WTS vs MWA

For growth investors, Mueller Water Products, Inc.

(MWA) is the stronger pick with 8. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 8. 3% for Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (WTS). Mueller Water Products, Inc. (MWA) offers the better valuation at 22. 0x trailing P/E (18. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (WTS) a "Hold" — based on 23 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, Mueller Water Products, Inc.

(MWA) is the cheapest at 22. 0x versus Watts Water Technologies, Inc. at 28. 9x. On forward P/E, Mueller Water Products, Inc. is actually cheaper at 18. 6x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Mueller Water Products, Inc. wins at 0. 84x versus Watts Water Technologies, Inc. 's 1. 01x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Watts Water Technologies, Inc.

(WTS) delivered a total return of +121. 2%, compared to +89. 1% for Mueller Water Products, Inc. (MWA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: WTS returned +452. 2% versus MWA's +179. 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), Watts Water Technologies, Inc.

(WTS) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 98β versus Mueller Water Products, Inc. 's 1. 02β — meaning MWA is approximately 4% more volatile than WTS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (WTS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 10% versus 46% for Mueller Water Products, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Mueller Water Products, Inc.

(MWA) is pulling ahead at 8. 7% versus 8. 3% for Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (WTS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Mueller Water Products, Inc. grew EPS 64. 9% year-over-year, compared to 17. 0% for Watts Water Technologies, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, WTS leads at 7. 2% 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.

Watts Water Technologies, Inc.

(WTS) is the more profitable company, earning 14. 0% net margin versus 13. 4% for Mueller Water Products, Inc. — meaning it keeps 14. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: WTS leads at 19. 3% versus 18. 2% for MWA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — WTS leads at 49. 5%, 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, Mueller Water Products, Inc. (MWA) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 84x versus Watts Water Technologies, Inc. 's 1. 01x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Mueller Water Products, Inc. (MWA) trades at 18. 6x forward P/E versus 25. 1x for Watts Water Technologies, Inc. — 6. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MWA: 23. 9% to $33. 33.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Mueller Water Products, Inc. (MWA) offers the highest yield at 1. 0%, versus 0. 7% for Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (WTS).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Watts Water Technologies, Inc.

(WTS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 98), 0. 7% yield, +452. 2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (WTS: +452. 2%, MWA: +179. 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.

Both stocks operate in the Industrials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

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.