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TEL vs BDC
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Communication Equipment
TEL vs BDC — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Hardware, Equipment & Parts | Communication Equipment |
| Market Cap | $63.43B | $4.46B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $18.52B | $2.79B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $2.91B | $237M |
| Gross Margin | 35.4% | 35.8% |
| Operating Margin | 19.3% | 12.3% |
| Forward P/E | 19.3x | 14.5x |
| Total Debt | $6.55B | $1.47B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $1.25B | $390M |
TEL vs BDC — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE Connectivity Ltd. (TEL) | 100 | 266.1 | +166.1% |
| Belden Inc. (BDC) | 100 | 336.8 | +236.8% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: TEL vs BDC
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
TEL carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and long-term compounding.
- Dividend streak 15 yrs, beta 1.58, yield 1.2%
- 299.1% 10Y total return vs BDC's 88.3%
- 15.7% margin vs BDC's 8.5%
BDC is the clearest fit if your priority is growth exposure and sleep-well-at-night.
- Rev growth 10.3%, EPS growth 23.1%, 3Y rev CAGR 1.4%
- Lower volatility, beta 1.41, current ratio 1.93x
- Beta 1.41, yield 0.2%, current ratio 1.93x
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 10.3% revenue growth vs TEL's 7.9% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (14.5x vs 19.3x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 15.7% margin vs BDC's 8.5% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 1.41 vs TEL's 1.58 | |
| Dividends | 1.2% yield, 15-year raise streak, vs BDC's 0.2% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +47.5% vs BDC's +10.9% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 11.5% ROA vs BDC's 6.8%, ROIC 14.1% vs 11.0% |
TEL vs BDC — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
TEL vs BDC — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
TEL leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
TEL is the larger business by revenue, generating $18.5B annually — 6.6x BDC's $2.8B. TEL is the more profitable business, keeping 15.7% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to BDC's 8.5%. On growth, TEL holds the edge at +14.5% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $18.5B | $2.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $4.3B | $475M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $2.9B | $237M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $3.4B | $180M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +35.4% | +35.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +19.3% | +12.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +15.7% | +8.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +18.3% | +6.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +14.5% | +11.4% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +66.0% | +2.4% |
Valuation Metrics
BDC leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 19.4x trailing earnings, BDC trades at a 45% valuation discount to TEL's 35.1x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, BDC's 12.0x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than TEL's 17.0x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $63.4B | $4.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $68.7B | $5.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 35.09x | 19.40x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 19.28x | 14.47x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.52x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 16.97x | 12.03x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.71x | 1.64x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 5.08x | 3.65x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 19.80x | 20.41x |
Profitability & Efficiency
TEL leads this category, winning 6 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
TEL delivers a 22.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $22 in annual profit, vs $19 for BDC. TEL carries lower financial leverage with a 0.51x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to BDC's 1.17x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), BDC scores 7/9 vs TEL's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +22.5% | +18.8% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +11.5% | +6.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +14.1% | +11.0% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +16.9% | +12.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.51x | 1.17x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $5.3B | $1.1B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.3B | $390M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $6.5B | $1.5B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 31.48x | 6.89x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
TEL leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in BDC five years ago would be worth $22,829 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $16,812 for TEL. Over the past 12 months, TEL leads with a +47.5% total return vs BDC's +10.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors TEL at 22.2% vs BDC's 12.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -7.0% | -2.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +47.5% | +10.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +82.6% | +43.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +68.1% | +128.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +299.1% | +88.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +22.2% | +12.8% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — TEL and BDC each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
BDC is the less volatile stock with a 1.41 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than TEL's 1.58 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. TEL currently trades 85.6% from its 52-week high vs BDC's 71.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.58x | 1.41x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $252.56 | $159.99 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $147.75 | $102.49 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +85.6% | +71.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 41.9 | 33.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.3M | 376K |
Analyst Outlook
TEL leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates TEL as "Buy" and BDC as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 30.8% upside for BDC (target: $150) vs 21.5% for TEL (target: $263). For income investors, TEL offers the higher dividend yield at 1.24% vs BDC's 0.17%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $262.57 | $150.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 29 | 14 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +1.2% | +0.2% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 15 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.69 | $0.20 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +2.1% | +4.8% |
TEL leads in 4 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). BDC leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
TEL vs BDC: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is TEL or BDC a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Belden Inc.
(BDC) is the stronger pick with 10. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 7. 9% for TE Connectivity Ltd. (TEL). Belden Inc. (BDC) offers the better valuation at 19. 4x trailing P/E (14. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate TE Connectivity Ltd. (TEL) a "Buy" — based on 29 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.
02Which has the better valuation — TEL or BDC?
On trailing P/E, Belden Inc.
(BDC) is the cheapest at 19. 4x versus TE Connectivity Ltd. at 35. 1x. On forward P/E, Belden Inc. is actually cheaper at 14. 5x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — TEL or BDC?
Over the past 5 years, Belden Inc.
(BDC) delivered a total return of +128. 3%, compared to +68. 1% for TE Connectivity Ltd. (TEL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: TEL returned +299. 1% versus BDC's +88. 3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — TEL or BDC?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Belden Inc.
(BDC) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 41β versus TE Connectivity Ltd. 's 1. 58β — meaning TEL is approximately 12% more volatile than BDC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, TE Connectivity Ltd. (TEL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 51% versus 117% for Belden Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — TEL or BDC?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Belden Inc.
(BDC) is pulling ahead at 10. 3% versus 7. 9% for TE Connectivity Ltd. (TEL). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Belden Inc. grew EPS 23. 1% year-over-year, compared to -40. 4% for TE Connectivity Ltd.. Over a 3-year CAGR, TEL 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.
06Which has better profit margins — TEL or BDC?
TE Connectivity Ltd.
(TEL) is the more profitable company, earning 10. 8% net margin versus 8. 7% for Belden Inc. — meaning it keeps 10. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: TEL leads at 18. 8% versus 12. 2% for BDC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BDC leads at 36. 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.
07Is TEL or BDC more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Belden Inc.
(BDC) trades at 14. 5x forward P/E versus 19. 3x for TE Connectivity Ltd. — 4. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BDC: 30. 8% to $150. 00.
08Which pays a better dividend — TEL or BDC?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
TE Connectivity Ltd. (TEL) offers the highest yield at 1. 2%, versus 0. 2% for Belden Inc. (BDC).
09Is TEL or BDC better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, TE Connectivity Ltd.
(TEL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (1. 2% yield, +299. 1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (TEL: +299. 1%, BDC: +88. 3%), 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.
10What are the main differences between TEL and BDC?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
TEL pays a dividend while BDC 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.
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