EVI vs POOL vs SITE vs WSO vs IBP

For growth investors, EVI Industries, Inc.

(EVI) is the stronger pick with 10. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -5. 0% for Watsco, Inc. (WSO). Pool Corporation (POOL) offers the better valuation at 17. 6x trailing P/E (17. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate EVI Industries, Inc. (EVI) a "Buy" — based on 1 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, Pool Corporation (POOL) is the cheapest at 17.

6x versus EVI Industries, Inc. at 41. 0x. On forward P/E, Pool Corporation is actually cheaper at 17. 0x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: EVI Industries, Inc. wins at 0. 59x versus SiteOne Landscape Supply, Inc. 's 6. 72x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Installed Building Products, Inc.

(IBP) delivered a total return of +80. 6%, compared to -52. 3% for Pool Corporation (POOL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: IBP returned +660. 5% versus POOL's +142. 2%. 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), Pool Corporation (POOL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

91β versus EVI Industries, Inc. 's 1. 48β — meaning EVI is approximately 62% more volatile than POOL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Watsco, Inc. (WSO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 15% versus 148% for Installed Building Products, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), EVI Industries, Inc.

(EVI) is pulling ahead at 10. 3% versus -5. 0% for Watsco, Inc. (WSO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: EVI Industries, Inc. grew EPS 32. 4% year-over-year, compared to -7. 9% for Watsco, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, EVI leads at 13. 4% 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.

Installed Building Products, Inc.

(IBP) is the more profitable company, earning 8. 9% net margin versus 1. 9% for EVI Industries, Inc. — meaning it keeps 8. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: IBP leads at 13. 0% versus 3. 5% for EVI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SITE leads at 34. 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, EVI Industries, Inc. (EVI) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 59x versus SiteOne Landscape Supply, Inc. 's 6. 72x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Pool Corporation (POOL) trades at 17. 0x forward P/E versus 33. 3x for Watsco, Inc. — 16. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EVI: 64. 2% to $33. 00.

In this comparison, WSO (2.

9% yield), POOL (2. 6% yield), EVI (1. 7% yield), IBP (1. 5% yield) pay a dividend. SITE does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

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

91), 2. 6% yield, +142. 2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (POOL: +142. 2%, SITE: +353. 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 (EVI (Industrials) and POOL (Industrials) and SITE (Industrials) and WSO (Industrials) and IBP (Consumer Cyclical)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: EVI is a small-cap quality compounder stock; POOL is a small-cap deep-value stock; SITE is a small-cap quality compounder stock; WSO is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; IBP is a small-cap quality compounder stock. EVI, POOL, WSO, IBP pay a dividend while SITE 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.