HI vs FELE vs GTLS vs GWW

For growth investors, Franklin Electric Co.

, Inc. (FELE) is the stronger pick with 5. 4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -16. 0% for Hillenbrand, Inc. (HI). Franklin Electric Co. , Inc. (FELE) offers the better valuation at 30. 8x trailing P/E (21. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Hillenbrand, Inc. (HI) a "Buy" — based on 11 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, Franklin Electric Co.

, Inc. (FELE) is the cheapest at 30. 8x versus Chart Industries, Inc. at 628. 5x. On forward P/E, Hillenbrand, Inc. is actually cheaper at 12. 4x — 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: W. W. Grainger, Inc. wins at 1. 27x versus Franklin Electric Co. , Inc. 's 2. 50x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, W.

W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW) delivered a total return of +173. 2%, compared to -21. 6% for Hillenbrand, Inc. (HI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: GTLS returned +772. 5% versus HI's +33. 5%. 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), Chart Industries, Inc.

(GTLS) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 56β versus Hillenbrand, Inc. 's 1. 92β — meaning HI is approximately 244% more volatile than GTLS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Franklin Electric Co. , Inc. (FELE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 21% versus 112% for Hillenbrand, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Franklin Electric Co.

, Inc. (FELE) is pulling ahead at 5. 4% versus -16. 0% for Hillenbrand, Inc. (HI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Hillenbrand, Inc. grew EPS 120. 3% year-over-year, compared to -92. 0% for Chart Industries, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, GTLS leads at 38. 3% 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.

W.

W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW) is the more profitable company, earning 9. 5% net margin versus 1. 0% for Chart Industries, Inc. — meaning it keeps 9. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GTLS leads at 15. 2% versus 5. 9% for HI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — GWW leads at 39. 1%, 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, W. W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 27x versus Franklin Electric Co. , Inc. 's 2. 50x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Hillenbrand, Inc. (HI) trades at 12. 4x forward P/E versus 28. 3x for W. W. Grainger, Inc. — 15. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HI: 0. 1% to $32. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Hillenbrand, Inc. (HI) offers the highest yield at 2. 8%, versus 0. 3% for Chart Industries, Inc. (GTLS).

For long-horizon retirement investors, W.

W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 89), 0. 8% yield, +463. 0% 10Y return). Hillenbrand, Inc. (HI) carries a higher beta of 1. 92 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (GWW: +463. 0%, HI: +33. 5%), 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.

HI, FELE, GWW pay a dividend while GTLS 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.