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ULS vs NVT
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Electrical Equipment & Parts
ULS vs NVT — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Specialty Business Services | Electrical Equipment & Parts |
| Market Cap | $21.05B | $27.39B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $3.11B | $4.33B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $349M | $492M |
| Gross Margin | 49.6% | 37.0% |
| Operating Margin | 17.8% | 15.8% |
| Forward P/E | 48.0x | 40.3x |
| Total Debt | $832M | $1.56B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $295M | $238M |
ULS vs NVT — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | Apr 24 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| UL Solutions Inc. (ULS) | 100 | 298.4 | +198.4% |
| nVent Electric plc (NVT) | 100 | 235.1 | +135.1% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: ULS vs NVT
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
ULS is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability and sleep-well-at-night.
- Dividend streak 1 yrs, beta 0.73, yield 0.5%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.73, Low D/E 64.3%, current ratio 1.32x
- Beta 0.73, yield 0.5%, current ratio 1.32x
NVT carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for growth exposure and long-term compounding.
- Rev growth 29.5%, EPS growth 118.8%, 3Y rev CAGR 19.3%
- 5.9% 10Y total return vs ULS's 202.7%
- 29.5% revenue growth vs ULS's 6.4%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 29.5% revenue growth vs ULS's 6.4% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (40.3x vs 48.0x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 11.4% margin vs ULS's 11.2% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.73 vs NVT's 1.68 | |
| Dividends | 0.5% yield, 1-year raise streak, vs NVT's 0.5% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +178.8% vs ULS's +75.6% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 11.9% ROA vs NVT's 7.2%, ROIC 23.1% vs 8.9% |
ULS vs NVT — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
ULS vs NVT — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
ULS leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
NVT and ULS operate at a comparable scale, with $4.3B and $3.1B in trailing revenue. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 11.4% (NVT) to 11.2% (ULS). On growth, NVT holds the edge at +53.5% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.1B | $4.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $742M | $848M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $349M | $492M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $450M | $387M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +49.6% | +37.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +17.8% | +15.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +11.2% | +11.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +14.5% | +8.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +7.5% | +53.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +36.4% | -59.7% |
Valuation Metrics
Evenly matched — ULS and NVT each lead in 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 39.3x trailing earnings, NVT trades at a 40% valuation discount to ULS's 65.5x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, ULS's 28.5x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than NVT's 34.8x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $21.1B | $27.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $21.6B | $28.7B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 65.46x | 39.31x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 47.96x | 40.33x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 9.85x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 28.48x | 34.82x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 6.90x | 7.04x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 16.43x | 7.48x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 52.24x | 73.66x |
Profitability & Efficiency
ULS leads this category, winning 8 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
ULS delivers a 28.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $28 in annual profit, vs $13 for NVT. NVT carries lower financial leverage with a 0.42x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to ULS's 0.64x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ULS scores 7/9 vs NVT's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +28.1% | +13.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +11.9% | +7.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +23.1% | +8.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +24.8% | +10.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.64x | 0.42x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $537M | $1.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $295M | $238M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $832M | $1.6B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 18.89x | 6.61x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
NVT leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in NVT five years ago would be worth $55,476 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $30,275 for ULS. Over the past 12 months, NVT leads with a +178.8% total return vs ULS's +75.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors NVT at 60.2% vs ULS's 44.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +29.6% | +59.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +75.6% | +178.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +202.7% | +311.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +202.7% | +454.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +202.7% | +587.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +44.7% | +60.2% |
Risk & Volatility
ULS leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
ULS is the less volatile stock with a 0.73 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than NVT's 1.68 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.73x | 1.68x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $104.79 | $171.09 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $59.40 | $59.29 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +100.0% | +99.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 56.5 | 78.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 685K | 2.3M |
Analyst Outlook
Evenly matched — ULS and NVT each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ULS as "Buy" and NVT as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply -14.6% upside for ULS (target: $89) vs -20.9% for NVT (target: $134). For income investors, ULS offers the higher dividend yield at 0.49% vs NVT's 0.47%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $89.40 | $134.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 8 | 17 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.5% | +0.5% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.51 | $0.79 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.9% |
ULS leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). NVT leads in 1 (Total Returns). 2 tied.
ULS vs NVT: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ULS or NVT a better buy right now?
For growth investors, nVent Electric plc (NVT) is the stronger pick with 29.
5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 6. 4% for UL Solutions Inc. (ULS). nVent Electric plc (NVT) offers the better valuation at 39. 3x trailing P/E (40. 3x 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.
02Which has the better valuation — ULS or NVT?
On trailing P/E, nVent Electric plc (NVT) is the cheapest at 39.
3x versus UL Solutions Inc. at 65. 5x. On forward P/E, nVent Electric plc is actually cheaper at 40. 3x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — ULS or NVT?
Over the past 5 years, nVent Electric plc (NVT) delivered a total return of +454.
8%, compared to +202. 7% for UL Solutions Inc. (ULS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NVT returned +587. 2% versus ULS's +202. 7%. 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 — ULS or NVT?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), UL Solutions Inc.
(ULS) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 73β versus nVent Electric plc's 1. 68β — meaning NVT is approximately 131% more volatile than ULS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, nVent Electric plc (NVT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 42% versus 64% for UL Solutions Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — ULS or NVT?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), nVent Electric plc (NVT) is pulling ahead at 29.
5% versus 6. 4% for UL Solutions Inc. (ULS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: nVent Electric plc grew EPS 118. 8% year-over-year, compared to -1. 2% for UL Solutions Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, NVT leads at 19. 3% 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 — ULS or NVT?
nVent Electric plc (NVT) is the more profitable company, earning 18.
2% net margin versus 10. 6% for UL Solutions Inc. — meaning it keeps 18. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ULS leads at 17. 1% versus 15. 8% for NVT. 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.
07Is ULS or NVT more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, nVent Electric plc (NVT) trades at 40.
3x forward P/E versus 48. 0x for UL Solutions Inc. — 7. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ULS: -14. 6% to $89. 40.
08Which pays a better dividend — ULS or NVT?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
UL Solutions Inc. (ULS) offers the highest yield at 0. 5%, versus 0. 5% for nVent Electric plc (NVT).
09Is ULS or NVT better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, UL Solutions Inc.
(ULS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 73), +202. 7% 10Y return). nVent Electric plc (NVT) carries a higher beta of 1. 68 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (ULS: +202. 7%, NVT: +587. 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.
10What are the main differences between ULS and NVT?
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: ULS is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; NVT is a mid-cap high-growth 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.
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