RELL vs ARW vs AVT vs PLXS vs FLEX

For growth investors, Arrow Electronics, Inc.

(ARW) is the stronger pick with 10. 5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -6. 6% for Avnet, Inc. (AVT). Arrow Electronics, Inc. (ARW) offers the better valuation at 17. 8x trailing P/E (11. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Plexus Corp. (PLXS) a "Buy" — based on 18 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, Arrow Electronics, Inc.

(ARW) is the cheapest at 17. 8x versus Flex Ltd. at 67. 4x. On forward P/E, Arrow Electronics, Inc. is actually cheaper at 11. 1x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Flex Ltd. wins at 0. 67x versus Plexus Corp. 's 3. 34x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Flex Ltd.

(FLEX) delivered a total return of +674. 8%, compared to +66. 2% for Arrow Electronics, Inc. (ARW). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FLEX returned +1074% versus AVT's +135. 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), Avnet, Inc.

(AVT) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 28β versus Flex Ltd. 's 2. 37β — meaning FLEX is approximately 85% more volatile than AVT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Richardson Electronics, Ltd. (RELL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 83% for Flex Ltd. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Arrow Electronics, Inc.

(ARW) is pulling ahead at 10. 5% versus -6. 6% for Avnet, Inc. (AVT). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Plexus Corp. grew EPS 56. 1% year-over-year, compared to -49. 4% for Avnet, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, PLXS leads at 1. 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.

Plexus Corp.

(PLXS) is the more profitable company, earning 4. 3% net margin versus -0. 5% for Richardson Electronics, Ltd. — meaning it keeps 4. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PLXS leads at 5. 0% versus -1. 2% for RELL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — RELL leads at 31. 0%, 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, Flex Ltd. (FLEX) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 67x versus Plexus Corp. 's 3. 34x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Arrow Electronics, Inc. (ARW) trades at 11. 1x forward P/E versus 60. 3x for Richardson Electronics, Ltd. — 49. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ARW: 6. 9% to $208. 33.

In this comparison, RELL (1.

8% yield), AVT (1. 6% yield) pay a dividend. ARW, PLXS, FLEX do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Avnet, Inc.

(AVT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 28), 1. 6% yield, +135. 6% 10Y return). Richardson Electronics, Ltd. (RELL) carries a higher beta of 2. 03 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (AVT: +135. 6%, RELL: +240. 0%), 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 Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: RELL is a small-cap quality compounder stock; ARW is a small-cap deep-value stock; AVT is a small-cap quality compounder stock; PLXS is a small-cap quality compounder stock; FLEX is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. RELL, AVT pay a dividend while ARW, PLXS, FLEX do 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.