AL vs AER

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 Air Lease Corporation (AL) a "Buy" — based on 20 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, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.