ULS vs BURL vs TJX vs BV vs ROST

For growth investors, Burlington Stores, Inc.

(BURL) is the stronger pick with 8. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -3. 4% for BrightView Holdings, Inc. (BV). BrightView Holdings, Inc. (BV) offers the better valuation at 22. 8x trailing P/E (17. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate UL Solutions Inc. (ULS) a "Buy" — based on 8 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, BrightView Holdings, Inc.

(BV) is the cheapest at 22. 8x versus UL Solutions Inc. at 62. 1x. On forward P/E, BrightView Holdings, Inc. is actually cheaper at 17. 6x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: The TJX Companies, Inc. wins at 0. 25x versus UL Solutions Inc. 's 6. 85x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, UL Solutions Inc.

(ULS) delivered a total return of +187. 3%, compared to -30. 7% for BrightView Holdings, Inc. (BV). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BURL returned +440. 2% versus BV's -39. 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), The TJX Companies, Inc.

(TJX) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 39β versus Burlington Stores, Inc. 's 1. 30β — meaning BURL is approximately 230% more volatile than TJX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, BrightView Holdings, Inc. (BV) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 51% versus 2% for The TJX Companies, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Burlington Stores, Inc.

(BURL) is pulling ahead at 8. 9% versus -3. 4% for BrightView Holdings, Inc. (BV). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: BrightView Holdings, Inc. grew EPS 185. 0% year-over-year, compared to -1. 2% for UL Solutions Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, BURL leads at 10. 0% 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.

UL Solutions Inc.

(ULS) is the more profitable company, earning 10. 6% net margin versus 2. 1% for BrightView Holdings, Inc. — meaning it keeps 10. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ULS leads at 17. 1% versus 5. 0% for BV. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ULS leads at 49. 1%, 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, The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 25x versus UL Solutions Inc. 's 6. 85x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, BrightView Holdings, Inc. (BV) trades at 17. 6x forward P/E versus 45. 5x for UL Solutions Inc. — 27. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for TJX: 11. 3% to $172. 00.

In this comparison, BV (2.

8% yield), TJX (1. 1% yield), ROST (0. 7% yield), ULS (0. 5% yield) pay a dividend. BURL does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, The TJX Companies, Inc.

(TJX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 39), 1. 1% yield, +322. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (TJX: +322. 5%, BURL: +440. 2%), 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 (ULS (Industrials) and BURL (Consumer Cyclical) and TJX (Consumer Cyclical) and BV (Industrials) and ROST (Consumer Cyclical)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

ULS, TJX, BV, ROST pay a dividend while BURL 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.