JELD vs AAON vs AWI vs LII vs CARR

For growth investors, AAON, Inc.

(AAON) is the stronger pick with 20. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -14. 9% for JELD-WEN Holding, Inc. (JELD). Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (AWI) offers the better valuation at 22. 8x trailing P/E (19. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate AAON, Inc. (AAON) a "Buy" — based on 5 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, Armstrong World Industries, Inc.

(AWI) is the cheapest at 22. 8x versus AAON, Inc. at 108. 3x. On forward P/E, Armstrong World Industries, Inc. is actually cheaper at 19. 5x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Lennox International Inc. wins at 1. 12x versus AAON, Inc. 's 12. 51x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, AAON, Inc.

(AAON) delivered a total return of +221. 6%, compared to -94. 5% for JELD-WEN Holding, Inc. (JELD). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AAON returned +668. 2% versus JELD's -93. 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), Armstrong World Industries, Inc.

(AWI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 81β versus JELD-WEN Holding, Inc. 's 2. 73β — meaning JELD is approximately 236% more volatile than AWI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, AAON, Inc. (AAON) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 48% versus 16% for JELD-WEN Holding, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

(AAON) is pulling ahead at 20. 1% versus -14. 9% for JELD-WEN Holding, Inc. (JELD). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Armstrong World Industries, Inc. grew EPS 17. 6% year-over-year, compared to -226. 6% for JELD-WEN Holding, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, AAON leads at 17. 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.

Armstrong World Industries, Inc.

(AWI) is the more profitable company, earning 19. 0% net margin versus -19. 3% for JELD-WEN Holding, Inc. — meaning it keeps 19. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AWI leads at 26. 6% versus -1. 3% for JELD. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AWI leads at 40. 6%, 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, Lennox International Inc. (LII) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 12x versus AAON, Inc. 's 12. 51x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (AWI) trades at 19. 5x forward P/E versus 68. 0x for AAON, Inc. — 48. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for JELD: 24. 1% to $2. 11.

In this comparison, CARR (1.

4% yield), LII (0. 9% yield), AWI (0. 8% yield), AAON (0. 3% yield) pay a dividend. JELD does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Armstrong World Industries, Inc.

(AWI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 81), 0. 8% yield, +322. 1% 10Y return). JELD-WEN Holding, Inc. (JELD) carries a higher beta of 2. 73 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (AWI: +322. 1%, JELD: -93. 5%), 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.

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: JELD is a small-cap quality compounder stock; AAON is a mid-cap high-growth stock; AWI is a small-cap quality compounder stock; LII is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; CARR is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. AWI, LII, CARR pay a dividend while JELD, AAON 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.