BALL vs ATR vs CCK vs SLGN

For growth investors, Ball Corporation (BALL) is the stronger pick with 11.

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 4. 8% for Crown Holdings, Inc. (CCK). Silgan Holdings Inc. (SLGN) offers the better valuation at 14. 9x trailing P/E (10. 6x 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. 9x versus AptarGroup, Inc. at 21. 3x. On forward P/E, Silgan Holdings Inc. is actually cheaper at 10. 6x. 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 AptarGroup, Inc. 's 1. 75x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Silgan Holdings Inc.

(SLGN) delivered a total return of +1. 4%, compared to -31. 2% for Ball Corporation (BALL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CCK returned +98. 0% versus BALL's +79. 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), Ball Corporation (BALL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

40β versus Silgan Holdings Inc. 's 0. 66β — meaning SLGN is approximately 64% more volatile than BALL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, AptarGroup, Inc. (ATR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 56% versus 2% for Silgan Holdings Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Ball Corporation (BALL) is pulling ahead at 11.

6% 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, ATR leads at 4. 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.

AptarGroup, Inc.

(ATR) is the more profitable company, earning 10. 4% net margin versus 4. 4% for Silgan Holdings Inc. — meaning it keeps 10. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ATR leads at 13. 6% versus 10. 2% for SLGN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ATR leads at 29. 6%, 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 AptarGroup, Inc. 's 1. 75x. 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. 6x forward P/E versus 22. 5x for AptarGroup, Inc. — 11. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ATR: 35. 6% to $169. 67.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Silgan Holdings Inc. (SLGN) offers the highest yield at 2. 0%, versus 1. 0% for Crown Holdings, Inc. (CCK).

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). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BALL: +79. 5%, SLGN: +80. 8%), 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 (BALL (Consumer Cyclical) and ATR (Healthcare) and CCK (Consumer Cyclical) 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: BALL is a mid-cap deep-value stock; ATR is a small-cap quality compounder stock; CCK is a mid-cap deep-value stock; SLGN 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.