HURC vs MKSI vs FORM vs ENTG vs ONTO

For growth investors, MKS Inc.

(MKSI) is the stronger pick with 9. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -4. 3% for Hurco Companies, Inc. (HURC). MKS Inc. (MKSI) offers the better valuation at 71. 7x trailing P/E (27. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Hurco Companies, Inc. (HURC) 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, MKS Inc.

(MKSI) is the cheapest at 71. 7x versus FormFactor, Inc. at 214. 3x. On forward P/E, Hurco Companies, Inc. is actually cheaper at 7. 5x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Onto Innovation Inc.

(ONTO) delivered a total return of +360. 4%, compared to -46. 5% for Hurco Companies, Inc. (HURC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FORM returned +1997% versus HURC's -36. 8%. 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), Hurco Companies, Inc.

(HURC) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 83β versus Entegris, Inc. 's 2. 73β — meaning ENTG is approximately 230% more volatile than HURC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Onto Innovation Inc. (ONTO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 173% for MKS Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), MKS Inc.

(MKSI) is pulling ahead at 9. 6% versus -4. 3% for Hurco Companies, Inc. (HURC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: MKS Inc. grew EPS 55. 5% year-over-year, compared to -31. 5% for Onto Innovation Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, MKSI leads at 3. 5% 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.

Onto Innovation Inc.

(ONTO) is the more profitable company, earning 13. 6% net margin versus -8. 5% for Hurco Companies, Inc. — meaning it keeps 13. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ENTG leads at 28. 9% versus -5. 8% for HURC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ONTO leads at 49. 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.

On forward earnings alone, Hurco Companies, Inc.

(HURC) trades at 7. 5x forward P/E versus 60. 3x for FormFactor, Inc. — 52. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ONTO: 16. 5% to $331. 67.

In this comparison, MKSI (0.

3% yield), ENTG (0. 3% yield) pay a dividend. HURC, FORM, ONTO do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Hurco Companies, Inc.

(HURC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 83)). MKS Inc. (MKSI) carries a higher beta of 2. 56 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (HURC: -36. 8%, MKSI: +784. 8%), 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 (HURC (Industrials) and MKSI (Technology) and FORM (Technology) and ENTG (Technology) and ONTO (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

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.