Head-To-Head Comparison: Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC) vs. Core & Main (NYSE:CNM)

Willis Lease Finance (NASDAQ:WLFC) and Core & Main (NYSE:CNM) are both industrials companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, risk, earnings, analyst recommendations, valuation, institutional ownership and profitability.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Willis Lease Finance and Core & Main”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Willis Lease Finance	$730.24 million	1.42	$113.76 million	$3.37	13.52
Core & Main	$7.65 billion	1.14	$441.00 million	$2.43	18.89

Core & Main has higher revenue and earnings than Willis Lease Finance. Willis Lease Finance is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Core & Main, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Profitability

This table compares Willis Lease Finance and Core & Main’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Willis Lease Finance	9.38%	11.89%	2.20%
Core & Main	5.96%	25.98%	8.53%

Volatility & Risk

Willis Lease Finance has a beta of 0.76, indicating that its stock price is 24% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Core & Main has a beta of 0.91, indicating that its stock price is 9% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Willis Lease Finance and Core & Main, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Willis Lease Finance	1	1	1	1	2.50
Core & Main	0	6	8	0	2.57

Willis Lease Finance presently has a consensus target price of $75.50, indicating a potential upside of 65.73%. Core & Main has a consensus target price of $54.00, indicating a potential upside of 17.67%. Given Willis Lease Finance’s higher probable upside, equities analysts plainly believe Willis Lease Finance is more favorable than Core & Main.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

93.7% of Willis Lease Finance shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 94.2% of Core & Main shares are held by institutional investors. 56.4% of Willis Lease Finance shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 1.5% of Core & Main shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

Core & Main beats Willis Lease Finance on 9 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Willis Lease Finance

Willis Lease Finance Corporation is an aviation services company specializing in the leasing and servicing of commercial aircraft engines. Founded in 1985, the company provides engines and related equipment to airlines, aircraft operators and maintenance providers. Its activities include leasing aircraft engines and auxiliary power units, trading engines and parts, and providing aviation maintenance and repair services. Willis Lease Finance also manages engine and equipment portfolios for customers.

About Core & Main

Core & Main, Inc. is a distributor of products and services used in water, wastewater, storm drainage, and fire protection infrastructure. Its customers include municipalities, water utilities, contractors, and other commercial and industrial organizations. The company offers products such as pipe, valves, fittings, hydrants, meters, and related supplies. It also provides services supporting infrastructure projects, including product fabrication and technical assistance. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, Core & Main serves customers across the United States through a network of branches.