AMSC vs ERII vs FELE vs POWI vs VICR

For growth investors, American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC) is the stronger pick with 53.

0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -7. 1% for Energy Recovery, Inc. (ERII). Energy Recovery, Inc. (ERII) offers the better valuation at 21. 7x trailing P/E (35. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC) a "Buy" — based on 15 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, Energy Recovery, Inc.

(ERII) is the cheapest at 21. 7x versus American Superconductor Corporation at 344. 9x. On forward P/E, American Superconductor Corporation is actually cheaper at 15. 9x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Vicor Corporation wins at 2. 07x versus Franklin Electric Co. , Inc. 's 2. 48x.

Over the past 5 years, American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC) delivered a total return of +296.

5%, compared to -48. 7% for Energy Recovery, Inc. (ERII). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VICR returned +26. 5% versus ERII's -14. 7%. 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), Franklin Electric Co.

, Inc. (FELE) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 89β versus American Superconductor Corporation's 2. 98β — meaning AMSC is approximately 236% more volatile than FELE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 21% for Franklin Electric Co. , Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC) is pulling ahead at 53.

0% versus -7. 1% for Energy Recovery, Inc. (ERII). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Vicor Corporation grew EPS 1764% year-over-year, compared to -30. 4% for Power Integrations, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, AMSC leads at 27. 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.

Vicor Corporation (VICR) is the more profitable company, earning 29.

1% net margin versus 2. 7% for American Superconductor Corporation — meaning it keeps 29. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ERII leads at 18. 2% versus -0. 5% for AMSC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ERII leads at 65. 2%, 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, Vicor Corporation (VICR) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 2. 07x versus Franklin Electric Co. , Inc. 's 2. 48x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC) trades at 15. 9x forward P/E versus 92. 5x for Vicor Corporation — 76. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ERII: 42. 4% to $13. 00.

In this comparison, POWI (1.

1% yield), FELE (1. 1% yield) pay a dividend. AMSC, ERII, VICR do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Franklin Electric Co.

, Inc. (FELE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 89), 1. 1% yield, +229. 5% 10Y return). Vicor Corporation (VICR) carries a higher beta of 2. 87 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (FELE: +229. 5%, VICR: +26. 5%), 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 (AMSC (Industrials) and ERII (Industrials) and FELE (Industrials) and POWI (Technology) and VICR (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: AMSC is a small-cap high-growth stock; ERII is a small-cap quality compounder stock; FELE is a small-cap quality compounder stock; POWI is a small-cap quality compounder stock; VICR is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. FELE, POWI pay a dividend while AMSC, ERII, VICR do 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.