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AIR vs WWD
Which Stock Would AI Choose? AAR Corp (AIR) vs. Woodward, Inc. (WWD) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- AIR is an aerospace aftermarket and MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) specialist that recently agreed to acquire a controlling stake in MRO Holdings, positioning itself as the largest global heavy-MRO provider.
- WWD is a designer and manufacturer of aerospace and industrial control solutions, delivering strong earnings growth driven by commercial aerospace services and data-center power demand.
- Both stocks trade at different valuation profiles: AIR carries a materially lower trailing price-to-earnings ratio than WWD, reflecting contrasting growth and profitability characteristics.
- WWD offers a modest dividend, while AIR does not pay a dividend and has leaned on acquisitions for scale.
- Recent momentum diverged: AIR pulled back sharply from multi-month highs, while WWD also retreated after a strong earnings report despite raising guidance.
Introduction
Investors tracking the aerospace and defense supply chain frequently compare AIR and WWD, two companies with meaningful commercial aviation exposure but sharply different business models. This stock comparison is relevant for traders and long-term investors seeking to understand relative performance, market positioning, and the distinct growth and risk drivers behind each name. AIR focuses on the aftermarket services economy, while WWD centers on original equipment manufacturing (OEM) and industrial control systems. Examining the two side by side helps clarify which type of aerospace exposure may better suit different market conditions and investor objectives.
AIR Overview and Recent Performance
AAR Corp. (AIR) is a global aerospace and defense aftermarket solutions provider operating through Parts Supply; Repair, Engineering, and Software; Government Solutions; and Legacy Commercial Programs segments. The company has grown revenue through a combination of organic demand and acquisitions, including HAECO Americas and ADI, and recently announced a definitive agreement to acquire a 65% controlling interest in MRO Holdings for an equity value of approximately $1.8 billion, a transaction designed to make AAR the largest heavy-MRO provider globally.
In recent market activity, AIR shares traded well below their 52-week high after a period of elevated volatility. The company reported solid fiscal results, with sales and adjusted earnings per share rising year over year, while a newer quarter showed revenue growth exceeding expectations even as earnings per share (EPS) came in below some analyst estimates. Rising short interest and a pullback from recent highs have contributed to a more cautious near-term sentiment, even as sell-side price targets remained above prevailing market levels.
WWD Overview and Recent Performance
Woodward, Inc. (WWD) designs, manufactures, and services control solutions for aerospace and industrial markets, operating through two segments: Aerospace and Industrial. The Aerospace segment supplies fuel, air, combustion, and motion control systems, while the Industrial segment serves power generation, transportation, and oil and gas markets, including gas-fired power for data centers and marine applications.
In recent quarters, WWD posted double-digit sales growth and raised its fiscal-year adjusted earnings guidance, supported by strong commercial aerospace services and broad industrial demand. Adjusted earnings per share climbed sharply year over year. Despite the strong results, the stock pulled back in the following week, as investors weighed factors such as normalizing pricing, elevated capital expenditures, and the wind-down of the China on-highway business. The shares trade on a higher valuation multiple than AIR, reflecting stronger profitability metrics and a different growth profile.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
The two companies occupy different positions within the aerospace value chain. AIR is primarily an aftermarket services and parts distributor, a model that benefits from an aging global fleet and rising flight activity but is also sensitive to labor costs, hangar capacity, and acquisition integration. WWD is an OEM supplier and services provider whose aerospace revenue is tied to aircraft production rates and engine service activity, while its industrial segment adds diversification into power generation and energy markets.
Growth drivers also contrast. AIR is expanding through acquisitions such as MRO Holdings, which adds scale but also introduces integration and leverage considerations. WWD is growing organically through pricing, productivity initiatives, and secular demand from data-center power and next-generation engine platforms. On valuation, WWD trades at a substantially higher multiple and offers a dividend, while AIR trades at a lower multiple with no dividend. From a momentum standpoint, both names have experienced near-term pullbacks, but WWD has demonstrated stronger profitability metrics and a lower beta, while AIR carries higher balance-sheet leverage relative to its cash flow.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors such as trend consistency, earnings momentum, profitability, and relative positioning, Tickeron's AI would likely lean toward WWD in the current environment. The company's combination of broad-based revenue growth, expanding margins, higher return on equity (ROE), lower volatility, and a shareholder return via dividends and buybacks suggests a more stable fundamental profile than AIR. That said, AIR may appeal to momentum- and value-oriented models given its lower valuation and transformative acquisition catalyst, though integration risk and elevated leverage temper that appeal. The AI's preference would therefore be probabilistic rather than definitive, favoring WWD for consistency while acknowledging AIR as a higher-beta alternative tied to successful MRO consolidation.
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 disclaimer.
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 AIR is a StrongBuy and WWD is a StrongBuy.
AIR in upward trend: price may jump up because it broke its lower Bollinger Band on September 29, 2026
AIR may jump back above the lower band and head toward the middle band. Traders may consider buying the stock or exploring call options. In 29 of 32 cases where AIR's price broke its lower Bollinger Band, its price rose further in the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 90%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The RSI Indicator points to a transition from a downward trend to an upward trend -- in cases where AIR's RSI Oscillator exited the oversold zone, 19 of 22 resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are 86%.
The Stochastic Oscillator suggests the stock price trend may be in a reversal from a downward trend to an upward trend. 41 of 53 cases where AIR's Stochastic Oscillator exited the oversold zone resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are 77%.
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 21, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on AIR as a result. In 59 of 73 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 81%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for AIR just turned positive on October 15, 2026. Looking at past instances where AIR's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 35 of 43 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 81%.
Following a +1.83% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where AIR advanced for three days, in 253 of 343 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 74%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where AIR declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 59%.
The Aroon Indicator for AIR entered a downward trend on October 19, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 41 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating well-balanced risk and returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 78, placing this stock slightly better than average.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 49 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (2.354) is normal, around the industry mean (4.905). P/E Ratio (20.418) is within average values for comparable stocks, (16.553). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.060) is also within normal values, averaging (2.564). Dividend Yield (0.003) settles around the average of (0.062) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (1.361) is also within normal values, averaging (18.330).
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 62 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. AIR’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 62 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 95 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is significantly overvalued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 96 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to worse than average earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
WWD's RSI Oscillator climbs out of oversold territory
The RSI Indicator for WWD moved out of oversold territory on September 18, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is shifting from a downward trend to an upward trend. Traders may want to buy the stock or call options. The A.I.dvisor looked at 17 similar instances when the indicator left oversold territory. In 13 of the 17 cases the stock moved higher. This puts the odds of a move higher at 76%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 21, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on WWD as a result. In 60 of 87 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 69%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for WWD just turned positive on September 21, 2026. Looking at past instances where WWD's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 34 of 46 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 74%.
Following a +0.33% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where WWD advanced for three days, in 239 of 341 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 70%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator may be shifting from an upward trend to a downward trend. In 33 of 61 cases where WWD's Stochastic Oscillator exited the overbought zone, the price fell further within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 54%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where WWD declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 53%.
WWD broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 01, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
The Aroon Indicator for WWD entered a downward trend on September 24, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 24 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating low risk on high returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 78, placing this stock better than average.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 43 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 56 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to average earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 57 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. WWD’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 76 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly overvalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (7.761) is normal, around the industry mean (4.905). P/E Ratio (35.151) is within average values for comparable stocks, (16.553). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (2.106) is also within normal values, averaging (2.564). Dividend Yield (0.004) settles around the average of (0.062) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (4.666) is also within normal values, averaging (18.330).
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 95 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is significantly overvalued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
AIR | WWD | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 70 | 75 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 49 Fair valued | 76 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 41 | 24 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 62 | 43 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 62 | 57 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 96 | 56 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 90 | 90 |
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.
AIR's Valuation (49) in the Aerospace And Defense industry is in the same range as WWD (76) in the Industrial Machinery industry. This means that AIR’s stock grew similarly to WWD’s over the last 12 months.
WWD's Profit vs Risk Rating (24) in the Industrial Machinery industry is in the same range as AIR (41) in the Aerospace And Defense industry. This means that WWD’s stock grew similarly to AIR’s over the last 12 months.
WWD's SMR Rating (43) in the Industrial Machinery industry is in the same range as AIR (62) in the Aerospace And Defense industry. This means that WWD’s stock grew similarly to AIR’s over the last 12 months.
WWD's Price Growth Rating (57) in the Industrial Machinery industry is in the same range as AIR (62) in the Aerospace And Defense industry. This means that WWD’s stock grew similarly to AIR’s over the last 12 months.
WWD's P/E Growth Rating (56) in the Industrial Machinery industry is somewhat better than the same rating for AIR (96) in the Aerospace And Defense industry. This means that WWD’s stock grew somewhat faster than AIR’s over the last 12 months.
| AIR | WWD | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 86% | 3 days ago 76% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 77% | 1 day ago 54% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 81% | 1 day ago 69% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 81% | 1 day ago 74% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 74% | 1 day ago 54% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 51% | 1 day ago 60% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 7 days ago 74% | 30 days ago 70% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 9 days ago 59% | 9 days ago 53% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 90% | 1 day ago 48% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 52% | 1 day ago 57% |
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 overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
AIR’s FA Score shows that 0 FA rating(s) are green while WWD’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- AIR’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 red.
- WWD’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.
AIR’s TA Score shows that 6 TA indicator(s) are bullish while WWD’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- AIR’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 2 bearish.
- WWD’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
AIR (@Aerospace & Defense) experienced а +2.66% price change this week, while WWD (@Aerospace & Defense) price change was -1.03% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Aerospace & Defense industry was -0.47%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -15.70%, and the average quarterly price growth was -16.30%.
Reported Earning Dates
AIR is expected to report earnings on Jan 06, 2027.
WWD is expected to report earnings on Nov 23, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Aerospace & Defense (-0.47% weekly)Aerospace & Defense is one of largest industries in the U.S., mainly comprising the following areas: commercial airliners, military aircraft, missiles, space, and general aviation. Focused heavily on research & development, it is also one of the fastest growing industries. Military aircraft has the largest market share in the industry’s sales, followed by space systems, civil aircraft, and missiles. Aerospace exports, directly and indirectly, support more jobs than the export of any other commodity, according to a study by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin Corporation and General Electric Company are some of the most prominent players in this space.
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AIR and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, AIR has been loosely correlated with VSEC. These tickers have moved in lockstep 64% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if AIR jumps, then VSEC could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To AIR | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIR | 100% | -0.16% | ||
| VSEC - AIR | 64% Loosely correlated | -1.82% | ||
| LOAR - AIR | 61% Loosely correlated | +1.14% | ||
| GE - AIR | 60% Loosely correlated | -1.33% | ||
| DCO - AIR | 59% Loosely correlated | +1.29% | ||
| CW - AIR | 58% Loosely correlated | -0.21% | ||
More | ||||
WWD and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, WWD has been loosely correlated with GE. These tickers have moved in lockstep 58% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if WWD jumps, then GE could also see price increases.