FTAI vs AL vs AER vs GATX vs WLFC

For growth investors, FTAI Aviation Ltd.

(FTAI) is the stronger pick with 43. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 4% for AerCap Holdings N. V. (AER). AerCap Holdings N. V. (AER) offers the better valuation at 6. 8x trailing P/E (8. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate FTAI Aviation Ltd. (FTAI) a "Buy" — based on 18 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, AerCap Holdings N.

V. (AER) is the cheapest at 6. 8x versus FTAI Aviation Ltd. at 53. 1x. On forward P/E, AerCap Holdings N. V. is actually cheaper at 8. 4x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Willis Lease Finance Corporation wins at 0. 23x versus GATX Corporation's 0. 88x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, FTAI Aviation Ltd.

(FTAI) delivered a total return of +959. 5%, compared to +42. 1% for Air Lease Corporation (AL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FTAI returned +29. 1% versus AL's +136. 6%. 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), Air Lease Corporation (AL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

30β versus FTAI Aviation Ltd. 's 1. 79β — meaning FTAI is approximately 502% more volatile than AL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Air Lease Corporation (AL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 10% for FTAI Aviation Ltd. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), FTAI Aviation Ltd.

(FTAI) is pulling ahead at 43. 2% versus 2. 4% for AerCap Holdings N. V. (AER). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: FTAI Aviation Ltd. grew EPS 1538% year-over-year, compared to 0. 3% for Willis Lease Finance Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, FTAI leads at 51. 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.

AerCap Holdings N.

V. (AER) is the more profitable company, earning 45. 8% net margin versus 16. 8% for Willis Lease Finance Corporation — meaning it keeps 45. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AER leads at 51. 9% versus 29. 9% for GATX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — WLFC leads at 65. 7%, 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, Willis Lease Finance Corporation (WLFC) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 23x versus GATX Corporation's 0. 88x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, AerCap Holdings N. V. (AER) trades at 8. 4x forward P/E versus 33. 3x for FTAI Aviation Ltd. — 24. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FTAI: 21. 8% to $297. 67.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Air Lease Corporation (AL) offers the highest yield at 1. 3%, versus 0. 4% for Willis Lease Finance Corporation (WLFC).

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

30), 1. 3% yield, +136. 6% 10Y return). FTAI Aviation Ltd. (FTAI) 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 (AL: +136. 6%, FTAI: +29. 1%), 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: FTAI is a mid-cap high-growth stock; AL is a small-cap deep-value stock; AER is a mid-cap deep-value stock; GATX is a small-cap quality compounder stock; WLFC is a small-cap high-growth stock. FTAI, AL, AER, GATX pay a dividend while WLFC 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.