AER
AerCap Holdings N.V.
Rental & Leasing Services
Market Cap$25.21B
5Y Perf.+368.5%
Compare Stocks
2 / 10Try these comparisons:
Stock Comparison
AER vs AL
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
AL
Air Lease Corporation
Rental & Leasing Services
Market Cap$7.26B
5Y Perf.+115.7%
AER vs AL — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | AER | AL |
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Rental & Leasing Services | Rental & Leasing Services |
| Market Cap | $25.21B | $7.26B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $8.11B | $3.02B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $3.93B | $1.09B |
| Gross Margin | 52.9% | 38.4% |
| Operating Margin | 45.2% | 29.5% |
| Forward P/E | 8.8x | 12.8x |
| Total Debt | $43.57B | $19.73B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $1.48B | $466M |
AER vs AL — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
AER
AL
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| AerCap Holdings N.V. (AER) | 100 | 468.5 | +368.5% |
| Air Lease Corporati… (AL) | 100 | 215.7 | +115.7% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: AER vs AL
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
Bottom line: AER leads in 4 of 7 categories, making it the strongest pick for valuation and capital efficiency and profitability and margin quality. Air Lease Corporation is the stronger pick specifically for growth and revenue expansion and capital preservation and lower volatility. As sector peers, any of these can serve as alternatives in the same allocation.
AER
AerCap Holdings N.V.
The Long-Run Compounder
AER carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for long-term compounding.
- 276.1% 10Y total return vs AL's 122.5%
- Lower P/E (8.8x vs 12.8x)
- 48.4% margin vs AL's 36.1%
Best for: long-term compounding
AL
Air Lease Corporation
The Income Pick
AL is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 13 yrs, beta 0.30, yield 1.3%
- Rev growth 10.3%, EPS growth 179.0%, 3Y rev CAGR 9.2%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.30, current ratio 0.93x
Best for: income & stability and growth exposure
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | AL | 10.3% revenue growth vs AER's 2.4% |
| Value | AER | Lower P/E (8.8x vs 12.8x) |
| Quality / Margins | AER | 48.4% margin vs AL's 36.1% |
| Stability / Safety | AL | Beta 0.30 vs AER's 0.74, lower leverage |
| Dividends | AL | 1.3% yield, 13-year raise streak, vs AER's 0.7% |
| Momentum (1Y) | AER | +41.3% vs AL's +25.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AER | 5.4% ROA vs AL's 3.3%, ROIC 5.2% vs 4.2% |
AER vs AL — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
FY 2025
Segment breakdown not available.
AER vs AL — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
BEST OVERALLALLAGGINGAER
AERAerCap Holdings N.V.
2leads
ALAir Lease Corporation
3leads
6 Total Categories
CATEGORYLEADERvs AERMETRICS WON
Income & Cash FlowRevenue, margins, and cash flow strength
AER4/6
Valuation MetricsMultiples, price ratios, and targets
AL3/4
Profitability & EfficiencyROE, ROIC, leverage, and quality scores
Tied
—
Total Returns1Y, 3Y, 5Y total returns with dividends
AER6/6
Risk & VolatilityBeta, volatility, and downside exposure
AL2/2
Analyst OutlookRatings, price targets, and dividends
AL2/2
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
AER leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
AER is the larger business by revenue, generating $8.1B annually — 2.7x AL's $3.0B. AER is the more profitable business, keeping 48.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to AL's 36.1%. On growth, AL holds the edge at +15.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | AERAerCap Holdings N… | ALAir Lease Corpora… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $8.1B | $3.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $5.7B | $2.1B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $3.9B | $1.1B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $405M | -$1.7B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +52.9% | +38.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +45.2% | +29.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +48.4% | +36.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +5.0% | -57.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +4.1% | +15.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +42.5% | +81.9% |
AER leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
AL leads this category, winning 3 of 4 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 7.0x trailing earnings, AL trades at a 1% valuation discount to AER's 7.1x P/E.
| Metric | AERAerCap Holdings N… | ALAir Lease Corpora… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $25.2B | $7.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $67.3B | $6.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 7.09x | 7.00x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 8.79x | 12.76x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.43x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 9.76x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.08x | 2.41x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.45x | 0.86x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
AL leads this category, winning 3 of 4 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
Evenly matched — AER and AL each lead in 4 of 8 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
AER delivers a 21.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $22 in annual profit, vs $13 for AL. AL carries lower financial leverage with a 2.33x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to AER's 2.38x.
| Metric | AERAerCap Holdings N… | ALAir Lease Corpora… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +21.6% | +13.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +5.4% | +3.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +5.2% | +4.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +6.2% | +5.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 8 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 2.38x | 2.33x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $42.1B | $19.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.5B | $466M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $43.6B | $19.7B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 2.42x | 6.32x |
Evenly matched — AER and AL each lead in 4 of 8 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
AER leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in AER five years ago would be worth $25,787 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $14,138 for AL. Over the past 12 months, AER leads with a +41.3% total return vs AL's +25.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AER at 40.7% vs AL's 21.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | AERAerCap Holdings N… | ALAir Lease Corpora… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +4.7% | +1.7% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +41.3% | +25.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +178.5% | +79.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +157.9% | +41.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +276.1% | +122.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +40.7% | +21.6% |
AER leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
AL leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
AL is the less volatile stock with a 0.30 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AER's 0.74 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | AERAerCap Holdings N… | ALAir Lease Corpora… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.74x | 0.30x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $154.94 | $65.00 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $105.65 | $49.90 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +97.5% | +100.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 55.4 | 66.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.3M | 2.4M |
AL leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
AL leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates AER as "Buy" and AL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 9.2% upside for AER (target: $165) vs 0.0% for AL (target: $65). For income investors, AL offers the higher dividend yield at 1.35% vs AER's 0.72%.
| Metric | AERAerCap Holdings N… | ALAir Lease Corpora… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $165.00 | $65.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 25 | 20 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.7% | +1.3% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 2 | 13 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.09 | $0.87 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
AL leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Key Takeaway
AL leads in 3 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Risk & Volatility). AER leads in 2 (Income & Cash Flow, Total Returns). 1 tied.
Best OverallAir Lease Corporation (AL)Leads 3 of 6 categories
Loading custom metrics...
AER vs AL: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AER or AL a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Air Lease Corporation (AL) is the stronger pick with 10.
3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 4% for AerCap Holdings N. V. (AER). Air Lease Corporation (AL) offers the better valuation at 7. 0x trailing P/E (12. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate AerCap Holdings N. V. (AER) a "Buy" — based on 25 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.
02Which has the better valuation — AER or AL?
On trailing P/E, Air Lease Corporation (AL) is the cheapest at 7.
0x versus AerCap Holdings N. V. at 7. 1x. On forward P/E, AerCap Holdings N. V. is actually cheaper at 8. 8x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — AER or AL?
Over the past 5 years, AerCap Holdings N.
V. (AER) delivered a total return of +157. 9%, compared to +41. 4% for Air Lease Corporation (AL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AER returned +276. 1% versus AL's +122. 5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — AER or AL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Air Lease Corporation (AL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
30β versus AerCap Holdings N. V. 's 0. 74β — meaning AER is approximately 148% more volatile than AL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Air Lease Corporation (AL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 2% for AerCap Holdings N. V. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — AER or AL?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Air Lease Corporation (AL) is pulling ahead at 10.
3% versus 2. 4% for AerCap Holdings N. V. (AER). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Air Lease Corporation grew EPS 179. 0% year-over-year, compared to 97. 4% for AerCap Holdings N. V.. Over a 3-year CAGR, AL leads at 9. 2% 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.
06Which has better profit margins — AER or AL?
AerCap Holdings N.
V. (AER) is the more profitable company, earning 45. 8% net margin versus 36. 1% for Air Lease Corporation — meaning it keeps 45. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AER leads at 51. 9% versus 50. 5% for AL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AER leads at 59. 8%, 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.
07Is AER or AL more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, AerCap Holdings N.
V. (AER) trades at 8. 8x forward P/E versus 12. 8x for Air Lease Corporation — 4. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AER: 9. 2% to $165. 00.
08Which pays a better dividend — AER or AL?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
Air Lease Corporation (AL) offers the highest yield at 1. 3%, versus 0. 7% for AerCap Holdings N. V. (AER).
09Is AER or AL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Air Lease Corporation (AL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.
30), 1. 3% yield, +122. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AL: +122. 5%, AER: +276. 1%), 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.
10What are the main differences between AER and AL?
Both stocks operate in the Industrials 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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that outperform both.
Revenue Growth>
%
(AER: 4.1% · AL: 15.1%)Net Margin>
%
(AER: 48.4% · AL: 36.1%)P/E Ratio<
x
(AER: 7.1x · AL: 7.0x)You Might Also Compare
Based on how these companies actually compete and overlap — not just which sector they're filed under.