Advertisement
AAON vs WMS
Which Stock Would AI Choose? AAON, Inc. (AAON) vs. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (WMS) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- AAON, Inc. (AAON) has delivered stronger YTD performance at approximately 23%, outpacing WMS's roughly 1% gain amid data center cooling demand.
- WMS exhibits superior profitability with a trailing P/E ratio (price-to-earnings ratio, a measure of valuation relative to earnings) of 23 versus AAON's 71, alongside higher ROE (return on equity, profitability relative to shareholders' equity) at 28% compared to 13%.
- Both stocks trade in the building products sector but diverge in focus: AAON on HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems with AI/data center catalysts, WMS on water management products tied to infrastructure and residential demand.
- Recent momentum favors AAON with 14% one-month gains versus WMS's 3% decline, though WMS shows better one-year returns of 25% over AAON's 5%.
- Analyst targets suggest upside for both, averaging $123 for AAON and $190 for WMS, reflecting growth potential in their respective niches.
- Tickeron's AI robots highlight sector-tailored strategies, with some posting annualized returns up to 169% in industrials and related areas.
Introduction
This stock comparison examines AAON and WMS, two leaders in the building products industry with distinct specializations in HVAC equipment and water management solutions. Both benefit from infrastructure trends and commercial construction but face varying sensitivities to economic cycles and sector-specific drivers like data centers for AAON and residential/agricultural demand for WMS. Traders seeking momentum in growth areas and investors eyeing relative valuation in industrials will find this analysis useful for assessing market positioning, recent performance, and potential trade-offs in the current environment.
AAON Overview and Recent Performance
AAON, Inc., headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, engineers, manufactures, and sells air conditioning and heating equipment, including rooftop units, data center cooling solutions, and energy recovery systems. Operating through segments like AAON Oklahoma, AAON Coil Products, and BASX, it serves commercial sectors such as data centers, retail, and medical facilities.
In recent market activity, AAON shares have shown resilience, trading around $94 with a market cap of $7.7 billion and a 52-week range of $62 to $116. YTD returns stand at 23%, with one-month gains near 14%, outperforming broader indices. This momentum stems from robust Q4 2025 results, where revenue surged 43% year-over-year to $424 million despite an EPS miss, fueled by BASX segment growth in custom data center cooling—up 143% to $548 million annually—and a record backlog signaling sustained demand. Analyst sentiment remains positive, with targets averaging $123 and recent upgrades citing AI infrastructure tailwinds, though high valuation and margin pressures from facility expansions temper gains.
WMS Overview and Recent Performance
Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (WMS), designs, manufactures, and markets thermoplastic corrugated pipes and water management products for stormwater, wastewater, and drainage applications. Through segments including Pipe, Infiltrator, International, and Allied Products, it targets residential, non-residential, agricultural, and infrastructure markets across the U.S., Canada, and beyond.
Recently, WMS shares hover near $143, with a $11.1 billion market cap and 52-week range of $105 to $179. YTD performance is modest at 1%, with a one-month dip of 3%, contrasting stronger one-year returns of 25%. Influences include choppy share price moves amid valuation debates, with Q3 FY2026 EPS beating estimates at $1.27 on $693 million revenue. Positive analyst notes highlight buying opportunities and free cash flow strength, though recent target trims reflect infrastructure slowdown risks. Overall sentiment balances solid fundamentals against cyclical housing exposure.
Trending AI Robots
Tickeron’s Trending AI Robots page curates the top-performing AI trading bots from hundreds available on the platform, which collectively trade thousands of tickers across stocks, ETFs, and crypto. Only the most suitable for prevailing market conditions—based on metrics like annualized returns up to 169%, win rates of 51-88%, and profit factors reaching 11.7—earn a spot among the 25 featured. These bots employ diverse strategies, from momentum in semiconductors and industrials to sector rotation in data centers, gold miners, and leveraged ETFs, with average trade durations spanning 1-48 days and drawdowns managed effectively. Explore these high-conviction signals to align automated trading with current trends.
Head-to-Head Comparison
AAON and WMS operate in complementary building products niches, with AAON's HVAC focus driving growth via data center catalysts and commercial HVAC outperformance, while WMS leverages infrastructure and residential plumbing for steady demand. Valuation contrasts sharply: AAON's trailing P/E of 71 and forward 48 reflect premium pricing for 43% quarterly revenue growth, versus WMS's more attractive 23 trailing P/E and 21 forward, supported by 28% ROE but tempered by 0.4% revenue growth.
Recent momentum favors AAON's 23% YTD surge amid backlog conversion, against WMS's cyclical dips, though WMS edges one-year gains at 25%. Risk profiles differ—AAON faces execution risks in expansions (debt/equity 47%), WMS higher leverage at 74% but stronger cash position. Sector exposure pits AAON's AI/tech sensitivity against WMS's housing/infra ties, with market sentiment leaning bullish on both via "Strong Buy" ratings, though AAON's volatility suits traders and WMS's stability appeals to value investors.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently favors AAON due to superior trend consistency in recent weeks, robust backlog from data center catalysts, and stronger relative YTD positioning amid industrial momentum. While WMS offers better valuation and profitability, AAON's growth trajectory and analyst upside (38% to targets) suggest higher probability of near-term outperformance, albeit with elevated volatility.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full Disclaimers and Limitations.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is AAON is a Hold and WMS is a Hold.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
AAON’s FA Score shows that 1 FA rating(s) are green whileWMS’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- AAON’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- WMS’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
AAON’s TA Score shows that 6 TA indicator(s) are bullish while WMS’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- AAON’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 4 bearish.
- WMS’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 6 bearish.
Price Growth
AAON (@Building Products) experienced а +54.13% price change this week, while WMS (@Building Products) price change was +2.17% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Building Products industry was +6.95%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +10.49%, and the average quarterly price growth was +20.57%.
Reported Earning Dates
AAON is expected to report earnings on Jul 30, 2026.
WMS is expected to report earnings on May 21, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Building Products (+6.95% weekly)The industry manufactures products used in the construction of residential and commercial buildings. The process involves using materials and other products, and processing them to create finished items such as doors, windows, light fittings, floor coverings, climate control products and other building components and home improvement products. Masco Corporation, Allegion PLC and Lennox International Inc. are major manufacturers of such products.
| AAON | WMS | AAON / WMS | |
| Capitalization | 11.6B | 11.2B | 104% |
| EBITDA | 250M | 917M | 27% |
| Gain YTD | 85.998 | -0.600 | -14,338% |
| P/E Ratio | 99.75 | 23.93 | 417% |
| Revenue | 1.62B | 2.99B | 54% |
| Total Cash | 13K | 1.01B | 0% |
| Total Debt | 451M | 1.45B | 31% |
AAON | WMS | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 30 | 9 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 95 Overvalued | 74 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 37 | 73 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 60 | 36 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 37 | 60 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 12 | 33 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 85 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
WMS's Valuation (74) in the Miscellaneous Manufacturing industry is in the same range as AAON (95) in the Industrial Machinery industry. This means that WMS’s stock grew similarly to AAON’s over the last 12 months.
AAON's Profit vs Risk Rating (37) in the Industrial Machinery industry is somewhat better than the same rating for WMS (73) in the Miscellaneous Manufacturing industry. This means that AAON’s stock grew somewhat faster than WMS’s over the last 12 months.
WMS's SMR Rating (36) in the Miscellaneous Manufacturing industry is in the same range as AAON (60) in the Industrial Machinery industry. This means that WMS’s stock grew similarly to AAON’s over the last 12 months.
AAON's Price Growth Rating (37) in the Industrial Machinery industry is in the same range as WMS (60) in the Miscellaneous Manufacturing industry. This means that AAON’s stock grew similarly to WMS’s over the last 12 months.
AAON's P/E Growth Rating (12) in the Industrial Machinery industry is in the same range as WMS (33) in the Miscellaneous Manufacturing industry. This means that AAON’s stock grew similarly to WMS’s over the last 12 months.
| AAON | WMS | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 64% | 2 days ago 71% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 62% | 2 days ago 70% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 81% | 2 days ago 70% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 80% | 2 days ago 67% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 77% | 2 days ago 70% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 78% | 2 days ago 68% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 76% | 7 days ago 70% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 14 days ago 68% | 5 days ago 68% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 70% | 2 days ago 79% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 80% | 2 days ago 66% |
Advertisement
| 1 Day | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ETFs / NAME | Price $ | Chg $ | Chg % |
| QQQA | 72.59 | 1.03 | +1.44% |
| ProShares Nasdaq-100 Drsy Wght Momt ETF | |||
| SCJ | 105.54 | 0.80 | +0.76% |
| iShares MSCI Japan Small-Cap ETF | |||
| CALI | 50.43 | N/A | N/A |
| iShares Short-Term CA Muni Act ETF | |||
| VTEI | 100.59 | -0.01 | -0.01% |
| Vanguard Intermediate-Term Tx-Exm Bd ETF | |||
| GRW | 30.33 | -0.13 | -0.42% |
| TCW Durable Growth ETF | |||
AAON and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, AAON has been loosely correlated with IR. These tickers have moved in lockstep 46% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if AAON jumps, then IR could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To AAON | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAON | 100% | +1.42% | ||
| IR - AAON | 46% Loosely correlated | -1.39% | ||
| CARR - AAON | 42% Loosely correlated | -1.42% | ||
| APT - AAON | 42% Loosely correlated | +3.11% | ||
| LPX - AAON | 41% Loosely correlated | -2.89% | ||
| BXC - AAON | 40% Loosely correlated | -3.63% | ||
More | ||||
WMS and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, WMS has been loosely correlated with BLDR. These tickers have moved in lockstep 62% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if WMS jumps, then BLDR could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To WMS | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMS | 100% | +0.43% | ||
| BLDR - WMS | 62% Loosely correlated | -3.26% | ||
| MAS - WMS | 58% Loosely correlated | -1.60% | ||
| LII - WMS | 57% Loosely correlated | +0.04% | ||
| OC - WMS | 56% Loosely correlated | -1.50% | ||
| FBIN - WMS | 56% Loosely correlated | -0.53% | ||
More | ||||