Industrial - Machinery
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2 / 10Stock Comparison
HI vs KMT
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Manufacturing - Tools & Accessories
HI vs KMT — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Industrial - Machinery | Manufacturing - Tools & Accessories |
| Market Cap | $2.26B | $2.86B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $2.52B | $2.03B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $35M | $110M |
| Gross Margin | 33.7% | 31.1% |
| Operating Margin | 6.1% | 8.3% |
| Forward P/E | 12.4x | 15.4x |
| Total Debt | $1.60B | $643M |
| Cash & Equiv. | $165M | $141M |
HI vs KMT — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | Feb 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillenbrand, Inc. (HI) | 100 | 124.2 | +24.2% |
| Kennametal Inc. (KMT) | 100 | 124.0 | +24.0% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: HI vs KMT
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
HI is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 4 yrs, beta 1.92, yield 2.8%
- Rev growth -16.0%, EPS growth 120.3%, 3Y rev CAGR 4.9%
- Lower P/E (12.4x vs 15.4x)
KMT carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for long-term compounding and sleep-well-at-night.
- 93.0% 10Y total return vs HI's 35.0%
- Lower volatility, beta 1.31, Low D/E 48.6%, current ratio 2.46x
- Beta 1.31, yield 2.1%, current ratio 2.46x
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | -3.9% revenue growth vs HI's -16.0% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (12.4x vs 15.4x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 5.4% margin vs HI's 1.4% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 1.31 vs HI's 1.92, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | 2.8% yield, 4-year raise streak, vs KMT's 2.1% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +91.9% vs HI's +59.5% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 4.2% ROA vs HI's 0.8%, ROIC 5.9% vs 3.8% |
HI vs KMT — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
HI vs KMT — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
KMT leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
HI and KMT operate at a comparable scale, with $2.5B and $2.0B in trailing revenue. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 5.4% (KMT) to 1.4% (HI). On growth, KMT holds the edge at +9.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $2.5B | $2.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $286M | $272M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $35M | $110M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $8M | $99M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +33.7% | +31.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +6.1% | +8.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +1.4% | +5.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +0.3% | +4.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -22.2% | +9.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -133.1% | +91.3% |
Valuation Metrics
Evenly matched — HI and KMT each lead in 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 31.3x trailing earnings, KMT trades at a 40% valuation discount to HI's 52.4x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, KMT's 12.0x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than HI's 12.5x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.3B | $2.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $3.7B | $3.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 52.43x | 31.26x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 12.41x | 15.38x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 12.54x | 12.02x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.85x | 1.45x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.59x | 2.21x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 126.31x | 23.95x |
Profitability & Efficiency
KMT leads this category, winning 8 of 8 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
KMT delivers a 8.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $8 in annual profit, vs $2 for HI. KMT carries lower financial leverage with a 0.49x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to HI's 1.12x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +2.4% | +8.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +0.8% | +4.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +3.8% | +5.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +4.2% | +6.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.12x | 0.49x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $1.4B | $503M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $165M | $141M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1.6B | $643M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.67x | 7.35x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
KMT leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in KMT five years ago would be worth $10,022 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $7,860 for HI. Over the past 12 months, KMT leads with a +91.9% total return vs HI's +59.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors KMT at 14.0% vs HI's -9.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +0.8% | +30.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +59.5% | +91.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -26.7% | +48.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -21.4% | +0.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +35.0% | +93.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -9.8% | +14.0% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — HI and KMT each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
KMT is the less volatile stock with a 1.31 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than HI's 1.92 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. HI currently trades 99.7% from its 52-week high vs KMT's 89.2% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.92x | 1.31x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $32.07 | $42.03 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $18.46 | $17.62 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.7% | +89.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 68.2 | 40.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 0 | 1.2M |
Analyst Outlook
HI leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates HI as "Buy" and KMT as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 0.1% upside for HI (target: $32) vs -4.0% for KMT (target: $36). For income investors, HI offers the higher dividend yield at 2.80% vs KMT's 2.12%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $32.00 | $36.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 11 | 23 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.8% | +2.1% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 4 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.90 | $0.79 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +2.1% |
KMT leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). HI leads in 1 (Analyst Outlook). 2 tied.
HI vs KMT: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is HI or KMT a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Kennametal Inc.
(KMT) is the stronger pick with -3. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -16. 0% for Hillenbrand, Inc. (HI). Kennametal Inc. (KMT) offers the better valuation at 31. 3x trailing P/E (15. 4x 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.
02Which has the better valuation — HI or KMT?
On trailing P/E, Kennametal Inc.
(KMT) is the cheapest at 31. 3x versus Hillenbrand, Inc. at 52. 4x. On forward P/E, Hillenbrand, Inc. is actually cheaper at 12. 4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — HI or KMT?
Over the past 5 years, Kennametal Inc.
(KMT) delivered a total return of +0. 2%, compared to -21. 4% for Hillenbrand, Inc. (HI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: KMT returned +93. 0% versus HI's +35. 0%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — HI or KMT?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Kennametal Inc.
(KMT) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 31β versus Hillenbrand, Inc. 's 1. 92β — meaning HI is approximately 46% more volatile than KMT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Kennametal Inc. (KMT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 49% versus 112% for Hillenbrand, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — HI or KMT?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Kennametal Inc.
(KMT) is pulling ahead at -3. 9% 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 -12. 4% for Kennametal Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, HI leads at 4. 9% 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.
06Which has better profit margins — HI or KMT?
Kennametal Inc.
(KMT) is the more profitable company, earning 4. 7% net margin versus 1. 6% for Hillenbrand, Inc. — meaning it keeps 4. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: KMT leads at 7. 3% versus 5. 9% for HI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — HI leads at 33. 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.
07Is HI or KMT more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Hillenbrand, Inc.
(HI) trades at 12. 4x forward P/E versus 15. 4x for Kennametal Inc. — 3. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HI: 0. 1% to $32. 00.
08Which pays a better dividend — HI or KMT?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
Hillenbrand, Inc. (HI) offers the highest yield at 2. 8%, versus 2. 1% for Kennametal Inc. (KMT).
09Is HI or KMT better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Kennametal Inc.
(KMT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (2. 1% yield). 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 (KMT: +93. 0%, HI: +35. 0%), 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.
10What are the main differences between HI and KMT?
Both stocks operate in the Industrials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
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.
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