IX vs AL vs AER vs BN vs GATX

For growth investors, Air Lease Corporation (AL) is the stronger pick with 10.

3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -9. 7% for Brookfield Corporation (BN). AerCap Holdings N. V. (AER) offers the better valuation at 7. 0x trailing P/E (8. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Air Lease Corporation (AL) a "Buy" — based on 20 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, AerCap Holdings N.

V. (AER) is the cheapest at 7. 0x versus Brookfield Corporation at 9999. 0x. On forward P/E, ORIX Corporation is actually cheaper at 0. 1x — 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: ORIX Corporation wins at 0. 02x versus GATX Corporation's 0. 83x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, AerCap Holdings N.

V. (AER) delivered a total return of +159. 8%, compared to +56. 3% for Air Lease Corporation (AL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: GATX returned +359. 5% versus AL's +129. 9%. 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), Air Lease Corporation (AL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

30β versus Brookfield Corporation's 1. 57β — meaning BN is approximately 427% more volatile than AL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, ORIX Corporation (IX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 151% versus 4% for GATX Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Air Lease Corporation (AL) is pulling ahead at 10.

3% versus -9. 7% for Brookfield Corporation (BN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Air Lease Corporation grew EPS 179. 0% year-over-year, compared to -99. 8% for Brookfield Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, GATX leads at 11. 0% 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.

AerCap Holdings N.

V. (AER) is the more profitable company, earning 45. 8% net margin versus 1. 7% for Brookfield Corporation — meaning it keeps 45. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AER leads at 51. 9% versus 11. 5% for IX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AER leads at 59. 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, ORIX Corporation (IX) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 02x versus GATX Corporation's 0. 83x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, ORIX Corporation (IX) trades at 0. 1x forward P/E versus 18. 3x for GATX Corporation — 18. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BN: 17. 0% to $54. 40.

In this comparison, IX (2.

2% yield), GATX (1. 4% yield), AL (1. 3% yield), AER (0. 7% yield) pay a dividend. BN does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

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

30), 1. 3% yield, +129. 9% 10Y return). Brookfield Corporation (BN) carries a higher beta of 1. 57 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (AL: +129. 9%, BN: +308. 9%), 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 (IX (Financial Services) and AL (Industrials) and AER (Industrials) and BN (Financial Services) and GATX (Industrials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: IX is a mid-cap deep-value stock; AL is a small-cap deep-value stock; AER is a mid-cap deep-value stock; BN is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; GATX is a small-cap quality compounder stock. IX, AL, AER, GATX pay a dividend while BN 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.