BWXT vs HII vs GD vs CW vs LMT

For growth investors, BWX Technologies, Inc.

(BWXT) is the stronger pick with 18. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 7% for Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT). Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (HII) offers the better valuation at 20. 6x trailing P/E (18. 2x 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, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.

(HII) is the cheapest at 20. 6x versus BWX Technologies, Inc. at 57. 2x. On forward P/E, Lockheed Martin Corporation is actually cheaper at 16. 9x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Curtiss-Wright Corporation wins at 2. 22x versus BWX Technologies, Inc. 's 10. 23x.

Over the past 5 years, Curtiss-Wright Corporation (CW) delivered a total return of +467.

8%, compared to +44. 4% for Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CW returned +823. 2% versus HII's +131. 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), Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

12β versus BWX Technologies, Inc. 's 1. 58β — meaning BWXT is approximately 1257% more volatile than LMT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, General Dynamics Corporation (GD) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 38% versus 3% for Lockheed Martin Corporation — 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 5. 7% for Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Curtiss-Wright Corporation grew EPS 22. 0% year-over-year, compared to -3. 7% for Lockheed Martin Corporation. 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, Curtiss-Wright Corporation (CW) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 2. 22x versus BWX Technologies, Inc. 's 10. 23x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) trades at 16. 9x forward P/E versus 48. 3x for Curtiss-Wright Corporation — 31. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HII: 32. 8% to $420. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) offers the highest yield at 2. 7%, versus 0. 1% for Curtiss-Wright Corporation (CW).

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

12), 2. 7% yield, +153. 7% 10Y return). BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT) carries a higher beta of 1. 58 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (LMT: +153. 7%, BWXT: +538. 2%), 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: BWXT is a mid-cap high-growth stock; HII is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; GD is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; CW is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; LMT is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. HII, GD, LMT pay a dividend while BWXT, CW 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.