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VHI vs RTX vs LMT vs KRO
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Aerospace & Defense
Aerospace & Defense
Chemicals - Specialty
VHI vs RTX vs LMT vs KRO — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Chemicals | Aerospace & Defense | Aerospace & Defense | Chemicals - Specialty |
| Market Cap | $412M | $238.07B | $118.09B | $811M |
| Revenue (TTM) | $2.10B | $90.37B | $75.11B | $1.88B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-67M | $7.26B | $4.79B | $-134M |
| Gross Margin | 13.3% | 20.2% | 9.8% | 10.1% |
| Operating Margin | -1.4% | 10.4% | 9.9% | -3.1% |
| Forward P/E | 4.2x | 25.5x | 17.1x | — |
| Total Debt | $612M | $39.51B | $21.70B | $577M |
| Cash & Equiv. | $223M | $7.43B | $4.12B | $37M |
VHI vs RTX vs LMT vs KRO — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valhi, Inc. (VHI) | 100 | 154.6 | +54.6% |
| RTX Corporation (RTX) | 100 | 274.0 | +174.0% |
| Lockheed Martin Cor… (LMT) | 100 | 131.9 | +31.9% |
| Kronos Worldwide, I… (KRO) | 100 | 72.2 | -27.8% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: VHI vs RTX vs LMT vs KRO
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
VHI is the clearest fit if your priority is sleep-well-at-night.
- Lower volatility, beta 1.06, Low D/E 44.8%, current ratio 2.80x
- Better valuation composite
RTX carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for growth exposure and long-term compounding.
- Rev growth 9.7%, EPS growth 39.7%, 3Y rev CAGR 9.7%
- 234.7% 10Y total return vs LMT's 156.2%
- 9.7% revenue growth vs KRO's -1.5%
- 8.0% margin vs KRO's -7.1%
LMT is the #2 pick in this set and the best alternative if income & stability and defensive is your priority.
- Dividend streak 23 yrs, beta 0.12, yield 2.6%
- Beta 0.12, yield 2.6%, current ratio 1.09x
- Beta 0.12 vs KRO's 1.57
- 2.6% yield, 23-year raise streak, vs KRO's 2.8%
KRO lags the leaders in this set but could rank higher in a more targeted comparison.
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 9.7% revenue growth vs KRO's -1.5% | |
| Value | Better valuation composite | |
| Quality / Margins | 8.0% margin vs KRO's -7.1% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.12 vs KRO's 1.57 | |
| Dividends | 2.6% yield, 23-year raise streak, vs KRO's 2.8% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +40.8% vs VHI's -16.0% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 8.0% ROA vs KRO's -9.4%, ROIC 23.9% vs -1.9% |
VHI vs RTX vs LMT vs KRO — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
VHI vs RTX vs LMT vs KRO — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 4 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Who Leads Where
RTX leads in 2 of 6 categories
VHI leads 1 • LMT leads 1 • KRO leads 0 • 2 tied
Explore the data ↓Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
RTX leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
RTX is the larger business by revenue, generating $90.4B annually — 48.1x KRO's $1.9B. RTX is the more profitable business, keeping 8.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to KRO's -7.1%. On growth, RTX holds the edge at +8.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $2.1B | $90.4B | $75.1B | $1.9B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $21M | $13.8B | $8.7B | -$9M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$67M | $7.3B | $4.8B | -$134M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $30M | $8.4B | $5.7B | $35M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +13.3% | +20.2% | +9.8% | +10.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -1.4% | +10.4% | +9.9% | -3.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -3.2% | +8.0% | +6.4% | -7.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +1.4% | +9.2% | +7.5% | +1.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +4.8% | +8.7% | +0.3% | +4.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -88.1% | +32.5% | -11.5% | -126.1% |
Valuation Metrics
VHI leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 23.8x trailing earnings, LMT trades at a 33% valuation discount to RTX's 35.6x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, VHI's 12.2x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than KRO's 40.7x.
| Metric | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $412M | $238.1B | $118.1B | $811M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $801M | $270.1B | $135.7B | $1.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -7.20x | 35.64x | 23.84x | -7.34x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 4.19x | 25.54x | 17.12x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 12.24x | 20.96x | 16.07x | 40.71x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.20x | 2.69x | 1.57x | 0.44x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.30x | 3.57x | 17.68x | 1.08x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 29.98x | 17.09x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
LMT leads this category, winning 5 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
LMT delivers a 74.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $75 in annual profit, vs $-17 for KRO. VHI carries lower financial leverage with a 0.45x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to LMT's 3.23x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), RTX scores 8/9 vs VHI's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -4.8% | +10.9% | +74.5% | -17.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -3.3% | +4.3% | +8.0% | -9.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -0.0% | +6.7% | +23.9% | -1.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -0.0% | +7.9% | +21.3% | -2.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.45x | 0.59x | 3.23x | 0.77x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $389M | $32.1B | $17.6B | $540M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $223M | $7.4B | $4.1B | $37M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $612M | $39.5B | $21.7B | $577M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -0.39x | 5.58x | 6.08x | -2.32x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
RTX leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in RTX five years ago would be worth $22,007 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $5,348 for VHI. Over the past 12 months, RTX leads with a +40.8% total return vs VHI's -16.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors RTX at 24.5% vs KRO's -0.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +20.3% | -5.2% | +3.8% | +58.5% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -16.0% | +40.8% | +11.6% | -1.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +7.3% | +93.0% | +22.2% | -0.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -46.5% | +120.1% | +46.9% | -43.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -2.7% | +234.7% | +156.2% | +129.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +2.4% | +24.5% | +6.9% | -0.2% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — LMT and KRO each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
LMT is the less volatile stock with a 0.12 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than KRO's 1.57 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. KRO currently trades 89.2% from its 52-week high vs VHI's 72.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.06x | 0.51x | 0.12x | 1.57x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $20.00 | $214.50 | $692.00 | $7.90 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $11.44 | $126.03 | $410.11 | $4.08 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +72.8% | +82.4% | +74.0% | +89.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 54.0 | 37.3 | 28.0 | 63.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 15K | 5.3M | 1.5M | 350K |
Analyst Outlook
Evenly matched — LMT and KRO each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: VHI as "Sell", RTX as "Buy", LMT as "Buy", KRO as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 27.2% upside for RTX (target: $225) vs -29.1% for KRO (target: $5). For income investors, KRO offers the higher dividend yield at 2.84% vs RTX's 1.49%.
| Metric | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Sell | Buy | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $224.89 | $635.11 | $5.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 1 | 26 | 37 | 7 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.2% | +1.5% | +2.6% | +2.8% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 4 | 23 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.32 | $2.63 | $13.50 | $0.20 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.0% | +2.5% | 0.0% |
RTX leads in 2 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Total Returns). VHI leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 2 tied.
VHI vs RTX vs LMT vs KRO: Key Questions Answered
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is VHI or RTX or LMT or KRO a better buy right now?
For growth investors, RTX Corporation (RTX) is the stronger pick with 9.
7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -1. 5% for Kronos Worldwide, Inc. (KRO). Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) offers the better valuation at 23. 8x trailing P/E (17. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate RTX Corporation (RTX) a "Buy" — based on 26 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 — VHI or RTX or LMT or KRO?
On trailing P/E, Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) is the cheapest at 23.
8x versus RTX Corporation at 35. 6x. On forward P/E, Valhi, Inc. is actually cheaper at 4. 2x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — VHI or RTX or LMT or KRO?
Over the past 5 years, RTX Corporation (RTX) delivered a total return of +120.
1%, compared to -46. 5% for Valhi, Inc. (VHI). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: RTX returned +234. 7% versus VHI's -2. 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 — VHI or RTX or LMT or KRO?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
12β versus Kronos Worldwide, Inc. 's 1. 57β — meaning KRO is approximately 1173% more volatile than LMT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Valhi, Inc. (VHI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 45% versus 3% for Lockheed Martin Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — VHI or RTX or LMT or KRO?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), RTX Corporation (RTX) is pulling ahead at 9.
7% versus -1. 5% for Kronos Worldwide, Inc. (KRO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: RTX Corporation grew EPS 39. 7% year-over-year, compared to -228. 0% for Kronos Worldwide, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, RTX leads at 9. 7% 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 — VHI or RTX or LMT or KRO?
RTX Corporation (RTX) is the more profitable company, earning 7.
6% net margin versus -6. 0% for Kronos Worldwide, Inc. — meaning it keeps 7. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LMT leads at 10. 3% versus -1. 7% for KRO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — RTX leads at 20. 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 VHI or RTX or LMT or KRO more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Valhi, Inc.
(VHI) trades at 4. 2x forward P/E versus 25. 5x for RTX Corporation — 21. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for RTX: 27. 2% to $224. 89.
08Which pays a better dividend — VHI or RTX or LMT or KRO?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
Kronos Worldwide, Inc. (KRO) offers the highest yield at 2. 8%, versus 1. 5% for RTX Corporation (RTX).
09Is VHI or RTX or LMT or KRO better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.
12), 2. 6% yield, +156. 2% 10Y return). Kronos Worldwide, Inc. (KRO) carries a higher beta of 1. 57 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (LMT: +156. 2%, KRO: +129. 0%), 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 VHI and RTX and LMT and KRO?
These companies operate in different sectors (VHI (Basic Materials) and RTX (Industrials) and LMT (Industrials) and KRO (Unknown)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.
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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