Can Eaton Outrun Woodward in the Next Rally?
Woodward surged 17% during the past Month. You may be tempted to buy more, or may want to reduce your exposure. But there is an entirely different perspective you might be missing. Is there a better alternative? Turns out, its peer Eaton gives you more. Eaton (ETN) stock offers superior revenue growth across key periods, better profitability, and relatively lower valuation vs Woodward (WWD) stock, suggesting you may be better off investing in ETN
- ETN’s quarterly revenue growth was 10.1%, vs. WWD’s 8.0%.
- In addition, its Last 12 Months revenue growth came in at 8.2%, ahead of WWD’s 5.5%.
- ETN leads on profitability over both periods – LTM margin of 19.0% and 3-year average of 17.8%.
These differences become even clearer when you look at the financials side by side. The table highlights how WWD’s fundamentals stack up against those of ETN on growth, margins, momentum, and valuation multiples.
Valuation & Performance Overview
| WWD | ETN | Preferred | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valuation | |||
| P/EBIT Ratio | 42.5 | 26.1 | ETN |
| Revenue Growth | |||
| Last Quarter | 8.0% | 10.1% | ETN |
| Last 12 Months | 5.5% | 8.2% | ETN |
| Last 3 Year Average | 14.2% | 9.7% | WWD |
| Operating Margins | |||
| Last 12 Months | 12.4% | 19.0% | ETN |
| Last 3 Year Average | 11.4% | 17.8% | ETN |
| Momentum | |||
| Last 3 Year Return | 215.6% | 116.7% | WWD |
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: WWD Revenue Comparison | ETN Revenue Comparison
See more margin details: WWD Operating Income Comparison | ETN Operating Income Comparison
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See detailed fundamentals on Buy or Sell ETN Stock and Buy or Sell WWD Stock. Below we compare market return and related metrics across years.
Historical Market Performance
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Total [1] | Avg | Best | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Returns | |||||||||
| WWD Return | 3% | -9% | -11% | 42% | 23% | 80% | 162% | ||
| ETN Return | 32% | 47% | -7% | 56% | 40% | 3% | 306% | <=== | |
| S&P 500 Return | 16% | 27% | -19% | 24% | 23% | 17% | 112% | ||
| Monthly Win Rates [3] | |||||||||
| WWD Win Rate | 50% | 42% | 58% | 67% | 67% | 80% | 61% | ||
| ETN Win Rate | 58% | 75% | 25% | 67% | 75% | 60% | 60% | ||
| S&P 500 Win Rate | 58% | 75% | 42% | 67% | 75% | 70% | 64% | <=== | |
| Max Drawdowns [4] | |||||||||
| WWD Max Drawdown | -57% | -15% | -26% | -7% | -3% | -5% | -19% | ||
| ETN Max Drawdown | -38% | -4% | -27% | -3% | -3% | -25% | -17% | ||
| 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 12/4/2025 (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 ETN Dip Buyer Analyses and WWD Dip Buyer Analyses to see how these stocks have fallen and recovered in the past.
Still not sure about WWD or ETN? Consider portfolio approach.
The Best Investors Think In Portfolios
Stocks soar and sink – the key is staying invested. A balanced portfolio keeps you in the market, boosts gains and reduces single stock risk
The Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio, with a collection of 30 stocks, has a track record of comfortably outperforming its benchmark that includes all 3 – the S&P 500, S&P mid-cap, and Russell 2000 indices. Why is that? As a group, HQ Portfolio stocks provided better returns with less risk versus the benchmark index; less of a roller-coaster ride, as evident in HQ Portfolio performance metrics.