ORN vs GVA

For growth investors, Granite Construction Incorporated (GVA) is the stronger pick with 10.

4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 7. 0% for Orion Group Holdings, Inc. (ORN). Granite Construction Incorporated (GVA) offers the better valuation at 38. 9x trailing P/E (26. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Orion Group Holdings, Inc. (ORN) a "Buy" — based on 12 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, Granite Construction Incorporated (GVA) is the cheapest at 38.

9x versus Orion Group Holdings, Inc. at 234. 9x. On forward P/E, Granite Construction Incorporated is actually cheaper at 26. 0x.

Over the past 5 years, Granite Construction Incorporated (GVA) delivered a total return of +270.

4%, compared to +153. 9% for Orion Group Holdings, Inc. (ORN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: GVA returned +238. 3% versus ORN's +195. 6%. 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), Granite Construction Incorporated (GVA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

98β versus Orion Group Holdings, Inc. 's 1. 95β — meaning ORN is approximately 99% more volatile than GVA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Orion Group Holdings, Inc. (ORN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 28% versus 133% for Granite Construction Incorporated — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Granite Construction Incorporated (GVA) is pulling ahead at 10.

4% versus 7. 0% for Orion Group Holdings, Inc. (ORN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Orion Group Holdings, Inc. grew EPS 232. 8% year-over-year, compared to 38. 5% for Granite Construction Incorporated. Over a 3-year CAGR, GVA leads at 10. 3% 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.

Granite Construction Incorporated (GVA) is the more profitable company, earning 4.

4% net margin versus 0. 3% for Orion Group Holdings, Inc. — meaning it keeps 4. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GVA leads at 5. 9% versus 1. 4% for ORN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — GVA leads at 16. 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.

On forward earnings alone, Granite Construction Incorporated (GVA) trades at 26.

0x forward P/E versus 37. 4x for Orion Group Holdings, Inc. — 11. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ORN: 15. 3% to $17. 00.

In this comparison, GVA (0.

3% yield) pays a dividend. ORN does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Granite Construction Incorporated (GVA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

98), +238. 3% 10Y return). Orion Group Holdings, Inc. (ORN) carries a higher beta of 1. 95 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (GVA: +238. 3%, ORN: +195. 6%), 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.

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.