PSN vs J vs ACM vs SAIC vs LDOS

For growth investors, Jacobs Solutions Inc.

(J) is the stronger pick with 4. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -5. 7% for Parsons Corporation (PSN). Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) offers the better valuation at 11. 5x trailing P/E (10. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Parsons Corporation (PSN) a "Buy" — based on 17 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, Leidos Holdings, Inc.

(LDOS) is the cheapest at 11. 5x versus Jacobs Solutions Inc. at 48. 0x. On forward P/E, Science Applications International Corporation is actually cheaper at 9. 3x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Leidos Holdings, Inc. wins at 0. 53x versus Parsons Corporation's 0. 89x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Leidos Holdings, Inc.

(LDOS) delivered a total return of +34. 0%, compared to -20. 8% for Jacobs Solutions Inc. (J). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LDOS returned +215. 9% versus J's -19. 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), Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

27β versus Jacobs Solutions Inc. 's 1. 08β — meaning J is approximately 295% more volatile than SAIC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 14% versus 125% for Aecom — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Jacobs Solutions Inc.

(J) is pulling ahead at 4. 6% versus -5. 7% for Parsons Corporation (PSN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Aecom grew EPS 42. 7% year-over-year, compared to -62. 3% for Jacobs Solutions Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, PSN leads at 14. 9% 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.

Leidos Holdings, Inc.

(LDOS) is the more profitable company, earning 8. 5% net margin versus 2. 4% for Jacobs Solutions Inc. — meaning it keeps 8. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LDOS leads at 12. 3% versus 6. 4% for ACM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — J leads at 24. 8%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 53x versus Parsons Corporation's 0. 89x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) trades at 9. 3x forward P/E versus 15. 8x for Parsons Corporation — 6. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ACM: 79. 6% to $125. 63.

In this comparison, SAIC (1.

6% yield), ACM (1. 4% yield), LDOS (1. 2% yield), J (1. 1% yield) pay a dividend. PSN does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

27), 1. 6% yield, +104. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SAIC: +104. 5%, PSN: +75. 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 (PSN (Industrials) and J (Industrials) and ACM (Industrials) and SAIC (Technology) and LDOS (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: PSN is a small-cap quality compounder stock; J is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; ACM is a small-cap deep-value stock; SAIC is a small-cap deep-value stock; LDOS is a mid-cap deep-value stock. J, ACM, SAIC, LDOS pay a dividend while PSN 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.