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AIT vs QXO
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT) vs. QXO (QXO) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- AIT trades at a premium with strong profitability (P/E 29.19, EPS $10.59 TTM) and YTD return of 20.51%, driven by record Q3 FY2026 results with 7.3% sales growth.
- QXO boasts a larger market cap ($13.6B vs. $11.4B) and higher revenue ($6.84B TTM), fueled by aggressive M&A including recent $17B TopBuild deal, but reports TTM loss (EPS -$0.63).
- Both operate in industrial distribution, but AIT emphasizes automation and fluid power, while QXO focuses on building products like roofing and siding.
- AIT shows lower volatility (beta 0.86) and stability; QXO has higher risk (beta 2.37) with growth potential from acquisitions.
- Recent momentum favors AIT on earnings beats and raised guidance, while QXO sentiment ties to integration risks post-M&A.
- AI trading bots on Tickeron highlight diverse strategies, potentially aiding relative performance analysis in volatile industrials sector.
Introduction
This stock comparison examines AIT and QXO, two players in the industrial distribution sector amid shifting market dynamics. Both companies serve manufacturing and construction end-markets, benefiting from automation trends and infrastructure demand. Traders seeking momentum plays may eye recent catalysts, while long-term investors could weigh growth trajectories against profitability. With industrials exposure amid economic uncertainty, this analysis highlights relative performance, business models, and sentiment drivers to inform stock comparison decisions in the current environment.
AIT Overview and Recent Performance
Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT), Inc. distributes industrial motion, power, control, and automation technology solutions across North America, Australia, and beyond. Operating through Service Center and Engineered Solutions segments, it provides bearings, fluid power systems (hydraulic and pneumatic components), and advanced automation like machine vision and robotics for OEMs and integrators.
In recent market activity, AIT shares have demonstrated resilience, trading around $309 with a market cap of $11.4 billion. Year-to-date return stands at 20.51%, outpacing peers, supported by a robust Q3 FY2026 earnings report showing net sales up 7.3% year-over-year to $1.3 billion and organic growth of 6%. Diluted EPS rose, with record EBITDA margins amid strong demand in automation and fluid power. Raised full-year guidance and an expanded share repurchase program have bolstered sentiment, though insider sales signal caution. Lower beta (0.86) reflects stability versus broader market swings.
QXO Overview and Recent Performance
QXO (QXO), Inc. specializes in distributing roofing, waterproofing, siding, and complementary building products across the U.S. and Canada. Serving contractors, homebuilders, and retailers, it offers materials from brands like GAF and Owens Corning, with recent expansions via acquisitions enhancing its platform.
Recent weeks have spotlighted QXO's transformative M&A strategy, including the $17 billion agreement to acquire TopBuild and completion of the Kodiak Building Partners deal, tripling its addressable market. Shares hover near $19, with a $13.6 billion market cap. YTD return is 2.75%, trailing 1-year gains of 35%, reflecting volatility from deal announcements. Q4 2025 adjusted diluted EPS was $0.02 amid integration costs, with TTM revenue at $6.84 billion but EPS at -$0.63. Analyst price target hikes (e.g., Oppenheimer) and financing commitments support optimism, though elevated beta (2.37) underscores execution risks.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
Both AIT and QXO anchor in industrial distribution but diverge in focus: AIT targets automation and fluid power for manufacturing, while QXO emphasizes construction materials like roofing. Growth drivers contrast sharply—AIT relies on organic expansion and engineered solutions (revenue $4.84B TTM), versus QXO's M&A-fueled scale ($6.84B TTM, EV $16.2B).
Recent momentum favors AIT with superior YTD returns and earnings consistency, trading at a price-to-sales of 2.43 versus QXO's 1.68. Risk profiles differ: AIT's profitability (EBITDA $593M) and lower beta offer stability, while QXO (EBITDA $498M) carries higher leverage from deals, reflected in its beta of 2.37. Market sentiment tilts toward QXO for transformative upside amid housing recovery, but AIT leads on proven execution in industrials upcycle.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently favors AIT for its trend consistency, superior stability (lower beta, positive EPS), and recent catalysts like earnings beats over QXO's acquisition-driven volatility. While QXO holds long-term growth potential from scale, AIT's relative positioning in automation trends suggests higher probability of near-term outperformance.
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 AIT is a Buy and QXO is a StrongBuy.
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).
AIT’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green whileQXO’s FA Score has 0 green FA rating(s).
- AIT’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- QXO’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 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.
AIT’s TA Score shows that 4 TA indicator(s) are bullish while QXO’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- AIT’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
- QXO’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
AIT (@Electronics Distributors) experienced а +6.92% price change this week, while QXO (@Electronics Distributors) price change was +0.30% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Electronics Distributors industry was +1.06%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +4.70%, and the average quarterly price growth was +7.32%.
Reported Earning Dates
AIT is expected to report earnings on Aug 06, 2026.
QXO is expected to report earnings on Aug 11, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Electronics Distributors (+1.06% weekly)Electronics distributors are companies that are involved in distribution of one or more of the following: electronic components, computer products/ peripherals and software products & services. Several electronics distributors are also becoming the point of contact for technical/pre- & post-sale support in many cases, in an attempt to bolster their position in the market. Tariffs and/or cross-border trade barriers are some of the potential threats to the electronics supply chain, but that could also potentially lead to re-directing to markets where tariffs/restrictions are lower depending on demand. The industry is also vulnerable in the event of economic slowdowns. Arrow Electronics, Inc., SYNNEX Corporation and Versum Materials, Inc. are some of the major electronics distributors in the U.S.
| AIT | QXO | AIT / QXO | |
| Capitalization | 12.5B | 12.1B | 103% |
| EBITDA | 612M | 182M | 336% |
| Gain YTD | 32.117 | -13.219 | -243% |
| P/E Ratio | 31.95 | 1.75 | 1,825% |
| Revenue | 4.84B | 8.56B | 57% |
| Total Cash | 172M | 3.05B | 6% |
| Total Debt | 365M | 3.9B | 9% |
AIT | QXO | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 40 | 8 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 82 Overvalued | 67 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 9 | 100 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 43 | 95 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 41 | 59 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 25 | 100 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 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.
QXO's Valuation (67) in the Information Technology Services industry is in the same range as AIT (82) in the Wholesale Distributors industry. This means that QXO’s stock grew similarly to AIT’s over the last 12 months.
AIT's Profit vs Risk Rating (9) in the Wholesale Distributors industry is significantly better than the same rating for QXO (100) in the Information Technology Services industry. This means that AIT’s stock grew significantly faster than QXO’s over the last 12 months.
AIT's SMR Rating (43) in the Wholesale Distributors industry is somewhat better than the same rating for QXO (95) in the Information Technology Services industry. This means that AIT’s stock grew somewhat faster than QXO’s over the last 12 months.
AIT's Price Growth Rating (41) in the Wholesale Distributors industry is in the same range as QXO (59) in the Information Technology Services industry. This means that AIT’s stock grew similarly to QXO’s over the last 12 months.
AIT's P/E Growth Rating (25) in the Wholesale Distributors industry is significantly better than the same rating for QXO (100) in the Information Technology Services industry. This means that AIT’s stock grew significantly faster than QXO’s over the last 12 months.
| AIT | QXO | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 55% | 2 days ago 86% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 51% | 2 days ago 87% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 71% | 2 days ago 83% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 71% | 2 days ago 83% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 64% | 2 days ago 81% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 65% | 2 days ago 80% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 64% | 8 days ago 83% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 23 days ago 48% | 16 days ago 76% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 57% | 2 days ago 86% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 66% | 2 days ago 86% |
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AIT and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, AIT has been loosely correlated with MSM. These tickers have moved in lockstep 59% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if AIT jumps, then MSM could also see price increases.