ONEW vs WMS

For growth investors, OneWater Marine Inc.

(ONEW) is the stronger pick with 5. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 1. 0% for Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (WMS). Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (WMS) offers the better valuation at 25. 8x trailing P/E (24. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate OneWater Marine Inc. (ONEW) a "Buy" — based on 9 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, OneWater Marine Inc.

is actually cheaper at 19. 6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.

(WMS) delivered a total return of +39. 2%, compared to -75. 6% for OneWater Marine Inc. (ONEW). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: WMS returned +567. 5% versus ONEW's -13. 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), Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.

(WMS) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 32β versus OneWater Marine Inc. 's 1. 98β — meaning ONEW is approximately 49% more volatile than WMS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (WMS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 88% versus 3% for OneWater Marine Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), OneWater Marine Inc.

(ONEW) is pulling ahead at 5. 6% versus 1. 0% for Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (WMS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. grew EPS -10. 7% year-over-year, compared to -1751. 3% for OneWater Marine Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ONEW leads at 2. 4% 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.

Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.

(WMS) is the more profitable company, earning 15. 5% net margin versus -6. 1% for OneWater Marine Inc. — meaning it keeps 15. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: WMS leads at 22. 6% versus 3. 3% for ONEW. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — WMS leads at 37. 7%, 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, OneWater Marine Inc.

(ONEW) trades at 19. 6x forward P/E versus 24. 5x for Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. — 4. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for WMS: 36. 3% to $202. 67.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (WMS) offers the highest yield at 0. 4%, versus 0. 2% for OneWater Marine Inc. (ONEW).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.

(WMS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (+567. 5% 10Y return). OneWater Marine Inc. (ONEW) carries a higher beta of 1. 98 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (WMS: +567. 5%, ONEW: -13. 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (ONEW (Consumer Cyclical) and WMS (Industrials)), 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.