OC vs HD

For growth investors, The Home Depot, Inc.

(HD) is the stronger pick with 3. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -7. 9% for Owens Corning (OC). The Home Depot, Inc. (HD) offers the better valuation at 22. 7x trailing P/E (21. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate The Home Depot, Inc. (HD) a "Buy" — based on 62 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, Owens Corning is actually cheaper at 13.

1x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Owens Corning (OC) delivered a total return of +28.

2%, compared to +8. 0% for The Home Depot, Inc. (HD). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: OC returned +187. 3% versus HD's +185. 4%. 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), The Home Depot, Inc.

(HD) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 84β versus Owens Corning's 1. 41β — meaning OC is approximately 68% more volatile than HD relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, The Home Depot, Inc. (HD) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 148% versus 158% for Owens Corning — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The Home Depot, Inc.

(HD) is pulling ahead at 3. 2% versus -7. 9% for Owens Corning (OC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: The Home Depot, Inc. grew EPS -4. 6% year-over-year, compared to -185. 1% for Owens Corning. Over a 3-year CAGR, HD leads at 1. 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.

The Home Depot, Inc.

(HD) is the more profitable company, earning 8. 6% net margin versus -5. 2% for Owens Corning — meaning it keeps 8. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: OC leads at 17. 0% versus 12. 7% for HD. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — HD leads at 33. 3%, 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, Owens Corning (OC) trades at 13.

1x forward P/E versus 21. 5x for The Home Depot, Inc. — 8. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HD: 26. 3% to $408. 08.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

The Home Depot, Inc. (HD) offers the highest yield at 2. 8%, versus 2. 3% for Owens Corning (OC).

For long-horizon retirement investors, The Home Depot, Inc.

(HD) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 84), 2. 8% yield, +185. 4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (HD: +185. 4%, OC: +187. 3%), 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 (OC (Industrials) and HD (Consumer Cyclical)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

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.