CSW vs NFBK vs AAON vs KRNY vs LII

For growth investors, AAON, Inc.

(AAON) is the stronger pick with 20. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 7% for Lennox International Inc. (LII). Kearny Financial Corp. (KRNY) offers the better valuation at 19. 2x trailing P/E (12. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate AAON, Inc. (AAON) a "Buy" — based on 5 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, Kearny Financial Corp.

(KRNY) is the cheapest at 19. 2x versus AAON, Inc. at 100. 2x. On forward P/E, Northfield Bancorp, Inc. is actually cheaper at 10. 4x — 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: Lennox International Inc. wins at 1. 12x versus AAON, Inc. 's 12. 51x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, AAON, Inc.

(AAON) delivered a total return of +196. 3%, compared to -20. 5% for Kearny Financial Corp. (KRNY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CSW returned +774. 5% versus KRNY's -9. 0%. 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), Kearny Financial Corp.

(KRNY) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 83β versus AAON, Inc. 's 1. 79β — meaning AAON is approximately 115% more volatile than KRNY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, CSW Industrials, Inc. (CSW) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 6% versus 177% for Lennox International Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), AAON, Inc.

(AAON) is pulling ahead at 20. 1% versus -2. 7% for Lennox International Inc. (LII). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Kearny Financial Corp. grew EPS 130. 2% year-over-year, compared to -36. 1% for AAON, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, AAON leads at 17. 5% 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.

CSW Industrials, Inc.

(CSW) is the more profitable company, earning 15. 6% net margin versus 7. 5% for AAON, Inc. — meaning it keeps 15. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CSW leads at 20. 6% versus 9. 0% for KRNY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NFBK leads at 49. 1%, 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, Lennox International Inc. (LII) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 12x versus AAON, Inc. 's 12. 51x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Northfield Bancorp, Inc. (NFBK) trades at 10. 4x forward P/E versus 68. 0x for AAON, Inc. — 57. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for KRNY: 17. 6% to $9. 50.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Kearny Financial Corp. (KRNY) offers the highest yield at 5. 5%, versus 0. 3% for AAON, Inc. (AAON).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Kearny Financial Corp.

(KRNY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 83), 5. 5% yield). AAON, Inc. (AAON) carries a higher beta of 1. 79 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (KRNY: -9. 0%, AAON: +668. 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (CSW (Industrials) and NFBK (Financial Services) and AAON (Industrials) and KRNY (Financial Services) and LII (Industrials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: CSW is a small-cap quality compounder stock; NFBK is a small-cap income-oriented stock; AAON is a mid-cap high-growth stock; KRNY is a small-cap income-oriented stock; LII is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. NFBK, KRNY, LII pay a dividend while CSW, AAON 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.