SMHI vs MATX

For growth investors, Matson, Inc.

(MATX) is the stronger pick with -2. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -16. 0% for SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc. (SMHI). Matson, Inc. (MATX) offers the better valuation at 13. 0x trailing P/E (13. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Matson, Inc. (MATX) a "Buy" — based on 11 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.

Over the past 5 years, Matson, Inc.

(MATX) delivered a total return of +181. 0%, compared to +92. 6% for SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc. (SMHI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MATX returned +476. 1% versus SMHI's -63. 3%. 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), SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc.

(SMHI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 96β versus Matson, Inc. 's 1. 76β — meaning MATX is approximately 83% more volatile than SMHI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Matson, Inc. (MATX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 26% versus 127% for SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Matson, Inc.

(MATX) is pulling ahead at -2. 3% versus -16. 0% for SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc. (SMHI). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc. grew EPS 62. 4% year-over-year, compared to -0. 4% for Matson, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, SMHI leads at 1. 6% 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.

Matson, Inc.

(MATX) is the more profitable company, earning 13. 3% net margin versus -12. 2% for SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc. — meaning it keeps 13. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MATX leads at 14. 0% versus 6. 0% for SMHI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MATX leads at 22. 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.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc. (SMHI) offers the highest yield at 1. 5%, versus 0. 8% for Matson, Inc. (MATX).

For long-horizon retirement investors, SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc.

(SMHI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 96), 1. 5% yield). Matson, Inc. (MATX) carries a higher beta of 1. 76 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (SMHI: -63. 3%, MATX: +476. 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.

Both stocks operate in the Industrials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: SMHI is a small-cap quality compounder stock; MATX is a small-cap deep-value stock. 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.