Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Nextpower Inc. (NXT) vs Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, I (BWSN) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | NXT | 18.4% revenue growth vs BWSN's -1.4% |
| Quality / Margins | NXT | 16.4% net margin vs BWSN's -20.1% |
| Stability / Safety | BWSN | Beta 0.25 vs NXT's 1.09 |
| Dividends | BWSN | 0.8% yield; 1-year raise streak; NXT pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | NXT | +138.8% vs BWSN's +16.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | NXT | 15.6% ROA vs BWSN's -16.5%, ROIC 62.8% vs 8.8% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Nextracker designs and manufactures solar tracking systems that follow the sun to maximize energy production from photovoltaic power plants. It generates revenue primarily from selling its NX Horizon and NX Gemini tracker hardware—which accounts for the bulk of sales—alongside software subscriptions for its TrueCapture optimization platform. The company's competitive advantage lies in its proprietary software algorithms that optimize tracker positioning and its extensive installation experience across diverse terrains.
Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises is a provider of fossil and renewable power generation equipment and environmental solutions. It makes money through three main segments: B&W Renewable (waste-to-energy systems), B&W Environmental (emissions control equipment), and B&W Thermal (steam generation and aftermarket services). The company's competitive advantage lies in its century-plus engineering expertise and established relationships with power utilities and industrial clients.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
NXT leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). BWSN leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Risk & Volatility).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
NXT is the larger business by revenue, generating $3.6B annually — 6.7x BWSN's $541M. NXT is the more profitable business, keeping 16.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to BWSN's -20.1%. On growth, NXT holds the edge at +33.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | NXTNextpower Inc. | BWSNBabcock & Wilcox … |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.6B | $541M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $766M | $12M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $592M | -$108M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $589M | -$102M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +32.4% | +26.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +20.5% | +0.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +16.4% | -20.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +16.4% | -18.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +33.9% | -29.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +7.6% | +4.0% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, NXT's 22.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than BWSN's 69.6x.
| Metric | NXTNextpower Inc. | BWSNBabcock & Wilcox … |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $15.6B | $2.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $14.8B | $2.9B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 30.29x | -30.71x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 24.07x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 12.21x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 22.74x | 69.63x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 5.27x | 3.34x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 9.64x | — |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 25.09x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), NXT scores 6/9 vs BWSN's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | NXTNextpower Inc. | BWSNBabcock & Wilcox … |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +27.5% | — |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +15.6% | -16.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +62.8% | +8.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +33.8% | +6.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$766M | $515M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $766M | $23M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $0 | $538M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 161.08x | -0.79x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in NXT five years ago would be worth $33,892 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $13,644 for BWSN. Over the past 12 months, NXT leads with a +138.8% total return vs BWSN's +16.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors NXT at 51.1% vs BWSN's 7.5% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | NXTNextpower Inc. | BWSNBabcock & Wilcox … |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +13.3% | — |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +138.8% | +16.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +245.3% | +24.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +238.9% | +36.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +238.9% | +37.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +51.1% | +7.5% |
Risk & Volatility
BWSN is the less volatile stock with a 0.25 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than NXT's 1.09 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. BWSN currently trades 99.1% from its 52-week high vs NXT's 79.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | NXTNextpower Inc. | BWSNBabcock & Wilcox … |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.09x | 0.25x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $131.59 | $25.40 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $36.06 | $7.09 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +79.9% | +99.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 44.4 | 67.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.7M | 2K |
Analyst Outlook
BWSN is the only dividend payer here at 0.80% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | NXTNextpower Inc. | BWSNBabcock & Wilcox … |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | — |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $112.60 | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 26 | — |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.8% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $0.20 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 23 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nextpower Inc. (NXT) | 100 | 372.78 | +272.8% |
| Babcock & Wilcox En… (BWSN) | 100 | 101.82 | +1.8% |
Nextpower Inc. (NXT) returned +239% over 5 years vs Babcock & Wilcox En… (BWSN)'s +36%. A $10,000 investment in NXT 5 years ago would be worth $33,892 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nextpower Inc. (NXT) | $661M | $3.0B | +347.9% |
| Babcock & Wilcox En… (BWSN) | $1.6B | $717M | -54.6% |
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nextpower Inc. (NXT) | -0.2% | 17.2% | +7251.4% |
| Babcock & Wilcox En… (BWSN) | -7.3% | -8.4% | -14.0% |
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nextpower Inc. (NXT) | -0.04 | 3.47 | +8501.9% |
| Babcock & Wilcox En… (BWSN) | -11.5 | -0.82 | +92.9% |
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Nextpower Inc. generated $622M FCF in 2025 (+581% vs 2021). Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, I generated $-130M FCF in 2024 (-10% vs 2021).
NXT vs BWSN: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NXT or BWSN a better buy right now?
Nextpower Inc. (NXT) offers the better valuation at 30.3x trailing P/E (24.1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Nextpower Inc. (NXT) a "Buy" — based on 26 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 is the better long-term investment — NXT or BWSN?
Over the past 5 years, Nextpower Inc. (NXT) delivered a total return of +238.9%, compared to +36.4% for Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, I (BWSN). A $10,000 investment in NXT five years ago would be worth approximately $34K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NXT returned +238.9% versus BWSN's +37.3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — NXT or BWSN?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, I (BWSN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.25β versus Nextpower Inc.'s 1.09β — meaning NXT is approximately 346% more volatile than BWSN relative to the S&P 500.
04Which has better profit margins — NXT or BWSN?
Nextpower Inc. (NXT) is the more profitable company, earning 17.2% net margin versus -8.4% for Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, I — meaning it keeps 17.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NXT leads at 21.6% versus 3.5% for BWSN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NXT leads at 34.1%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — NXT or BWSN?
In this comparison, BWSN (0.8% yield) pays a dividend. NXT does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
06Is NXT or BWSN better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, I (BWSN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.25), 0.8% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BWSN: +37.3%, NXT: +238.9%), 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.
07What are the main differences between NXT and BWSN?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. BWSN pays a dividend while NXT 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.
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