ESLT vs LHX vs HII vs LDOS vs BAH

For growth investors, Elbit Systems Ltd.

(ESLT) is the stronger pick with 23. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 5% for L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (LHX). Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (BAH) offers the better valuation at 10. 6x trailing P/E (12. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (LHX) a "Buy" — based on 32 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, Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (BAH) is the cheapest at 10.

6x versus Elbit Systems Ltd. at 64. 5x. On forward P/E, Leidos Holdings, Inc. is actually cheaper at 11. 1x — 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: Leidos Holdings, Inc. wins at 0. 54x versus Elbit Systems Ltd. 's 3. 48x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Elbit Systems Ltd.

(ESLT) delivered a total return of +486. 3%, compared to +2. 7% for Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (BAH). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ESLT returned +737. 2% 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), Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (BAH) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

35β versus Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. 's 0. 69β — meaning HII is approximately 97% more volatile than BAH relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 23% versus 4% for Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Elbit Systems Ltd.

(ESLT) is pulling ahead at 23. 9% versus 2. 5% for L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (LHX). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Elbit Systems Ltd. grew EPS 71. 7% year-over-year, compared to 8. 4% for L3Harris Technologies, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ESLT leads at 17. 8% 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.

Leidos Holdings, Inc.

(LDOS) is the more profitable company, earning 8. 5% net margin versus 4. 8% for Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. — meaning it keeps 8. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LDOS leads at 12. 3% versus 4. 9% for HII. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BAH leads at 54. 8%, 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 Elbit Systems Ltd. 's 3. 48x. 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 57. 3x for Elbit Systems Ltd. — 46. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LDOS: 55. 5% to $204. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (BAH) offers the highest yield at 2. 7%, versus 0. 3% for Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT).

For long-horizon retirement investors, L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

(LHX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 39), 1. 6% yield, +346. 1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (LHX: +346. 1%, HII: +130. 7%), 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 (ESLT (Industrials) and LHX (Industrials) and HII (Industrials) and LDOS (Technology) and BAH (Industrials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: ESLT is a mid-cap high-growth stock; LHX is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; HII is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; LDOS is a mid-cap deep-value stock; BAH is a mid-cap deep-value stock. LHX, HII, LDOS, BAH pay a dividend while ESLT does 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.