QUAD vs ACCO vs SON vs ESLT vs PKG

For growth investors, Sonoco Products Company (SON) is the stronger pick with 41.

7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -9. 4% for Quad/Graphics, Inc. (QUAD). ACCO Brands Corporation (ACCO) offers the better valuation at 9. 2x trailing P/E (4. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Quad/Graphics, Inc. (QUAD) a "Buy" — based on 7 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, ACCO Brands Corporation (ACCO) is the cheapest at 9.

2x versus Elbit Systems Ltd. at 64. 5x. On forward P/E, ACCO Brands Corporation is actually cheaper at 4. 8x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Sonoco Products Company wins at 0. 62x versus Elbit Systems Ltd. 's 3. 48x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Elbit Systems Ltd.

(ESLT) delivered a total return of +486. 3%, compared to -39. 3% for ACCO Brands Corporation (ACCO). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ESLT returned +737. 2% versus ACCO's -35. 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), Elbit Systems Ltd.

(ESLT) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 35β versus ACCO Brands Corporation's 1. 33β — meaning ACCO is approximately 280% more volatile than ESLT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 23% versus 3% for Quad/Graphics, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Sonoco Products Company (SON) is pulling ahead at 41.

7% versus -9. 4% for Quad/Graphics, Inc. (QUAD). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Quad/Graphics, Inc. grew EPS 150. 5% year-over-year, compared to -3. 9% for Packaging Corporation of America. Over a 3-year CAGR, ESLT leads at 17. 8% 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.

Packaging Corporation of America (PKG) is the more profitable company, earning 8.

6% net margin versus 1. 1% for Quad/Graphics, Inc. — meaning it keeps 8. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PKG leads at 14. 0% versus 4. 9% for QUAD. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ACCO leads at 29. 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, Sonoco Products Company (SON) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 62x versus Elbit Systems Ltd. 's 3. 48x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, ACCO Brands Corporation (ACCO) trades at 4. 8x forward P/E versus 57. 3x for Elbit Systems Ltd. — 52. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ACCO: 97. 0% to $8. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

ACCO Brands Corporation (ACCO) offers the highest yield at 7. 1%, versus 0. 3% for Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Elbit Systems Ltd.

(ESLT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 35), +737. 2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ESLT: +737. 2%, ACCO: -35. 1%), 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 (QUAD (Industrials) and ACCO (Industrials) and SON (Consumer Cyclical) and ESLT (Industrials) and PKG (Consumer Cyclical)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: QUAD is a small-cap deep-value stock; ACCO is a small-cap deep-value stock; SON is a small-cap high-growth stock; ESLT is a mid-cap high-growth stock; PKG is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. QUAD, ACCO, SON, PKG pay a dividend while ESLT 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.