MTRX vs WLDN

For growth investors, Willdan Group, Inc.

(WLDN) is the stronger pick with 20. 5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 6% for Matrix Service Company (MTRX). Willdan Group, Inc. (WLDN) offers the better valuation at 25. 3x trailing P/E (21. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Matrix Service Company (MTRX) a "Buy" — based on 13 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 forward P/E, Willdan Group, Inc.

is actually cheaper at 21. 4x.

Over the past 5 years, Willdan Group, Inc.

(WLDN) delivered a total return of +139. 2%, compared to -8. 7% for Matrix Service Company (MTRX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: WLDN returned +708. 7% versus MTRX's -18. 1%. 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), Matrix Service Company (MTRX) is the lower-risk stock at 1.

58β versus Willdan Group, Inc. 's 2. 07β — meaning WLDN is approximately 31% more volatile than MTRX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Matrix Service Company (MTRX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 15% versus 23% for Willdan Group, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Willdan Group, Inc.

(WLDN) is pulling ahead at 20. 5% versus 5. 6% for Matrix Service Company (MTRX). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Willdan Group, Inc. grew EPS 120. 9% year-over-year, compared to -16. 5% for Matrix Service Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, WLDN leads at 16. 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.

Willdan Group, Inc.

(WLDN) is the more profitable company, earning 7. 7% net margin versus -3. 8% for Matrix Service Company — meaning it keeps 7. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: WLDN leads at 6. 5% versus -4. 6% for MTRX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — WLDN leads at 37. 5%, 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, Willdan Group, Inc.

(WLDN) trades at 21. 4x forward P/E versus 143. 3x for Matrix Service Company — 121. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MTRX: 97. 0% to $24. 00.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Willdan Group, Inc.

(WLDN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (+708. 7% 10Y return). Matrix Service Company (MTRX) carries a higher beta of 1. 58 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (WLDN: +708. 7%, MTRX: -18. 1%), 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: MTRX is a small-cap quality compounder stock; WLDN is a small-cap high-growth 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.