BLBD vs ALSN vs FSS Stock Comparison

Blue Bird, Allison Transmission Holdings and Federal Signal Prices as of Oct 27, 2026 Peers: Industry group
BLBD Blue Bird Corp
$56.82 -2.2% 1M +6.9% 1Y
Market cap
$1.80B
P/E
6.9x
Revenue (TTM)
$1.61B
Div. yield
–
Heavy Equipment Industrials
6 wins

Head to Head

12 decided of 12

Allison Transmission Holdings leads on 6 of the 12 questions below (Allison Transmission Holdings 6, Blue Bird 6). Which ones matter depends on what you are buying for; a cheap multiple and slow growth often come together.

QuestionBLBDALSNFSSLeader
Larger companyMarket capitalisation $1.80B $8.89B $7.08B ALSN
Cheaper on earningsLower P/E, profitable companies only 6.9x 16.9x 24.7x BLBD
Cheaper on forward earningsLower price / next fiscal year consensus EPS 12.7x 14.0x 23.6x BLBD
Faster revenue growthRevenue growth, trailing twelve months +13.5% +37.6% +24.0% ALSN
More profitableNet margin, trailing twelve months 17.5% 12.0% 11.7% BLBD
Better return on capitalReturn on invested capital 29.3% 10.7% 15.3% BLBD
Less leveragedLower net debt / EBITDA -0.1x 3.4x 0.8x BLBD
Higher dividend yieldTrailing dividend yield — 1.06% 0.51% ALSN
Better 1-year returnPrice return, last 12 months +6.9% +29.1% -7.5% ALSN
Better 5-year returnAnnualised price return, 5 years +24.1%/yr +25.6%/yr +22.1%/yr ALSN
Less volatileAnnualised volatility, 1 year 42.8% 31.3% 35.0% ALSN
Higher overall scoreMean of the five percentile scores vs peers 76/100 57/100 75/100 BLBD

Percentile Scorecard

BLBDALSNFSS

Each axis is the mean percentile of its metrics against the company's industry group. 100 is the best in the group, 50 the middle.

Scores by Axis

AxisBLBDALSNFSS
Valuation 94 #13 of 203 74 #53 of 203 51 #101 of 203
Growth 93 #15 of 188 42 #109 of 188 94 #13 of 188
Profitability 91 #18 of 183 89 #22 of 183 90 #20 of 183
Financial Health 71 #64 of 217 14 #187 of 217 75 #55 of 217
Shareholder Returns 31 #106 of 153 67 #51 of 153 65 #54 of 153
Overall 76 57 75
  • BLBD ranked among 222 companies in Machinery
  • ALSN ranked among 222 companies in Machinery
  • FSS ranked among 222 companies in Machinery

Price Performance

Price return, split-adjusted, before dividends. Click a name to hide or show it.

Returns

PeriodBLBDALSNFSSSPY
1 month -2.2%-5.4%+1.1% -0.2%
3 months -23.1%-11.2%-1.6% +3.9%
6 months -9.7%-17.2%+3.7% +8.2%
Year to date +20.9%+10.0%+6.8% +12.9%
1 year +6.9%+29.1%-7.5% +12.3%
3 years +204.8%+107.5%+102.4% +87.4%
3 years, per year +45.0%+27.6%+26.5% +23.3%
5 years +194.4%+212.5%+171.6% +67.9%
5 years, per year +24.1%+25.6%+22.1% +10.9%
10 years +282.9%+267.5%+848.6% +261.1%
10 years, per year +14.4%+13.9%+25.2% +13.7%

Risk

MeasureBLBDALSNFSSSPY
Volatility, 1Y 42.8%31.3%35.0% 12.7%
Downside volatility, 1Y 45.7%30.3%35.9% 12.7%
Beta vs S&P 500, 1Y 1.121.051.28 1.00
Return / volatility, 1Y 0.160.93-0.21 0.97
Max drawdown, 5Y -70.9%-34.1%-33.3% -25.4%
From 52-week high -30.3%-20.8%-13.3% -1.2%
52-week high $81.50$136.00$133.73 $779.14
52-week low $46.59$79.27$104.77 $631.97

Valuation History

Weekly multiples on trailing twelve-month fundamentals. Negative or extreme readings (a loss year, a collapsed denominator) are left out so the chart stays readable.

MultipleBLBDALSNFSS
P/E now vs peer median 6.9xmedian 25.2x 16.9xmedian 25.2x 24.7xmedian 25.2x
P/S now vs peer median 1.1xmedian 1.9x 2.0xmedian 1.9x 2.9xmedian 1.9x
EV/EBITDA now vs peer median 8.4xmedian 14.0x 11.4xmedian 14.0x 15.4xmedian 14.0x
P/FCF now vs peer median 11.8xmedian 21.7x 12.1xmedian 21.7x 20.9xmedian 21.7x
P/B now vs peer median 2.7xmedian 2.3x 4.5xmedian 2.3x 4.7xmedian 2.3x
PEG now vs peer median 0.04median 1.32 -5.93median 1.32 0.87median 1.32

Financial History

Reported figures by fiscal period, placed on the calendar year (or quarter) each period ended in, so companies with different fiscal years line up.

Trailing twelve monthsBLBDALSNFSS
Revenue $1.61B $4.40B $2.45B
Gross profit $331.66M $1.60B $714.00M
Operating income $189.81M $861.00M $395.40M
Net income $281.81M $529.00M $285.40M
Free cash flow $153.14M $737.00M $339.20M
R&D – $197.00M –
EPS (diluted) $8.02 $6.30 $4.64
Cash & equivalents $116.82M $399.00M $62.80M
Total debt $86.81M $4.14B $453.60M
Shares (diluted) 35.15M 84.00M 61.50M
Enterprise value $936.06M $5.78B $6.82B

All Metrics

58 metrics · best in bold

Bold marks the best reading: the lowest positive value for multiples, leverage and payout, the highest for everything else. The bar under each value is its percentile against that company's own peers. Hover a value for its rank and the peer median.

Valuation

12 metrics
MetricBLBDALSNFSS
P/E 6.9x 16.9x 24.7x
P/FCF 11.8x 12.1x 20.9x
P/Operating cash flow 10.0x 9.5x 19.0x
P/S 1.1x 2.0x 2.9x
P/B 2.7x 4.5x 4.7x
P/Tangible book 3.8x 23.9x 6.3x
EV/EBITDA 8.4x 11.4x 15.4x
EV/EBIT 9.3x 14.7x 18.9x
EV/Revenue 1.1x 2.9x 3.1x
EV/FCF 11.6x 17.1x 22.0x
EV/Operating cash flow 9.8x 13.5x 20.0x
PEG (3Y EPS CAGR) 0.04 -5.93 0.87

Growth

14 metrics
MetricBLBDALSNFSS
Revenue growth (1Y) 13.5% 37.6% 24.0%
Revenue CAGR (3Y) 14.0% 14.2% 16.1%
Gross profit growth (1Y) 19.9% 3.5% 24.5%
Gross profit CAGR (3Y) 57.8% 4.4% 22.1%
Operating income growth (1Y) 33.3% -13.9% 27.8%
Operating income CAGR (3Y) 598.6% -0.2% 28.8%
Net income growth (1Y) 143.2% -30.6% 28.8%
Net income CAGR (3Y) 160.8% -5.4% 28.6%
EPS growth (1Y) 125.4% -29.8% 28.4%
EPS CAGR (3Y) 155.1% -2.8% 28.6%
Operating cash flow growth (1Y) 8.4% 14.2% 45.6%
Operating cash flow CAGR (3Y) 16.5% 7.1% 59.2%
Free cash flow growth (1Y) 7.0% 12.7% 49.8%
Free cash flow CAGR (3Y) 13.0% 6.8% 73.3%

Profitability

14 metrics
MetricBLBDALSNFSS
Gross margin 20.6% 36.4% 29.2%
EBITDA margin 13.1% 25.1% 19.8%
Operating margin 11.8% 19.6% 16.2%
Pretax margin 20.0% 15.7% 15.2%
Net margin 17.5% 12.0% 11.7%
FCF margin 9.5% 16.7% 13.9%
Operating cash flow margin 11.2% 21.3% 15.2%
Return on equity 58.9% 27.3% 19.4%
Return on assets 30.2% 6.1% 11.7%
Return on invested capital 29.3% 10.7% 15.3%
Return on capital employed 30.9% 11.7% 18.5%
Asset turnover 1.7x 0.5x 1.0x
Cash conversion (OCF / net income) 0.6x 1.8x 1.3x
Stock comp / revenue 0.5% 0.7% 0.6%

Financial Health

11 metrics
MetricBLBDALSNFSS
Debt / assets 7.4% 47.5% 18.6%
Debt / equity 0.1x 2.1x 0.3x
Net debt / EBITDA -0.1x 3.4x 0.8x
Debt / FCF 0.6x 5.6x 1.3x
Liabilities / assets 43.9% 77.3% 38.2%
Equity / assets 56.1% 22.7% 61.8%
Interest coverage 27.9x – 19.3x
Current ratio 1.6x 1.8x 2.7x
Quick ratio 0.5x 1.0x 1.1x
Cash ratio 0.4x 0.3x 0.2x
Altman Z-score 4.61 1.79 7.19

Shareholder Returns

7 metrics
MetricBLBDALSNFSS
Dividend yield – 1.1% 0.5%
Net buyback yield 0.4% 1.4% 0.0%
Shareholder yield 0.4% 2.5% 0.5%
Payout ratio (earnings) – – 12.6%
Payout ratio (FCF) – – 10.6%
Dividend growth (1Y) – – 13.6%
Dividend CAGR (3Y) – – 17.0%

Analyst Estimates

Solid lines are reported fiscal-year results; dashed lines are the consensus for the years ahead. Hover a year for the analysts' high and low, and how each result compared with its estimate.

ConsensusBLBDALSNFSS
Forward P/E 12.7xFY2026 14.0xFY2026 23.6xFY2026
EPS, next fiscal year $4.48FY2026 $7.67FY2026 $4.92FY2026
EPS growth, next FY +2.3%FY2026 +4.6%FY2026 +16.3%FY2026
EPS growth, the year after -6.9% +45.5% +10.0%
Revenue, next fiscal year $1.64BFY2026 $6.32BFY2026 $2.79BFY2026
Revenue growth, next FY +10.7%FY2026 +109.9%FY2026 +28.1%FY2026
Revenue growth, the year after +16.4% +1.4% -5.3%
BLBD estimates →ALSN estimates →FSS estimates →

Institutional Ownership

13F filings, quarter ended Jun 30, 2026
HoldersBLBDALSNFSS
Held by institutions 94.5% 100.0% 100.0%
Institutions holding 303 566 474
Change in shares held, QoQ -2.6% +1.1% +3.9%
Institutions buying 169 258 249
Institutions selling 100 229 152
Buyers to sellers 1.69 1.13 1.64
BLBD holders →ALSN holders →FSS holders →

Return Correlation

Daily returns, last 12 months

1.00 means two stocks move in lockstep, 0 that they move independently. Pairs below about 0.5 diversify each other.

BLBDALSNFSS
BLBD 1.00 0.32 0.36
ALSN 0.32 1.00 0.42
FSS 0.36 0.42 1.00

Add a Peer

Largest companies in the same industry
BLBD · Heavy Equipment
+CATCaterpillar +CMICummins +PCARPaccar +BWABorgwarner +OSKOshkosh +TEXTerex +DANDana +PHINPhinia
Plot all 55 Heavy Equipment stocks →

Related Comparisons

BLBD vs CATCaterpillar BLBD vs CMICummins BLBD vs PCARPaccar BLBD vs BWABorgwarner

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, BLBD, ALSN and FSS?

Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN) is the largest by market capitalisation: Blue Bird (BLBD) $1.80B, Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN) $8.89B, Federal Signal (FSS) $7.08B.

Which stock is cheaper, BLBD, ALSN and FSS?

Blue Bird (BLBD) trades on the lowest price-to-earnings ratio (Blue Bird (BLBD) 6.9x, Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN) 16.9x, Federal Signal (FSS) 24.7x). On next year's consensus earnings, Blue Bird (BLBD) is cheapest (Blue Bird (BLBD) 12.7x, Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN) 14.0x, Federal Signal (FSS) 23.6x). A lower multiple can reflect slower expected growth, so read it next to the growth figures.

Which company is growing faster?

Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN) grew revenue fastest over the trailing twelve months: Blue Bird (BLBD) +13.5%, Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN) +37.6%, Federal Signal (FSS) +24.0%.

Which company is more profitable?

Blue Bird (BLBD) has the highest net margin (Blue Bird (BLBD) 17.5%, Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN) 12.0%, Federal Signal (FSS) 11.7%). On return on invested capital, Blue Bird (BLBD) leads (Blue Bird (BLBD) 29.3%, Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN) 10.7%, Federal Signal (FSS) 15.3%).

Which stock has performed better?

Over the past year Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN) returned the most: Blue Bird (BLBD) +6.9%, Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN) +29.1%, Federal Signal (FSS) -7.5%. Over five years, Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN) compounded fastest (Blue Bird (BLBD) +24.1%/yr, Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN) +25.6%/yr, Federal Signal (FSS) +22.1%/yr). Returns are price only, before dividends.

Which pays a higher dividend?

Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN) has the highest dividend yield: Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN) 1.06%, Federal Signal (FSS) 0.51%. Blue Bird (BLBD) pays no regular dividend.

Which stock is riskier?

By one-year price volatility, Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN) has been the steadiest (Blue Bird (BLBD) 42.8%, Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN) 31.3%, Federal Signal (FSS) 35.0%). Volatility measures how widely the price swings, not the risk of the business.

Which is the better stock, BLBD, ALSN and FSS?

There is no single answer; it depends on what you are buying for. On the 12 head-to-head measures on this page, Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN) leads on 6. Business Quant does not give investment advice; use the comparison as a starting point for your own research.

Data from SEC filings, exchange prices and consensus estimates, via Business Quant. Percentile scores compare each company with its own peer group, so two companies' scores are each relative to different peers unless you rank against the whole market. Price returns exclude dividends. Nothing on this page is investment advice.