Rental & Leasing Services
Compare Stocks
2 / 10Stock Comparison
AER vs GATX
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Rental & Leasing Services
AER vs GATX — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Rental & Leasing Services | Rental & Leasing Services |
| Market Cap | $25.21B | $7.12B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $8.11B | $1.70B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $3.93B | $313M |
| Gross Margin | 52.9% | 48.8% |
| Operating Margin | 45.2% | 30.6% |
| Forward P/E | 8.8x | 19.9x |
| Total Debt | $43.57B | $8.41B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $1.48B | $402M |
AER vs GATX — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| AerCap Holdings N.V. (AER) | 100 | 468.5 | +368.5% |
| GATX Corporation (GATX) | 100 | 318.1 | +218.1% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: AER vs GATX
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
AER carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for value and quality.
- Lower P/E (8.8x vs 19.9x)
- 48.4% margin vs GATX's 18.3%
- +41.3% vs GATX's +38.4%
GATX is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 18 yrs, beta 0.71, yield 1.2%
- Rev growth 12.4%, EPS growth 9.3%, 3Y rev CAGR 8.0%
- 396.9% 10Y total return vs AER's 276.1%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 12.4% revenue growth vs AER's 2.4% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (8.8x vs 19.9x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 48.4% margin vs GATX's 18.3% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.71 vs AER's 0.74 | |
| Dividends | 1.2% yield, 18-year raise streak, vs AER's 0.7% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +41.3% vs GATX's +38.4% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 5.4% ROA vs GATX's 2.4%, ROIC 5.2% vs 3.6% |
AER vs GATX — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
AER vs GATX — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
AER leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
AER is the larger business by revenue, generating $8.1B annually — 4.8x GATX's $1.7B. AER is the more profitable business, keeping 48.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to GATX's 18.3%. On growth, GATX holds the edge at +8.4% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $8.1B | $1.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $5.7B | $966M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $3.9B | $313M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $405M | -$532M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +52.9% | +48.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +45.2% | +30.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +48.4% | +18.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +5.0% | -31.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +4.1% | +8.4% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +42.5% | -7.8% |
Valuation Metrics
AER leads this category, winning 5 of 5 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 7.1x trailing earnings, AER trades at a 72% valuation discount to GATX's 25.6x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, AER's 9.8x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than GATX's 16.9x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $25.2B | $7.1B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $67.3B | $15.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 7.09x | 25.65x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 8.79x | 19.92x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.16x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 9.76x | 16.90x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.08x | 4.49x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.45x | 2.94x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
AER leads this category, winning 7 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
AER delivers a 21.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $22 in annual profit, vs $12 for GATX. AER carries lower financial leverage with a 2.38x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to GATX's 3.45x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AER scores 8/9 vs GATX's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +21.6% | +11.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +5.4% | +2.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +5.2% | +3.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +6.2% | +4.1% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 8 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 2.38x | 3.45x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $42.1B | $8.0B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.5B | $402M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $43.6B | $8.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 2.42x | 0.85x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
AER leads this category, winning 4 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 $20,786 for GATX. Over the past 12 months, AER leads with a +41.3% total return vs GATX's +38.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AER at 40.7% vs GATX's 22.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +4.7% | +17.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +41.3% | +38.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +178.5% | +82.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +157.9% | +107.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +276.1% | +396.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +40.7% | +22.3% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — AER and GATX each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
GATX is the less volatile stock with a 0.71 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.74x | 0.71x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $154.94 | $205.56 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $105.65 | $143.46 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +97.5% | +97.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 55.4 | 58.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.3M | 182K |
Analyst Outlook
GATX leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates AER as "Buy" and GATX as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 9.2% upside for AER (target: $165) vs 6.2% for GATX (target: $212). For income investors, GATX offers the higher dividend yield at 1.18% vs AER's 0.72%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $165.00 | $212.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 25 | 14 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.7% | +1.2% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 2 | 18 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.09 | $2.36 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.3% |
AER leads in 4 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Valuation Metrics). GATX leads in 1 (Analyst Outlook). 1 tied.
AER vs GATX: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AER or GATX a better buy right now?
For growth investors, GATX Corporation (GATX) is the stronger pick with 12.
4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 4% for AerCap Holdings N. V. (AER). AerCap Holdings N. V. (AER) offers the better valuation at 7. 1x trailing P/E (8. 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 GATX?
On trailing P/E, AerCap Holdings N.
V. (AER) is the cheapest at 7. 1x versus GATX Corporation at 25. 6x. On forward P/E, AerCap Holdings N. V. is actually cheaper at 8. 8x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — AER or GATX?
Over the past 5 years, AerCap Holdings N.
V. (AER) delivered a total return of +157. 9%, compared to +107. 9% for GATX Corporation (GATX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: GATX returned +396. 9% versus AER's +276. 1%. 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 GATX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), GATX Corporation (GATX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
71β versus AerCap Holdings N. V. 's 0. 74β — meaning AER is approximately 4% more volatile than GATX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, AerCap Holdings N. V. (AER) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 3% for GATX Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — AER or GATX?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), GATX Corporation (GATX) is pulling ahead at 12.
4% versus 2. 4% for AerCap Holdings N. V. (AER). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: AerCap Holdings N. V. grew EPS 97. 4% year-over-year, compared to 9. 3% for GATX Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, GATX leads at 8. 0% 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 GATX?
AerCap Holdings N.
V. (AER) is the more profitable company, earning 45. 8% net margin versus 17. 9% for GATX 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 29. 9% for GATX. 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 GATX more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, AerCap Holdings N.
V. (AER) trades at 8. 8x forward P/E versus 19. 9x for GATX Corporation — 11. 1x 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 GATX?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
GATX Corporation (GATX) offers the highest yield at 1. 2%, versus 0. 7% for AerCap Holdings N. V. (AER).
09Is AER or GATX better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, GATX Corporation (GATX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.
71), 1. 2% yield, +396. 9% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (GATX: +396. 9%, 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 GATX?
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: AER is a mid-cap deep-value stock; GATX 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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that outperform both.
You Might Also Compare
Based on how these companies actually compete and overlap — not just which sector they're filed under.