STAI vs SAIC vs LDOS vs CODA vs TDY

For growth investors, Coda Octopus Group, Inc.

(CODA) is the stronger pick with 30. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 9% for Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) offers the better valuation at 11. 8x trailing P/E (11. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) a "Buy" — based on 27 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. 8x versus Teledyne Technologies Incorporated at 33. 4x. 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. 54x versus Coda Octopus Group, Inc. 's 5. 24x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Coda Octopus Group, Inc.

(CODA) delivered a total return of +49. 7%, compared to -99. 1% for ScanTech AI Systems Inc. (STAI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CODA returned +844. 4% versus STAI's -99. 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.

26β versus Coda Octopus Group, Inc. 's 1. 00β — meaning CODA is approximately 279% more volatile than SAIC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Coda Octopus Group, Inc. (CODA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 119% for Leidos Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Coda Octopus Group, Inc.

(CODA) is pulling ahead at 30. 7% versus -2. 9% for Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: ScanTech AI Systems Inc. grew EPS 35. 2% year-over-year, compared to 7. 4% for Science Applications International Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, CODA leads at 6. 1% 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.

Coda Octopus Group, Inc.

(CODA) is the more profitable company, earning 15. 5% net margin versus -42. 5% for ScanTech AI Systems Inc. — meaning it keeps 15. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: TDY leads at 18. 8% versus -1644. 8% for STAI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CODA leads at 66. 5%, 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. 54x versus Coda Octopus Group, Inc. 's 5. 24x. 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 26. 2x for Teledyne Technologies Incorporated — 16. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LDOS: 55. 5% to $204. 00.

In this comparison, SAIC (1.

6% yield), LDOS (1. 2% yield) pay a dividend. STAI, CODA, TDY do 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.

26), 1. 6% yield, +104. 4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SAIC: +104. 4%, STAI: -99. 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 (STAI (Basic Materials) and SAIC (Technology) and LDOS (Technology) and CODA (Industrials) and TDY (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: STAI is a small-cap quality compounder stock; SAIC is a small-cap deep-value stock; LDOS is a mid-cap deep-value stock; CODA is a small-cap high-growth stock; TDY is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. SAIC, LDOS pay a dividend while STAI, CODA, TDY 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.