AZZ vs GRC vs IEX vs FELE

For growth investors, IDEX Corporation (IEX) is the stronger pick with 5.

8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 4% for The Gorman-Rupp Company (GRC). AZZ Inc. (AZZ) offers the better valuation at 14. 4x trailing P/E (22. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate AZZ Inc. (AZZ) a "Buy" — based on 12 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, AZZ Inc.

(AZZ) is the cheapest at 14. 4x versus The Gorman-Rupp Company at 41. 9x. On forward P/E, AZZ Inc. is actually cheaper at 22. 1x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: AZZ Inc. wins at 0. 47x versus IDEX Corporation's 4. 81x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, AZZ Inc.

(AZZ) delivered a total return of +189. 4%, compared to +4. 8% for IDEX Corporation (IEX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FELE returned +248. 5% versus AZZ's +166. 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), IDEX Corporation (IEX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

84β versus The Gorman-Rupp Company's 1. 27β — meaning GRC is approximately 52% more volatile than IEX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, AZZ Inc. (AZZ) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 5% versus 79% for The Gorman-Rupp Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), IDEX Corporation (IEX) is pulling ahead at 5.

8% versus 3. 4% for The Gorman-Rupp Company (GRC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: AZZ Inc. grew EPS 486. 6% year-over-year, compared to -15. 8% for Franklin Electric Co. , Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, GRC leads at 9. 4% 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.

AZZ Inc.

(AZZ) is the more profitable company, earning 19. 2% net margin versus 6. 9% for Franklin Electric Co. , Inc. — meaning it keeps 19. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: IEX leads at 20. 8% versus 12. 7% for FELE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — IEX leads at 44. 5%, 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, AZZ Inc. (AZZ) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 47x versus IDEX Corporation's 4. 81x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, AZZ Inc. (AZZ) trades at 22. 1x forward P/E versus 32. 1x for The Gorman-Rupp Company — 10. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for IEX: 12. 0% to $244. 71.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

IDEX Corporation (IEX) offers the highest yield at 1. 3%, versus 0. 5% for AZZ Inc. (AZZ).

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. 84), 1. 1% yield, +248. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (FELE: +248. 5%, GRC: +237. 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.

Both stocks operate in the Industrials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: AZZ is a small-cap deep-value stock; GRC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; IEX is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; FELE is a small-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.