INGR vs AVY

For growth investors, Avery Dennison Corporation (AVY) is the stronger pick with 1.

1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 8% for Ingredion Incorporated (INGR). Ingredion Incorporated (INGR) offers the better valuation at 9. 6x trailing P/E (9. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Avery Dennison Corporation (AVY) 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, Ingredion Incorporated (INGR) is the cheapest at 9.

6x versus Avery Dennison Corporation at 18. 6x. On forward P/E, Ingredion Incorporated is actually cheaper at 9. 9x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Ingredion Incorporated wins at 0. 59x versus Avery Dennison Corporation's 2. 78x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Ingredion Incorporated (INGR) delivered a total return of +28.

2%, compared to -18. 9% for Avery Dennison Corporation (AVY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AVY returned +152. 7% versus INGR's +13. 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), Ingredion Incorporated (INGR) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

27β versus Avery Dennison Corporation's 0. 73β — meaning AVY is approximately 169% more volatile than INGR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Ingredion Incorporated (INGR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 41% versus 166% for Avery Dennison Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Avery Dennison Corporation (AVY) is pulling ahead at 1.

1% versus -2. 8% for Ingredion Incorporated (INGR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Ingredion Incorporated grew EPS 15. 1% year-over-year, compared to 0. 6% for Avery Dennison Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, AVY leads at -0. 7% 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.

Ingredion Incorporated (INGR) is the more profitable company, earning 10.

1% net margin versus 7. 8% for Avery Dennison Corporation — meaning it keeps 10. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: INGR leads at 14. 4% versus 12. 5% for AVY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AVY leads at 28. 8%, 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, Ingredion Incorporated (INGR) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 59x versus Avery Dennison Corporation's 2. 78x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Ingredion Incorporated (INGR) trades at 9. 9x forward P/E versus 16. 3x for Avery Dennison Corporation — 6. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AVY: 31. 3% to $214. 75.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Ingredion Incorporated (INGR) offers the highest yield at 3. 0%, versus 2. 3% for Avery Dennison Corporation (AVY).

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

27), 3. 0% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (INGR: +13. 5%, AVY: +152. 7%), 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 (INGR (Consumer Defensive) and AVY (Industrials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: INGR is a small-cap deep-value stock; AVY is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. 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.