Which Stock Will Rally: Great Lakes Dredge & Dock or EMCOR?
Even as EMCOR surged 7.5% during the past Day, its peer Great Lakes Dredge & Dock may be a better choice. Consistently evaluating alternatives is core to sound investment approach. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (GLDD) stock offers superior revenue growth across key periods, better profitability, and relatively lower valuation vs EMCOR (EME) stock, suggesting you may be better off investing in GLDD
- GLDD’s quarterly revenue growth was 13.9%, vs. EME’s 12.7%.
- In addition, its Last 12 Months revenue growth came in at 24.4%, ahead of EME’s 14.3%.
- GLDD’s LTM margin is higher: 13.3% vs. EME’s 9.4%.
Single stock can be risky, but there is a huge value to a broader diversified approach we take with Trefis High Quality Portfolio. Separately, consider what could long-term performance for your portfolio be if you combined 10% commodities, 10% gold, and 2% crypto with equities.
EME provides electrical and mechanical construction, facilities management, and maintenance services for commercial and government sites in the US and UK. GLDD provides dredging services including port expansion, coastal restoration, trench digging, and shoreline protection, operating a fleet of dredges, barges, and support vessels across the United States.
Valuation & Performance Overview
| EME | GLDD | Preferred | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valuation | |||
| P/EBIT Ratio | 24.3 | 6.7 | GLDD |
| Revenue Growth | |||
| Last Quarter | 12.7% | 13.9% | GLDD |
| Last 12 Months | 14.3% | 24.4% | GLDD |
| Last 3 Year Average | 13.8% | 6.3% | EME |
| Operating Margins | |||
| Last 12 Months | 9.4% | 13.3% | GLDD |
| Last 3 Year Average | 7.4% | 5.7% | EME |
| Momentum | |||
| Last 3 Year Return | 489.2% | 50.3% | GLDD |
Note: For “Last 3 Year Return” metric, preferred stock is one with higher returns unless the returns are too high (>300%) which creates risk of sell off.
See more revenue details: EME Revenue Comparison | GLDD Revenue Comparison
See more margin details: EME Operating Income Comparison | GLDD Operating Income Comparison
But do these numbers tell the full story? Read Buy or Sell GLDD Stock to see if Great Lakes Dredge & Dock’s edge holds up under the hood or if EMCOR still has cards to play (see Buy or Sell EME Stock).
Historical Market Performance
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Total [1] | Avg | Best | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Returns | |||||||||
| EME Return | 6% | 40% | 17% | 46% | 111% | 54% | 717% | <=== | |
| GLDD Return | 16% | 19% | -62% | 29% | 47% | -3% | -5% | ||
| S&P 500 Return | 16% | 27% | -19% | 24% | 23% | 15% | 106% | ||
| Monthly Win Rates [3] | |||||||||
| EME Win Rate | 67% | 50% | 33% | 67% | 83% | 56% | 59% | ||
| GLDD Win Rate | 58% | 50% | 17% | 58% | 58% | 67% | 51% | ||
| S&P 500 Win Rate | 58% | 75% | 42% | 67% | 75% | 67% | 64% | <=== | |
| Max Drawdowns [4] | |||||||||
| EME Max Drawdown | -44% | -3% | -24% | -4% | -2% | -25% | -17% | ||
| GLDD Max Drawdown | -40% | -2% | -64% | -19% | -14% | -32% | -29% | ||
| S&P 500 Max Drawdown | -31% | -1% | -25% | -1% | -2% | -15% | -12% | <=== | |
[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2020
[2] 2025 data is for the year up to 10/24/2025 (YTD)
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
No matter how good the numbers, stock investment is never a smooth ride. There is a risk you must factor in. Read GLDD Dip Buyer Analyses and EME Dip Buyer Analyses to see how these stocks have fallen and recovered in the past.