BWXT vs CW vs LDOS vs CACI vs HII

For growth investors, BWX Technologies, Inc.

(BWXT) is the stronger pick with 18. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 1% for Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS). Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) offers the better valuation at 11. 8x trailing P/E (11. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT) a "Buy" — based on 16 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, Leidos Holdings, Inc.

(LDOS) is the cheapest at 11. 8x versus BWX Technologies, Inc. at 58. 4x. On forward P/E, Leidos Holdings, Inc. is actually cheaper at 11. 1x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Leidos Holdings, Inc. wins at 0. 54x versus BWX Technologies, Inc. 's 10. 61x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Curtiss-Wright Corporation (CW) delivered a total return of +449.

0%, compared to +33. 4% for Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CW returned +815. 8% versus HII's +130. 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), CACI International Inc (CACI) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

30β versus BWX Technologies, Inc. 's 1. 60β — meaning BWXT is approximately 439% more volatile than CACI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Curtiss-Wright Corporation (CW) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 52% versus 163% for BWX Technologies, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), BWX Technologies, Inc.

(BWXT) is pulling ahead at 18. 3% versus 3. 1% for Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Curtiss-Wright Corporation grew EPS 22. 0% year-over-year, compared to 10. 2% for Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, BWXT leads at 12. 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.

Curtiss-Wright Corporation (CW) is the more profitable company, earning 13.

8% net margin versus 4. 8% for Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. — meaning it keeps 13. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CW leads at 18. 2% versus 4. 9% for HII. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CW leads at 37. 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, Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 54x versus BWX Technologies, Inc. 's 10. 61x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) trades at 11. 1x forward P/E versus 48. 0x for Curtiss-Wright Corporation — 36. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LDOS: 55. 5% to $204. 00.

In this comparison, HII (1.

7% yield), LDOS (1. 2% yield), BWXT (0. 5% yield), CW (0. 1% yield) pay a dividend. CACI does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Leidos Holdings, Inc.

(LDOS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 42), 1. 2% yield, +223. 8% 10Y return). BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT) carries a higher beta of 1. 60 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (LDOS: +223. 8%, BWXT: +551. 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 (BWXT (Industrials) and CW (Industrials) and LDOS (Technology) and CACI (Technology) and HII (Industrials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: BWXT is a mid-cap high-growth stock; CW is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; LDOS is a mid-cap deep-value stock; CACI is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; HII is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. LDOS, HII pay a dividend while BWXT, CW, CACI 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.