AVY vs SEE

For growth investors, Avery Dennison Corporation (AVY) is the stronger pick with 1.

1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -0. 6% for Sealed Air Corporation (SEE). Sealed Air Corporation (SEE) offers the better valuation at 12. 3x trailing P/E (12. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Avery Dennison Corporation (AVY) a "Buy" — based on 18 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, Sealed Air Corporation (SEE) is the cheapest at 12.

3x versus Avery Dennison Corporation at 18. 6x. On forward P/E, Sealed Air Corporation is actually cheaper at 12. 4x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Avery Dennison Corporation wins at 2. 78x versus Sealed Air Corporation's 9. 73x.

Over the past 5 years, Sealed Air Corporation (SEE) delivered a total return of -18.

8%, compared to -18. 9% for Avery Dennison Corporation (AVY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AVY returned +152. 7% versus SEE's +4. 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), Sealed Air Corporation (SEE) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

31β versus Avery Dennison Corporation's 0. 73β — meaning AVY is approximately 132% more volatile than SEE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Avery Dennison Corporation (AVY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 166% versus 3% for Sealed Air Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Avery Dennison Corporation (AVY) is pulling ahead at 1.

1% versus -0. 6% for Sealed Air Corporation (SEE). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Sealed Air Corporation grew EPS 89. 5% year-over-year, compared to 0. 6% for Avery Dennison Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, AVY leads at -0. 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.

Sealed Air Corporation (SEE) is the more profitable company, earning 9.

4% net margin versus 7. 8% for Avery Dennison Corporation — meaning it keeps 9. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SEE leads at 13. 5% versus 12. 5% for AVY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SEE leads at 29. 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, Avery Dennison Corporation (AVY) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 2. 78x versus Sealed Air Corporation's 9. 73x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, Sealed Air Corporation (SEE) trades at 12. 4x forward P/E versus 16. 3x for Avery Dennison Corporation — 3. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AVY: 31. 3% to $214. 75.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Avery Dennison Corporation (AVY) offers the highest yield at 2. 3%, versus 1. 9% for Sealed Air Corporation (SEE).

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

31), 1. 9% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SEE: +4. 4%, AVY: +152. 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 (AVY (Industrials) and SEE (Consumer Cyclical)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: AVY is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; SEE is a small-cap deep-value 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.