TDY vs HEI vs HII vs CW

For growth investors, HEICO Corporation (HEI) is the stronger pick with 16.

3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 7. 9% for Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (TDY). Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (HII) offers the better valuation at 20. 4x trailing P/E (18. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (TDY) 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, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.

(HII) is the cheapest at 20. 4x versus HEICO Corporation at 59. 1x. On forward P/E, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. is actually cheaper at 18. 2x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Teledyne Technologies Incorporated wins at 2. 14x versus HEICO Corporation's 3. 14x.

Over the past 5 years, Curtiss-Wright Corporation (CW) delivered a total return of +449.

0%, compared to +44. 7% for Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (TDY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HEI returned +823. 0% versus HII's +130. 7%. 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), Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.

(HII) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 69β versus Curtiss-Wright Corporation's 1. 23β — meaning CW is approximately 79% more volatile than HII relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (TDY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 25% versus 62% for Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), HEICO Corporation (HEI) is pulling ahead at 16.

3% versus 7. 9% for Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (TDY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: HEICO Corporation grew EPS 33. 5% year-over-year, compared to 9. 7% for Teledyne Technologies Incorporated. Over a 3-year CAGR, HEI leads at 26. 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.

HEICO Corporation (HEI) is the more profitable company, earning 15.

4% net margin versus 4. 8% for Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. — meaning it keeps 15. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HEI leads at 22. 7% versus 4. 9% for HII. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — HEI leads at 39. 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, Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (TDY) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 2. 14x versus HEICO Corporation's 3. 14x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (HII) trades at 18. 2x forward P/E versus 51. 6x for HEICO Corporation — 33. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HII: 33. 5% to $420. 00.

In this comparison, HII (1.

7% yield), CW (0. 1% yield) pay a dividend. TDY, HEI do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.

(HII) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 69), 1. 7% yield, +130. 7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (HII: +130. 7%, CW: +815. 8%), 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 (TDY (Technology) and HEI (Industrials) and HII (Industrials) and CW (Industrials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: TDY is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; HEI is a mid-cap high-growth stock; HII is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; CW is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. HII pays a dividend while TDY, HEI, CW 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.