ATS vs MKSI vs ITRI vs ONTO

For growth investors, MKS Inc.

(MKSI) is the stronger pick with 9. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -16. 5% for ATS Corporation (ATS). Itron, Inc. (ITRI) offers the better valuation at 12. 5x trailing P/E (13. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate MKS Inc. (MKSI) a "Buy" — based on 29 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, Itron, Inc.

(ITRI) is the cheapest at 12. 5x versus Onto Innovation Inc. at 98. 6x. On forward P/E, Itron, Inc. is actually cheaper at 13. 5x.

Over the past 5 years, Onto Innovation Inc.

(ONTO) delivered a total return of +312. 6%, compared to -7. 2% for Itron, Inc. (ITRI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ONTO returned +1432% versus ITRI's +94. 4%. 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), Itron, Inc.

(ITRI) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 53β versus Onto Innovation Inc. 's 2. 66β — meaning ONTO is approximately 74% more volatile than ITRI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Onto Innovation Inc. (ONTO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 173% for MKS Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), MKS Inc.

(MKSI) is pulling ahead at 9. 6% versus -16. 5% for ATS Corporation (ATS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: MKS Inc. grew EPS 55. 5% year-over-year, compared to -114. 7% for ATS Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, ITRI leads at 9. 7% 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.

Onto Innovation Inc.

(ONTO) is the more profitable company, earning 13. 6% net margin versus -1. 1% for ATS Corporation — meaning it keeps 13. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MKSI leads at 14. 4% versus 0. 4% for ATS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ONTO leads at 49. 7%, 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, Itron, Inc.

(ITRI) trades at 13. 5x forward P/E versus 38. 7x for Onto Innovation Inc. — 25. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ITRI: 68. 8% to $137. 00.

In this comparison, MKSI (0.

3% yield) pays a dividend. ATS, ITRI, ONTO do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Onto Innovation Inc.

(ONTO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (+1432% 10Y return). ATS Corporation (ATS) carries a higher beta of 1. 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 (ONTO: +1432%, ATS: +282. 7%), 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 (ATS (Industrials) and MKSI (Technology) and ITRI (Technology) and ONTO (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: ATS is a small-cap quality compounder stock; MKSI is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; ITRI is a small-cap deep-value stock; ONTO is a mid-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.