GTES vs GT vs ASTE vs WMS vs TREX

For growth investors, Astec Industries, Inc.

(ASTE) is the stronger pick with 8. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -3. 2% for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (GT). Trex Company, Inc. (TREX) offers the better valuation at 22. 0x trailing P/E (24. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Gates Industrial Corporation plc (GTES) a "Buy" — based on 14 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, Trex Company, Inc.

(TREX) is the cheapest at 22. 0x versus Astec Industries, Inc. at 31. 5x. On forward P/E, Astec Industries, Inc. is actually cheaper at 14. 2x — 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: Gates Industrial Corporation plc wins at 0. 56x versus Trex Company, Inc. 's 7. 16x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Gates Industrial Corporation plc (GTES) delivered a total return of +47.

9%, compared to -65. 1% for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (GT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: WMS returned +549. 9% versus GT's -68. 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), The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (GT) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

96β versus Astec Industries, Inc. 's 1. 63β — meaning ASTE is approximately 70% more volatile than GT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Trex Company, Inc. (TREX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 22% versus 2% for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

(ASTE) is pulling ahead at 8. 1% versus -3. 2% for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (GT). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Astec Industries, Inc. grew EPS 784. 2% year-over-year, compared to -26. 0% for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, ASTE leads at 3. 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.

Trex Company, Inc.

(TREX) is the more profitable company, earning 16. 2% net margin versus -9. 4% for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company — meaning it keeps 16. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: WMS leads at 22. 6% versus 3. 6% for GT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — GTES leads at 40. 5%, 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, Gates Industrial Corporation plc (GTES) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 56x versus Trex Company, Inc. 's 7. 16x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Astec Industries, Inc. (ASTE) trades at 14. 2x forward P/E versus 24. 0x for Trex Company, Inc. — 9. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for WMS: 40. 7% to $202. 67.

In this comparison, ASTE (1.

0% yield), WMS (0. 4% yield) pay a dividend. GTES, GT, TREX do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.

(WMS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (+549. 9% 10Y return). Gates Industrial Corporation plc (GTES) carries a higher beta of 1. 55 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (WMS: +549. 9%, GTES: +40. 4%), 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 (GTES (Industrials) and GT (Consumer Cyclical) and ASTE (Industrials) and WMS (Industrials) and TREX (Industrials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

ASTE pays a dividend while GTES, GT, WMS, TREX 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.