DY vs GLDD

For growth investors, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (GLDD) is the stronger pick with 16.

5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 12. 6% for Dycom Industries, Inc. (DY). Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (GLDD) offers the better valuation at 15. 7x trailing P/E (15. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Dycom Industries, Inc. (DY) a "Buy" — based on 21 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, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (GLDD) is the cheapest at 15.

7x versus Dycom Industries, Inc. at 53. 8x. On forward P/E, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation is actually cheaper at 15. 4x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Dycom Industries, Inc. wins at 0. 88x versus Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation's 9. 93x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Dycom Industries, Inc.

(DY) delivered a total return of +331. 9%, compared to +19. 7% for Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (GLDD). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: DY returned +516. 0% versus GLDD's +276. 9%. 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), Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (GLDD) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

92β versus Dycom Industries, Inc. 's 1. 22β — meaning DY is approximately 34% more volatile than GLDD relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Dycom Industries, Inc. (DY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 85% versus 89% for Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (GLDD) is pulling ahead at 16.

5% versus 12. 6% for Dycom Industries, Inc. (DY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation grew EPS 28. 6% year-over-year, compared to 7. 5% for Dycom Industries, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, DY leads at 14. 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.

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (GLDD) is the more profitable company, earning 8.

3% net margin versus 5. 0% for Dycom Industries, Inc. — meaning it keeps 8. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GLDD leads at 14. 1% versus 7. 2% for DY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — GLDD leads at 22. 9%, 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, Dycom Industries, Inc. (DY) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 88x versus Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation's 9. 93x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (GLDD) trades at 15. 4x forward P/E versus 30. 3x for Dycom Industries, Inc. — 14. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (GLDD) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

92), +276. 9% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (GLDD: +276. 9%, DY: +516. 0%), 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: DY is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; GLDD is a small-cap high-growth 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.