AMBP vs BALL vs CCK vs ATI vs SLGN

For growth investors, Ardagh Metal Packaging S.

A. (AMBP) is the stronger pick with 12. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 4. 8% for Crown Holdings, Inc. (CCK). Silgan Holdings Inc. (SLGN) offers the better valuation at 14. 6x trailing P/E (10. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Ball Corporation (BALL) a "Buy" — based on 23 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, Silgan Holdings Inc.

(SLGN) is the cheapest at 14. 6x versus ATI Inc. at 54. 5x. On forward P/E, Silgan Holdings Inc. is actually cheaper at 10. 7x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Crown Holdings, Inc. wins at 0. 82x versus Ball Corporation's 1. 10x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, ATI Inc.

(ATI) delivered a total return of +549. 7%, compared to -45. 8% for Ardagh Metal Packaging S. A. (AMBP). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ATI returned +962. 0% versus AMBP's -44. 3%. 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), Ball Corporation (BALL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

40β versus ATI Inc. 's 1. 51β — meaning ATI is approximately 275% more volatile than BALL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, ATI Inc. (ATI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 102% versus 2% for Silgan Holdings Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Ardagh Metal Packaging S.

A. (AMBP) is pulling ahead at 12. 0% versus 4. 8% for Crown Holdings, Inc. (CCK). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Crown Holdings, Inc. grew EPS 79. 7% year-over-year, compared to -74. 6% for Ball Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, ATI leads at 6. 1% 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.

ATI Inc.

(ATI) is the more profitable company, earning 8. 8% net margin versus 0. 2% for Ardagh Metal Packaging S. A. — meaning it keeps 8. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ATI leads at 13. 8% versus 5. 0% for AMBP. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ATI leads at 21. 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.

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, Crown Holdings, Inc. (CCK) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 82x versus Ball Corporation's 1. 10x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Silgan Holdings Inc. (SLGN) trades at 10. 7x forward P/E versus 38. 5x for ATI Inc. — 27. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SLGN: 28. 0% to $50. 50.

In this comparison, AMBP (11.

2% yield), SLGN (2. 0% yield), BALL (1. 4% yield), CCK (1. 1% yield) pay a dividend. ATI does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

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

40), 1. 4% yield). ATI Inc. (ATI) carries a higher beta of 1. 51 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (BALL: +82. 6%, ATI: +962. 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (AMBP (Consumer Cyclical) and BALL (Consumer Cyclical) and CCK (Consumer Cyclical) and ATI (Industrials) and SLGN (Consumer Cyclical)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: AMBP is a small-cap income-oriented stock; BALL is a mid-cap deep-value stock; CCK is a mid-cap deep-value stock; ATI is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; SLGN is a small-cap deep-value stock. AMBP, BALL, CCK, SLGN pay a dividend while ATI does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.