CW vs ESLT vs ESP Stock Comparison

Curtiss Wright, Elbit Systems and Espey Mfg & Electronics Prices as of Oct 28, 2026 Peers: Industry group
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CW Curtiss Wright Corp
$477.77 -10.3% 1M -18.8% 1Y
Market cap
$17.64B
P/E
32.6x
Revenue (TTM)
$3.65B
Div. yield
0.21%
Defense Industrials
1 win
ESLT Elbit Systems Ltd
$779.28 +10.7% 1M +64.2% 1Y
Market cap
$36.19B
P/E
56.0x
Revenue (TTM)
$8.55B
Div. yield
0.48%
Defense Industrials
6 wins

Head to Head

12 decided of 12

Elbit Systems leads on 6 of the 12 questions below (Elbit Systems 6, Espey Mfg & Electronics 5, Curtiss Wright 1). Which ones matter depends on what you are buying for; a cheap multiple and slow growth often come together.

QuestionCWESLTESPLeader
Larger companyMarket capitalisation $17.64B $36.19B $167.09M ESLT
Cheaper on earningsLower P/E, profitable companies only 32.6x 56.0x 13.6x ESP
Cheaper on forward earningsLower price / next fiscal year consensus EPS 33.3x 55.9x 14.0x ESP
Faster revenue growthRevenue growth, trailing twelve months +10.5% +13.7% +4.9% ESLT
More profitableNet margin, trailing twelve months 14.8% 7.4% 24.2% ESP
Better return on capitalReturn on invested capital 14.7% 17.8% — ESLT
Less leveragedLower net debt / EBITDA 0.6x -0.9x — ESLT
Higher dividend yieldTrailing dividend yield 0.21% 0.48% 2.73% ESP
Better 1-year returnPrice return, last 12 months -18.8% +64.2% +45.7% ESLT
Better 5-year returnAnnualised price return, 5 years +30.2%/yr +37.5%/yr +29.5%/yr ESLT
Less volatileAnnualised volatility, 1 year 35.8% 44.7% 46.5% CW
Higher overall scoreMean of the five percentile scores vs peers 68/100 60/100 71/100 ESP

Percentile Scorecard

CWESLTESP

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

AxisCWESLTESP
Valuation 52 #49 of 100 47 #54 of 100 83 #18 of 100
Growth 60 #39 of 97 88 #13 of 97 70 #30 of 97
Profitability 95 #6 of 96 74 #26 of 96 84 #16 of 96
Financial Health 66 #36 of 105 58 #45 of 105 64 #38 of 105
Shareholder Returns 67 #22 of 65 36 #42 of 65 56 #29 of 65
Overall 68 60 71
  • CW ranked among 107 companies in Aerospace and Defense
  • ESLT ranked among 107 companies in Aerospace and Defense
  • ESP ranked among 107 companies in Aerospace and Defense

Price Performance

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

Returns

PeriodCWESLTESPSPY
1 month -10.3%+10.7%-16.8% +0.9%
3 months -29.7%+1.3%-2.8% +5.9%
6 months -31.4%-4.9%-17.4% +8.5%
Year to date -13.3%+34.9%+16.7% +13.3%
1 year -18.8%+64.2%+45.7% +12.4%
3 years +144.2%+319.1%+250.4% +88.1%
3 years, per year +34.7%+61.3%+51.9% +23.5%
5 years +274.2%+390.7%+263.6% +68.2%
5 years, per year +30.2%+37.5%+29.5% +11.0%
10 years +433.9%+694.1%+115.8% +263.4%
10 years, per year +18.2%+23.0%+8.0% +13.8%

Risk

MeasureCWESLTESPSPY
Volatility, 1Y 35.8%44.7%46.5% 12.7%
Downside volatility, 1Y 38.0%39.6%50.4% 12.7%
Beta vs S&P 500, 1Y 1.410.710.87 1.00
Return / volatility, 1Y -0.531.440.98 0.98
Max drawdown, 5Y -41.3%-35.5%-34.6% -25.4%
From 52-week high -39.7%-23.2%-23.8% -0.9%
52-week high $792.61$1,014.33$72.22 $779.14
52-week low $464.99$454.95$37.20 $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.

MultipleCWESLTESP
P/E now vs peer median 32.6xmedian 26.4x 56.0xmedian 26.4x 13.6xmedian 26.4x
P/S now vs peer median 4.8xmedian 3.0x 4.2xmedian 3.0x 3.6xmedian 3.0x
EV/EBITDA now vs peer median 22.5xmedian 14.5x 36.5xmedian 14.5x 10.0xmedian 14.5x
P/FCF now vs peer median 28.2xmedian 26.1x 36.5xmedian 26.1x 64.7xmedian 26.1x
P/B now vs peer median 6.4xmedian 2.5x 8.2xmedian 2.5x 2.8xmedian 2.5x
PEG now vs peer median 1.58median 0.90 1.78median 0.90 0.36median 0.90

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 monthsCWESLTESP
Revenue $3.65B $8.55B $46.12M
Gross profit $1.38B $2.14B $16.28M
Operating income $686.21M $787.82M $11.59M
Net income $541.18M $636.61M $11.18M
Free cash flow $625.29M $992.19M $2.58M
R&D $98.16M $582.72M –
EPS (diluted) $14.58 $13.56 $3.89
Cash & equivalents $477.15M $255.34M $19.44M
Total debt $957.39M $92.13M –
Shares (diluted) 37.12M 46.92M 2.87M
Enterprise value $16.23B $32.75B -$15.09M

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
MetricCWESLTESP
P/E 32.6x 56.0x 13.6x
P/FCF 28.2x 36.5x 64.7x
P/Operating cash flow 24.5x 36.5x 29.4x
P/S 4.8x 4.2x 3.6x
P/B 6.4x 8.2x 2.8x
P/Tangible book 7.8x 8.2x -2.2x
EV/EBITDA 22.5x 36.5x 10.0x
EV/EBIT 26.4x 44.8x 10.5x
EV/Revenue 5.0x 4.1x 2.6x
EV/FCF 29.0x 35.6x 47.1x
EV/Operating cash flow 25.1x 35.6x 21.4x
PEG (3Y EPS CAGR) 1.58 1.78 0.36

Growth

14 metrics
MetricCWESLTESP
Revenue growth (1Y) 10.5% 13.7% 4.9%
Revenue CAGR (3Y) 10.3% 14.4% 9.0%
Gross profit growth (1Y) 11.7% 18.5% 28.4%
Gross profit CAGR (3Y) 11.1% 14.1% 26.5%
Operating income growth (1Y) 17.3% 37.1% 42.7%
Operating income CAGR (3Y) 14.6% 26.5% 39.2%
Net income growth (1Y) 19.9% 58.0% 37.3%
Net income CAGR (3Y) 19.1% 33.7% 44.9%
EPS growth (1Y) 22.4% 50.8% 28.9%
EPS CAGR (3Y) 20.6% 31.5% 37.8%
Operating cash flow growth (1Y) 25.1% 22.1% -72.9%
Operating cash flow CAGR (3Y) 21.0% 82.7% 13.4%
Free cash flow growth (1Y) 24.2% 105.8% -84.5%
Free cash flow CAGR (3Y) 19.5% 175.7% -8.7%

Profitability

14 metrics
MetricCWESLTESP
Gross margin 37.7% 25.0% 35.3%
EBITDA margin 22.0% 11.3% 26.2%
Operating margin 18.8% 9.2% 25.1%
Pretax margin 18.9% 8.1% 28.9%
Net margin 14.8% 7.4% 24.2%
FCF margin 17.1% 11.6% 5.6%
Operating cash flow margin 19.7% 11.6% 12.3%
Return on equity 20.0% 14.7% 19.1%
Return on assets 10.1% 4.7% 11.6%
Return on invested capital 14.7% 17.8% –
Return on capital employed 17.3% 11.0% 19.3%
Asset turnover 0.7x 0.6x 0.5x
Cash conversion (OCF / net income) 1.3x 1.6x 0.5x
Stock comp / revenue 0.7% 0.3% 1.5%

Financial Health

11 metrics
MetricCWESLTESP
Debt / assets 17.5% 0.7% –
Debt / equity 0.3x 0.0x –
Net debt / EBITDA 0.6x -0.9x –
Debt / FCF 1.5x 0.1x –
Liabilities / assets 49.2% 68.2% 37.7%
Equity / assets 50.8% 31.8% 62.3%
Interest coverage 16.2x – –
Current ratio 1.6x 1.4x 2.5x
Quick ratio 1.4x 0.8x 1.5x
Cash ratio 0.3x 0.2x 1.2x
Altman Z-score 6.38 – 4.83

Shareholder Returns

7 metrics
MetricCWESLTESP
Dividend yield 0.2% 0.5% 2.7%
Net buyback yield 2.5% 0.0% -1.2%
Shareholder yield 2.7% 0.5% 1.5%
Payout ratio (earnings) – 22.7% 43.2%
Payout ratio (FCF) – 14.5% 187.2%
Dividend growth (1Y) – -54.3% 86.0%
Dividend CAGR (3Y) – -17.4% 6.1%

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.

ConsensusCWESLTESP
Forward P/E 33.3xFY2026 55.9xFY2026 14.0xFY2027
EPS, next fiscal year $14.35FY2026 $13.93FY2026 $3.93FY2027
EPS growth, next FY +8.5%FY2026 +22.3%FY2026 +1.0%FY2027
EPS growth, the year after +11.6% +21.8% -2.0%
Revenue, next fiscal year $4.03BFY2026 $8.84BFY2026 $49.74MFY2027
Revenue growth, next FY +15.2%FY2026 +11.3%FY2026 +7.8%FY2027
Revenue growth, the year after -3.9% +21.1% +14.5%

Institutional Ownership

13F filings, quarter ended Jun 30, 2026
HoldersCWESLTESP
Held by institutions 85.6% 19.9% 35.4%
Institutions holding 946 384 78
Change in shares held, QoQ +2.8% -7.1% +15.0%
Institutions buying 479 202 50
Institutions selling 313 106 13
Buyers to sellers 1.53 1.91 3.85

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.

CWESLTESP
CW 1.00 0.36 0.24
ESLT 0.36 1.00 0.18
ESP 0.24 0.18 1.00

Add a Peer

Largest companies in the same industry

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, CW, ESLT and ESP?

Elbit Systems (ESLT) is the largest by market capitalisation: Curtiss Wright (CW) $17.64B, Elbit Systems (ESLT) $36.19B, Espey Mfg & Electronics (ESP) $167.09M.

Which stock is cheaper, CW, ESLT and ESP?

Espey Mfg & Electronics (ESP) trades on the lowest price-to-earnings ratio (Curtiss Wright (CW) 32.6x, Elbit Systems (ESLT) 56.0x, Espey Mfg & Electronics (ESP) 13.6x). On next year's consensus earnings, Espey Mfg & Electronics (ESP) is cheapest (Curtiss Wright (CW) 33.3x, Elbit Systems (ESLT) 55.9x, Espey Mfg & Electronics (ESP) 14.0x). A lower multiple can reflect slower expected growth, so read it next to the growth figures.

Which company is growing faster?

Elbit Systems (ESLT) grew revenue fastest over the trailing twelve months: Curtiss Wright (CW) +10.5%, Elbit Systems (ESLT) +13.7%, Espey Mfg & Electronics (ESP) +4.9%.

Which company is more profitable?

Espey Mfg & Electronics (ESP) has the highest net margin (Curtiss Wright (CW) 14.8%, Elbit Systems (ESLT) 7.4%, Espey Mfg & Electronics (ESP) 24.2%). On return on invested capital, Elbit Systems (ESLT) leads (Curtiss Wright (CW) 14.7%, Elbit Systems (ESLT) 17.8%).

Which stock has performed better?

Over the past year Elbit Systems (ESLT) returned the most: Curtiss Wright (CW) -18.8%, Elbit Systems (ESLT) +64.2%, Espey Mfg & Electronics (ESP) +45.7%. Over five years, Elbit Systems (ESLT) compounded fastest (Curtiss Wright (CW) +30.2%/yr, Elbit Systems (ESLT) +37.5%/yr, Espey Mfg & Electronics (ESP) +29.5%/yr). Returns are price only, before dividends.

Which pays a higher dividend?

Espey Mfg & Electronics (ESP) has the highest dividend yield: Curtiss Wright (CW) 0.21%, Elbit Systems (ESLT) 0.48%, Espey Mfg & Electronics (ESP) 2.73%.

Which stock is riskier?

By one-year price volatility, Curtiss Wright (CW) has been the steadiest (Curtiss Wright (CW) 35.8%, Elbit Systems (ESLT) 44.7%, Espey Mfg & Electronics (ESP) 46.5%). Volatility measures how widely the price swings, not the risk of the business.

Which is the better stock, CW, ESLT and ESP?

There is no single answer; it depends on what you are buying for. On the 12 head-to-head measures on this page, Elbit Systems (ESLT) 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.