Aerospace & Defense
Compare Stocks
4 / 10Stock Comparison
ISSC vs GE vs RTX vs CW
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Aerospace & Defense
Aerospace & Defense
Aerospace & Defense
ISSC vs GE vs RTX vs CW — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace & Defense | Aerospace & Defense | Aerospace & Defense | Aerospace & Defense |
| Market Cap | $380M | $310.47B | $237.14B | $26.91B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $90M | $48.35B | $90.37B | $3.61B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $19M | $8.66B | $7.26B | $511M |
| Gross Margin | 50.8% | 34.8% | 20.2% | 37.2% |
| Operating Margin | 27.8% | 18.5% | 10.4% | 18.5% |
| Forward P/E | 27.1x | 39.3x | 25.4x | 48.3x |
| Total Debt | $24M | $20.49B | $39.51B | $1.31B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $3M | $12.39B | $7.43B | $371M |
ISSC vs GE vs RTX vs CW — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Innovative Solution… (ISSC) | 100 | 440.0 | +340.0% |
| GE Aerospace (GE) | 100 | 908.4 | +808.4% |
| RTX Corporation (RTX) | 100 | 272.9 | +172.9% |
| Curtiss-Wright Corp… (CW) | 100 | 727.0 | +627.0% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: ISSC vs GE vs RTX vs CW
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
ISSC carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for growth exposure and valuation efficiency.
- Rev growth 78.6%, EPS growth 120.0%, 3Y rev CAGR 44.8%
- PEG 0.76 vs GE's 3.33
- 78.6% revenue growth vs RTX's 9.7%
- 21.0% margin vs RTX's 8.0%
GE plays a supporting role in this comparison — it may shine differently against other peers.
RTX is the #2 pick in this set and the best alternative if income & stability and sleep-well-at-night is your priority.
- Dividend streak 4 yrs, beta 0.50, yield 1.5%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.50, Low D/E 58.8%, current ratio 1.03x
- Beta 0.50, yield 1.5%, current ratio 1.03x
- Lower P/E (25.4x vs 48.3x)
CW is the clearest fit if your priority is long-term compounding.
- 8.2% 10Y total return vs ISSC's 7.1%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 78.6% revenue growth vs RTX's 9.7% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (25.4x vs 48.3x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 21.0% margin vs RTX's 8.0% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.50 vs ISSC's 2.36 | |
| Dividends | 1.5% yield, 4-year raise streak, vs CW's 0.1%, (1 stock pays no dividend) | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +205.6% vs RTX's +39.0% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 17.2% ROA vs RTX's 4.3%, ROIC 18.8% vs 6.7% |
ISSC vs GE vs RTX vs CW — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
ISSC vs GE vs RTX vs CW — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 4 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Who Leads Where
ISSC leads in 2 of 6 categories
RTX leads 1 • CW leads 1 • GE leads 0 • 2 tied
Explore the data ↓Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
ISSC leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
RTX is the larger business by revenue, generating $90.4B annually — 1002.6x ISSC's $90M. ISSC is the more profitable business, keeping 21.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to RTX's 8.0%. On growth, ISSC holds the edge at +36.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $90M | $48.4B | $90.4B | $3.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $27M | $9.9B | $13.8B | $729M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $19M | $8.7B | $7.3B | $511M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $12M | $7.5B | $8.4B | $591M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +50.8% | +34.8% | +20.2% | +37.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +27.8% | +18.5% | +10.4% | +18.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +21.0% | +17.9% | +8.0% | +14.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +13.6% | +15.4% | +9.2% | +16.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +36.6% | +24.7% | +8.7% | +13.4% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +4.3% | -1.1% | +32.5% | +29.1% |
Valuation Metrics
RTX leads this category, winning 4 of 7 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 24.3x trailing earnings, ISSC trades at a 57% valuation discount to CW's 56.7x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), ISSC offers better value at 0.68x vs GE's 3.08x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $380M | $310.5B | $237.1B | $26.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $401M | $318.6B | $269.2B | $27.9B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 24.27x | 36.42x | 35.50x | 56.66x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 27.12x | 39.27x | 25.42x | 48.34x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.68x | 3.08x | — | 2.60x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 16.85x | 31.89x | 20.89x | 43.66x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 4.50x | 6.77x | 2.68x | 7.69x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 5.89x | 16.78x | 3.56x | 10.83x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 55.92x | 42.74x | 29.87x | 48.60x |
Profitability & Efficiency
ISSC leads this category, winning 6 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
GE delivers a 45.8% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $46 in annual profit, vs $11 for RTX. ISSC carries lower financial leverage with a 0.37x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to GE's 1.08x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), RTX scores 8/9 vs ISSC's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +27.6% | +45.8% | +10.9% | +19.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +17.2% | +6.8% | +4.3% | +9.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +18.8% | +24.7% | +6.7% | +14.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +24.6% | +9.6% | +7.9% | +16.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.37x | 1.08x | 0.59x | 0.52x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $21M | $8.1B | $32.1B | $943M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $3M | $12.4B | $7.4B | $371M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $24M | $20.5B | $39.5B | $1.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 25.35x | 11.69x | 5.58x | 15.90x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
CW leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in CW five years ago would be worth $56,777 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $22,099 for RTX. Over the past 12 months, ISSC leads with a +205.6% total return vs RTX's +39.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CW at 65.2% vs RTX's 24.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +13.9% | -7.2% | -5.6% | +27.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +205.6% | +39.3% | +39.0% | +93.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +227.1% | +273.2% | +92.3% | +350.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +252.2% | +352.5% | +121.0% | +467.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +712.7% | +117.1% | +233.5% | +823.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +48.4% | +55.1% | +24.3% | +65.2% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — RTX and CW each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
RTX is the less volatile stock with a 0.50 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than ISSC's 2.36 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CW currently trades 97.2% from its 52-week high vs ISSC's 69.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 2.36x | 1.19x | 0.50x | 1.24x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $30.94 | $348.48 | $214.50 | $750.00 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $6.82 | $210.51 | $126.03 | $359.48 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +69.0% | +85.3% | +82.1% | +97.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 45.6 | 54.5 | 37.4 | 52.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 611K | 5.7M | 5.3M | 304K |
Analyst Outlook
Evenly matched — RTX and CW each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: ISSC as "Buy", GE as "Buy", RTX as "Buy", CW as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 30.0% upside for GE (target: $386) vs 1.6% for CW (target: $741). For income investors, RTX offers the higher dividend yield at 1.50% vs CW's 0.13%.
| Metric | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $23.00 | $386.20 | $224.89 | $741.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 2 | 34 | 26 | 25 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.5% | +1.5% | +0.1% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 2 | 4 | 10 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.36 | $2.63 | $0.92 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +2.4% | +0.0% | +1.7% |
ISSC leads in 2 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). RTX leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 2 tied.
ISSC vs GE vs RTX vs CW: Key Questions Answered
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ISSC or GE or RTX or CW a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc.
(ISSC) is the stronger pick with 78. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 9. 7% for RTX Corporation (RTX). Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc. (ISSC) offers the better valuation at 24. 3x trailing P/E (27. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc. (ISSC) a "Buy" — based on 2 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 — ISSC or GE or RTX or CW?
On trailing P/E, Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc.
(ISSC) is the cheapest at 24. 3x versus Curtiss-Wright Corporation at 56. 7x. On forward P/E, RTX Corporation is actually cheaper at 25. 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: Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc. wins at 0. 76x versus GE Aerospace's 3. 33x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — ISSC or GE or RTX or CW?
Over the past 5 years, Curtiss-Wright Corporation (CW) delivered a total return of +467.
8%, compared to +121. 0% for RTX Corporation (RTX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CW returned +823. 2% versus GE's +117. 1%. 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 — ISSC or GE or RTX or CW?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), RTX Corporation (RTX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
50β versus Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc. 's 2. 36β — meaning ISSC is approximately 372% more volatile than RTX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc. (ISSC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 37% versus 108% for GE Aerospace — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — ISSC or GE or RTX or CW?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc.
(ISSC) is pulling ahead at 78. 6% versus 9. 7% for RTX Corporation (RTX). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc. grew EPS 120. 0% year-over-year, compared to 22. 0% for Curtiss-Wright Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, ISSC leads at 44. 8% 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 — ISSC or GE or RTX or CW?
GE Aerospace (GE) is the more profitable company, earning 19.
0% net margin versus 7. 6% for RTX Corporation — meaning it keeps 19. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ISSC leads at 23. 8% versus 10. 0% for RTX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ISSC leads at 48. 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.
07Is ISSC or GE or RTX or CW more undervalued right now?
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, Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc. (ISSC) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 76x versus GE Aerospace's 3. 33x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, RTX Corporation (RTX) trades at 25. 4x forward P/E versus 48. 3x for Curtiss-Wright Corporation — 22. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for GE: 30. 0% to $386. 20.
08Which pays a better dividend — ISSC or GE or RTX or CW?
In this comparison, RTX (1.
5% yield), GE (0. 5% yield), CW (0. 1% yield) pay a dividend. ISSC does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
09Is ISSC or GE or RTX or CW better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, RTX Corporation (RTX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.
50), 1. 5% yield, +233. 5% 10Y return). Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc. (ISSC) carries a higher beta of 2. 36 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (RTX: +233. 5%, ISSC: +712. 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.
10What are the main differences between ISSC and GE and RTX and CW?
Both stocks operate in the Industrials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
In terms of investment character: ISSC is a small-cap high-growth stock; GE is a large-cap high-growth stock; RTX is a large-cap quality compounder stock; CW is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. RTX pays a dividend while ISSC, GE, CW 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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that outperform all of them.
You Might Also Compare
Based on how these companies actually compete and overlap — not just which sector they're filed under.