WHR vs SWK vs ALLE vs HBB vs HD

For growth investors, Allegion plc (ALLE) is the stronger pick with 7.

8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -7. 3% for Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Company (HBB). Whirlpool Corporation (WHR) offers the better valuation at 7. 9x trailing P/E (10. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate The Home Depot, Inc. (HD) a "Buy" — based on 62 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, Whirlpool Corporation (WHR) is the cheapest at 7.

9x versus Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. at 30. 6x. On forward P/E, Whirlpool Corporation is actually cheaper at 10. 0x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Allegion plc wins at 0. 90x versus The Home Depot, Inc. 's 5. 92x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, The Home Depot, Inc.

(HD) delivered a total return of +5. 2%, compared to -69. 7% for Whirlpool Corporation (WHR). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HD returned +180. 2% versus WHR's -43. 4%. 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), Allegion plc (ALLE) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

66β versus Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Company's 1. 98β — meaning HBB is approximately 200% more volatile than ALLE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Company (HBB) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 23% versus 3% for Whirlpool Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Allegion plc (ALLE) is pulling ahead at 7.

8% versus -7. 3% for Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Company (HBB). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Whirlpool Corporation grew EPS 196. 4% year-over-year, compared to -11. 4% for Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, ALLE leads at 7. 5% 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.

Allegion plc (ALLE) is the more profitable company, earning 15.

8% net margin versus 2. 0% for Whirlpool Corporation — meaning it keeps 15. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ALLE leads at 21. 1% versus 4. 7% for WHR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ALLE leads at 45. 2%, 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, Allegion plc (ALLE) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 90x versus The Home Depot, Inc. 's 5. 92x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Whirlpool Corporation (WHR) trades at 10. 0x forward P/E versus 21. 1x for The Home Depot, Inc. — 11. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HD: 28. 5% to $408. 08.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Whirlpool Corporation (WHR) offers the highest yield at 11. 8%, versus 1. 5% for Allegion plc (ALLE).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Allegion plc (ALLE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

66), 1. 5% yield, +123. 6% 10Y return). Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Company (HBB) carries a higher beta of 1. 98 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (ALLE: +123. 6%, HBB: -21. 4%), 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 (WHR (Consumer Cyclical) and SWK (Industrials) and ALLE (Industrials) and HBB (Consumer Cyclical) and HD (Consumer Cyclical)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: WHR is a small-cap deep-value stock; SWK is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; ALLE is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; HBB is a small-cap deep-value stock; HD is a large-cap quality compounder 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.