ZWS vs HD vs LII vs LOW vs FELE

For growth investors, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation (ZWS) is the stronger pick with 8.

3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 7% for Lennox International Inc. (LII). Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW) offers the better valuation at 19. 5x trailing P/E (18. 3x 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, Lowe's Companies, Inc.

(LOW) is the cheapest at 19. 5x versus Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation at 45. 6x. On forward P/E, Lowe's Companies, Inc. is actually cheaper at 18. 3x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation wins at 0. 91x versus The Home Depot, Inc. 's 6. 01x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation (ZWS) delivered a total return of +108.

0%, compared to +7. 3% for The Home Depot, Inc. (HD). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ZWS returned +435. 0% versus HD's +184. 0%. 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), The Home Depot, Inc.

(HD) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 84β versus Lennox International Inc. 's 1. 23β — meaning LII is approximately 48% more volatile than HD relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Franklin Electric Co. , Inc. (FELE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 21% versus 177% for Lennox International Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation (ZWS) is pulling ahead at 8.

3% versus -2. 7% for Lennox International Inc. (LII). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation grew EPS 21. 7% year-over-year, compared to -15. 8% for Franklin Electric Co. , Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ZWS leads at 9. 8% 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 6. 9% for Franklin Electric Co. , Inc. — 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 11. 8% for LOW. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ZWS leads at 41. 6%, 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, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation (ZWS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 91x versus The Home Depot, Inc. 's 6. 01x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Lowe's Companies, Inc. (LOW) trades at 18. 3x forward P/E versus 29. 0x for Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation — 10. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HD: 26. 5% to $408. 08.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

The Home Depot, Inc. (HD) offers the highest yield at 2. 8%, versus 0. 7% for Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation (ZWS).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Lowe's Companies, Inc.

(LOW) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 86), 2. 0% yield, +244. 9% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (LOW: +244. 9%, LII: +309. 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 (ZWS (Industrials) and HD (Consumer Cyclical) and LII (Industrials) and LOW (Consumer Cyclical) and FELE (Industrials)), 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.