BLBD vs FSS vs WPRT Stock Comparison

Blue Bird, Federal Signal and Aetherion Technologies Prices as of Oct 27, 2026 Peers: Industry group
BLBD Blue Bird Corp
$56.82 -2.2% 1M +6.9% 1Y
Market cap
$1.93B
P/E
6.8x
Revenue (TTM)
$1.61B
Div. yield
–
Heavy Equipment Industrials
7 wins
FSS Federal Signal Corp /De/
$115.92 +1.1% 1M -7.5% 1Y
Market cap
$6.97B
P/E
24.4x
Revenue (TTM)
$2.45B
Div. yield
0.01%
Heavy Equipment Industrials
3 wins

Head to Head

11 decided of 12

Blue Bird leads on 7 of the 12 questions below (Blue Bird 7, Federal Signal 3, Aetherion Technologies 1). Which ones matter depends on what you are buying for; a cheap multiple and slow growth often come together.

QuestionBLBDFSSWPRTLeader
Larger companyMarket capitalisation $1.93B $6.97B $37.53M FSS
Cheaper on earningsLower P/E, profitable companies only 6.8x 24.4x -0.9x BLBD
Cheaper on forward earningsLower price / next fiscal year consensus EPS 12.7x 23.6x — BLBD
Faster revenue growthRevenue growth, trailing twelve months +13.5% +24.0% -73.4% FSS
More profitableNet margin, trailing twelve months 17.5% 11.7% -493.2% BLBD
Better return on capitalReturn on invested capital 29.3% 15.3% -39.8% BLBD
Less leveragedLower net debt / EBITDA -0.1x 0.8x 1.0x BLBD
Higher dividend yieldTrailing dividend yield 0.00% 0.01% — –
Better 1-year returnPrice return, last 12 months +6.9% -7.5% +7.5% WPRT
Better 5-year returnAnnualised price return, 5 years +24.1%/yr +22.1%/yr -41.4%/yr BLBD
Less volatileAnnualised volatility, 1 year 42.8% 35.0% 53.3% FSS
Higher overall scoreMean of the five percentile scores vs peers 76/100 75/100 25/100 BLBD

Percentile Scorecard

BLBDFSSWPRT

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

AxisBLBDFSSWPRT
Valuation 94 #13 of 203 51 #101 of 203 11 #181 of 203
Growth 93 #15 of 188 94 #13 of 188 29 #133 of 188
Profitability 91 #18 of 183 90 #20 of 183 4 #175 of 183
Financial Health 71 #64 of 217 75 #55 of 217 54 #100 of 217
Shareholder Returns 31 #106 of 153 65 #54 of 153 –
Overall 76 75 25
  • BLBD ranked among 222 companies in Machinery
  • FSS ranked among 222 companies in Machinery
  • WPRT ranked among 222 companies in Machinery

Price Performance

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

Returns

PeriodBLBDFSSWPRTSPY
1 month -2.2%+1.1%+6.4% -0.2%
3 months -23.1%-1.6%+22.7% +3.9%
6 months -9.7%+3.7%+9.6% +8.2%
Year to date +20.9%+6.8%+37.6% +12.9%
1 year +6.9%-7.5%+7.5% +12.3%
3 years +204.8%+102.4%-56.4% +87.4%
3 years, per year +45.0%+26.5%-24.2% +23.3%
5 years +194.4%+171.6%-93.1% +67.9%
5 years, per year +24.1%+22.1%-41.4% +10.9%
10 years +282.9%+848.6%-87.2% +261.1%
10 years, per year +14.4%+25.2%-18.6% +13.7%

Risk

MeasureBLBDFSSWPRTSPY
Volatility, 1Y 42.8%35.0%53.3% 12.7%
Downside volatility, 1Y 45.7%35.9%47.3% 12.7%
Beta vs S&P 500, 1Y 1.121.280.65 1.00
Return / volatility, 1Y 0.16-0.210.14 0.97
Max drawdown, 5Y -70.9%-33.3%-96.1% -25.4%
From 52-week high -30.3%-13.3%-12.6% -1.2%
52-week high $81.50$133.73$2.47 $779.14
52-week low $46.59$104.77$1.54 $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.

MultipleBLBDFSSWPRT
P/E now vs peer median 6.9xmedian 25.2x 24.7xmedian 25.2x -0.9xmedian 25.2x
P/S now vs peer median 1.1xmedian 1.9x 2.9xmedian 1.9x 4.4xmedian 1.9x
EV/EBITDA now vs peer median 8.4xmedian 14.0x 15.4xmedian 14.0x -0.6xmedian 14.0x
P/FCF now vs peer median 11.8xmedian 21.7x 20.9xmedian 21.7x -4.2xmedian 21.7x
P/B now vs peer median 2.7xmedian 2.3x 4.7xmedian 2.3x 0.7xmedian 2.3x
PEG now vs peer median 0.04median 1.32 0.87median 1.32 -0.12median 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 monthsBLBDFSSWPRT
Revenue $1.61B $2.45B $8.50M
Gross profit $331.66M $714.00M $952.00K
Operating income $189.81M $395.40M -$23.52M
Net income $281.81M $285.40M -$41.91M
Free cash flow $153.14M $339.20M -$8.83M
R&D – – $5.35M
EPS (diluted) $8.02 $4.64 $-2.42
Cash & equivalents $116.82M $62.80M $23.95M
Total debt $86.81M $453.60M $972.00K
Shares (diluted) 35.15M 61.50M 17.34M
Enterprise value $1.06B $6.72B -$199.57M

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
MetricBLBDFSSWPRT
P/E 6.9x 24.7x -0.9x
P/FCF 11.8x 20.9x -4.2x
P/Operating cash flow 10.0x 19.0x -4.7x
P/S 1.1x 2.9x 4.4x
P/B 2.7x 4.7x 0.7x
P/Tangible book 3.8x 6.3x 0.7x
EV/EBITDA 8.4x 15.4x -0.6x
EV/EBIT 9.3x 18.9x -0.6x
EV/Revenue 1.1x 3.1x 1.7x
EV/FCF 11.6x 22.0x -1.6x
EV/Operating cash flow 9.8x 20.0x -1.8x
PEG (3Y EPS CAGR) 0.04 0.87 -0.12

Growth

14 metrics
MetricBLBDFSSWPRT
Revenue growth (1Y) 13.5% 24.0% -73.4%
Revenue CAGR (3Y) 14.0% 16.1% -70.1%
Gross profit growth (1Y) 19.9% 24.5% -72.0%
Gross profit CAGR (3Y) 57.8% 22.1% -72.0%
Operating income growth (1Y) 33.3% 27.8% -71.1%
Operating income CAGR (3Y) 598.6% 28.8% -35.5%
Net income growth (1Y) 143.2% 28.8% 21.9%
Net income CAGR (3Y) 160.8% 28.6% 7.3%
EPS growth (1Y) 125.4% 28.4% 18.0%
EPS CAGR (3Y) 155.1% 28.6% 7.7%
Operating cash flow growth (1Y) 8.4% 45.6% 55.5%
Operating cash flow CAGR (3Y) 16.5% 59.2% 10.8%
Free cash flow growth (1Y) 7.0% 49.8% 55.5%
Free cash flow CAGR (3Y) 13.0% 73.3% 27.8%

Profitability

14 metrics
MetricBLBDFSSWPRT
Gross margin 20.6% 29.2% 11.2%
EBITDA margin 13.1% 19.8% -267.3%
Operating margin 11.8% 16.2% -276.7%
Pretax margin 20.0% 15.2% -423.1%
Net margin 17.5% 11.7% -493.2%
FCF margin 9.5% 13.9% -103.9%
Operating cash flow margin 11.2% 15.2% -93.2%
Return on equity 58.9% 19.4% -29.3%
Return on assets 30.2% 11.7% -19.9%
Return on invested capital 29.3% 15.3% -39.8%
Return on capital employed 30.9% 18.5% -42.2%
Asset turnover 1.7x 1.0x 0.1x
Cash conversion (OCF / net income) 0.6x 1.3x 0.2x
Stock comp / revenue 0.5% 0.6% 8.2%

Financial Health

11 metrics
MetricBLBDFSSWPRT
Debt / assets 7.4% 18.6% 1.1%
Debt / equity 0.1x 0.3x 0.0x
Net debt / EBITDA -0.1x 0.8x 1.0x
Debt / FCF 0.6x 1.3x -0.1x
Liabilities / assets 43.9% 38.2% 38.5%
Equity / assets 56.1% 61.8% 61.5%
Interest coverage 27.9x 19.3x -100.9x
Current ratio 1.6x 2.7x 1.1x
Quick ratio 0.5x 1.1x 1.1x
Cash ratio 0.4x 0.2x 0.8x
Altman Z-score 4.61 7.19 -19.42

Shareholder Returns

7 metrics
MetricBLBDFSSWPRT
Dividend yield – 0.5% –
Net buyback yield 0.4% 0.0% 295.0%
Shareholder yield 0.4% 0.5% 295.0%
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.

ConsensusBLBDFSSWPRT
Forward P/E 12.7xFY2026 23.6xFY2026 –
EPS, next fiscal year $4.48FY2026 $4.92FY2026 $-1.37FY2026
EPS growth, next FY +2.3%FY2026 +16.3%FY2026 –
EPS growth, the year after -6.9% +10.0% –
Revenue, next fiscal year $1.64BFY2026 $2.79BFY2026 $10.34MFY2026
Revenue growth, next FY +10.7%FY2026 +28.1%FY2026 -55.7%FY2026
Revenue growth, the year after +16.4% -5.3% +10.1%

Institutional Ownership

13F filings, quarter ended Jun 30, 2026
HoldersBLBDFSSWPRT
Held by institutions 94.5% 100.0% 21.0%
Institutions holding 303 474 46
Change in shares held, QoQ -2.6% +3.9% +70.5%
Institutions buying 169 249 16
Institutions selling 100 152 13
Buyers to sellers 1.69 1.64 1.23

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.

BLBDFSSWPRT
BLBD 1.00 0.36 0.07
FSS 0.36 1.00 0.21
WPRT 0.07 0.21 1.00

Add a Peer

Largest companies in the same industry

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, BLBD, FSS and WPRT?

Federal Signal (FSS) is the largest by market capitalisation: Blue Bird (BLBD) $1.93B, Federal Signal (FSS) $6.97B, Aetherion Technologies (WPRT) $37.53M.

Which stock is cheaper, BLBD, FSS and WPRT?

Blue Bird (BLBD) trades on the lowest price-to-earnings ratio (Blue Bird (BLBD) 6.8x, Federal Signal (FSS) 24.4x, Aetherion Technologies (WPRT) -0.9x). On next year's consensus earnings, Blue Bird (BLBD) is cheapest (Blue Bird (BLBD) 12.7x, 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?

Federal Signal (FSS) grew revenue fastest over the trailing twelve months: Blue Bird (BLBD) +13.5%, Federal Signal (FSS) +24.0%, Aetherion Technologies (WPRT) -73.4%.

Which company is more profitable?

Blue Bird (BLBD) has the highest net margin (Blue Bird (BLBD) 17.5%, Federal Signal (FSS) 11.7%, Aetherion Technologies (WPRT) -493.2%). On return on invested capital, Blue Bird (BLBD) leads (Blue Bird (BLBD) 29.3%, Federal Signal (FSS) 15.3%, Aetherion Technologies (WPRT) -39.8%).

Which stock has performed better?

Over the past year Aetherion Technologies (WPRT) returned the most: Blue Bird (BLBD) +6.9%, Federal Signal (FSS) -7.5%, Aetherion Technologies (WPRT) +7.5%. Over five years, Blue Bird (BLBD) compounded fastest (Blue Bird (BLBD) +24.1%/yr, Federal Signal (FSS) +22.1%/yr, Aetherion Technologies (WPRT) -41.4%/yr). Returns are price only, before dividends.

Which pays a higher dividend?

Only one of these companies pays a dividend: Blue Bird (BLBD) 0.00%, Federal Signal (FSS) 0.01%. Blue Bird (BLBD) and Aetherion Technologies (WPRT) pays no regular dividend.

Which stock is riskier?

By one-year price volatility, Federal Signal (FSS) has been the steadiest (Blue Bird (BLBD) 42.8%, Federal Signal (FSS) 35.0%, Aetherion Technologies (WPRT) 53.3%). Volatility measures how widely the price swings, not the risk of the business.

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

There is no single answer; it depends on what you are buying for. On the 12 head-to-head measures on this page, Blue Bird (BLBD) leads on 7. 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.