WHR vs WSO vs AAON vs CARR vs LII

For growth investors, AAON, Inc.

(AAON) is the stronger pick with 20. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -6. 5% for Whirlpool Corporation (WHR). 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 AAON, Inc. (AAON) a "Buy" — based on 5 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 AAON, Inc. at 108. 3x. 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: Lennox International Inc. wins at 1. 12x versus AAON, Inc. 's 12. 51x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, AAON, Inc.

(AAON) delivered a total return of +221. 6%, compared to -69. 7% for Whirlpool Corporation (WHR). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AAON returned +668. 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), Watsco, Inc.

(WSO) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 12β versus AAON, Inc. 's 1. 79β — meaning AAON is approximately 59% more volatile than WSO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Watsco, Inc. (WSO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 15% versus 3% for Whirlpool Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), AAON, Inc.

(AAON) is pulling ahead at 20. 1% versus -6. 5% for Whirlpool Corporation (WHR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Whirlpool Corporation grew EPS 196. 4% year-over-year, compared to -72. 4% for Carrier Global Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, AAON leads at 17. 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.

Lennox International Inc.

(LII) is the more profitable company, earning 15. 1% net margin versus 2. 0% for Whirlpool Corporation — meaning it keeps 15. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LII leads at 19. 5% versus 4. 7% for WHR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — LII leads at 33. 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.

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, Lennox International Inc. (LII) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 12x versus AAON, Inc. 's 12. 51x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Whirlpool Corporation (WHR) trades at 10. 0x forward P/E versus 68. 0x for AAON, Inc. — 58. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LII: 6. 2% to $553. 45.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Whirlpool Corporation (WHR) offers the highest yield at 11. 8%, versus 0. 3% for AAON, Inc. (AAON).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Carrier Global Corporation (CARR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.

21), 1. 4% yield, +491. 3% 10Y return). AAON, Inc. (AAON) carries a higher beta of 1. 79 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (CARR: +491. 3%, AAON: +668. 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 (WHR (Consumer Cyclical) and WSO (Industrials) and AAON (Industrials) and CARR (Industrials) and LII (Industrials)), 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; WSO is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; AAON is a mid-cap high-growth stock; CARR is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; LII is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. WHR, WSO, CARR, LII pay a dividend while AAON 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.