Inc. 's 11. 18x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, ADT Inc. (ADT) trades at 7. 5x forward P/E versus 29. 4x for Johnson Controls International plc — 21. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ADT: 30. 2% to $8. 97.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

ADT Inc. (ADT) offers the highest yield at 3. 0%, versus 1. 1% for Johnson Controls International plc (JCI).

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

67), 1. 5% yield, +127. 3% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ALLE: +127. 3%, ADT: -28. 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 Industrials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: ADT is a small-cap deep-value stock; JCI is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; ALLE is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; HON 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.