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PWR vs STRL
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Quanta Services (PWR) vs. Sterling Infrastructure (STRL) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- PWR (Quanta Services) is North America's largest specialty infrastructure contractor, with a market capitalization near $97 billion and a diversified grid, utility, and communications platform.
- STRL (Sterling Infrastructure) is a smaller, faster-growing civil infrastructure firm (roughly $16 billion market cap) heavily exposed to data center and semiconductor construction.
- Both stocks carry the strongest sell-side "Strong Buy" consensus and benefit directly from AI-driven power demand and grid modernization.
- STRL has delivered sharper relative momentum (up about 79% year to date) versus PWR (up roughly 45% year to date), reflecting its higher growth but more concentrated exposure.
- PWR offers scale, diversification, and a record backlog, while STRL trades on outsized earnings growth and expanding multi-year project visibility.
Introduction
Investors watching the buildout of America's power grid and the rapid expansion of data center capacity are increasingly comparing infrastructure contractors that sit at the center of these spending waves. PWR and STRL both convert that demand into revenue, yet they do so with very different scale, diversification, and growth profiles. This stock comparison examines their relative performance, business models, and market positioning to help traders and longer-term investors decide which profile better fits the current market environment.
PWR Overview and Recent Performance
Quanta Services (PWR) is the largest specialty contractor in North America, providing integrated infrastructure solutions across electric power, gas utility, renewable generation, and communications. In recent weeks, sentiment has been supported by record profitability and firming analyst targets. The company's most recent quarterly results showed net income nearly doubling year over year, with revenue climbing about 41% and operating margins expanding across its electric and underground segments.
Recent market activity has reflected both strength and valuation debate. The stock has gained roughly 45% year to date, and analysts recently raised price targets following upgrades that cite accelerating utility capital expenditures (capex) and AI data center power demand. However, PWR trades at a notably elevated price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple, and some commentators flag a limited margin of safety after a multi-year run. A record backlog tied to grid modernization and transmission expansion underpins the longer-term growth case.
STRL Overview and Recent Performance
Sterling Infrastructure (STRL) is a civil infrastructure contractor organized around three segments: E-Infrastructure Solutions, Transportation Solutions, and Building Solutions. Its growth has been concentrated in mission-critical work—data centers, semiconductor campuses, and advanced manufacturing—where the E-Infrastructure segment now accounts for the large majority of revenue.
Recent quarters have been exceptional. Revenue grew about 90% year over year in the most recent period, with adjusted earnings per share (EPS) more than doubling, and management raised full-year guidance on the strength of a record backlog. Shares have advanced roughly 79% year to date, outpacing the broader market by a wide margin. The company has also signaled a strategic shift toward higher-margin projects and is investing in capacity—hiring, equipment, and acquisitions—rather than demand, which management describes as the primary constraint on growth.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
The clearest contrast between the two is scale versus growth. PWR is a diversified, mature platform spanning utilities, generation, and communications, which lends stability but comes with a demanding valuation. STRL is a more concentrated, faster-growing operator whose fortunes are closely tied to the data center and semiconductor cycle—a source of strong momentum but also greater single-theme risk.
On growth drivers, both lean on AI-related electrification, yet PWR's exposure is broad (transmission, storm hardening, renewables interconnection), while STRL's is narrower and higher-velocity (mission-critical site development and electrical work). In terms of recent momentum, STRL has outperformed, though it is also more prone to volatility from award timing and a softer residential market. Risk factors for PWR include execution on large programs and valuation; for STRL, they include customer concentration and capacity constraints.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors, Tickeron's AI would likely lean toward STRL in the current environment, reflecting its stronger relative momentum, higher earnings growth, and robust multi-year backlog visibility. The system tends to favor consistent trend direction and clear catalysts, which STRL's accelerating mission-critical pipeline currently provides. That said, PWR offers superior stability, scale, and diversification, which may make it a more balanced candidate for trend consistency over a longer horizon. The preference is probabilistic rather than definitive and should be read as a tilt, not a fixed conclusion.
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 PWR is a Hold and STRL is a Hold.
PWR in -2.42% downward trend, falling for three consecutive days on October 13, 2026
Moving lower for three straight days is viewed as a bearish sign. Keep an eye on this stock for future declines. Considering data from situations where PWR declined for three days, in 160 of 265 cases, the price declined further within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 60%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for PWR moved out of overbought territory on October 07, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 40 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 24 of the 40 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 60%.
The Stochastic Oscillator may be shifting from an upward trend to a downward trend. In 44 of 76 cases where PWR's Stochastic Oscillator exited the overbought zone, the price fell further within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 58%.
PWR broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 02, 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.
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on September 28, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on PWR as a result. In 65 of 79 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 82%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for PWR just turned positive on September 09, 2026. Looking at past instances where PWR's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 39 of 50 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 78%.
PWR moved above its 50-day moving average on September 24, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
The 10-day moving average for PWR crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 01, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 13 of 13 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 90%.
Following a +6.36% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where PWR advanced for three days, in 257 of 348 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 74%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 272 of 362 cases where PWR Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 75%.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 13 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating low risk on high returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 75, placing this stock better than average.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 22 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating outstanding price growth. PWR’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 27 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding 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 SMR rating for this company is 56 (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 Valuation Rating of 86 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is significantly 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 (10.050) is normal, around the industry mean (16.441). P/E Ratio (73.725) is within average values for comparable stocks, (203.442). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (1.443) is also within normal values, averaging (3.522). Dividend Yield (0.001) settles around the average of (0.007) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (2.860) is also within normal values, averaging (2.926).
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.
STRL sees its 50-day moving average cross bearishly below its 200-day moving average
The 50-day moving average for STRL moved below the 200-day moving average on September 29, 2026. This could be a long-term bearish signal for the stock as the stock shifts to an downward trend.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bearish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved below the 0 level on October 13, 2026. You may want to consider selling the stock, shorting the stock, or exploring put options on STRL as a result. In 71 of 88 cases where the Momentum Indicator fell below 0, the stock fell further within the subsequent month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 81%.
STRL moved below its 50-day moving average on October 09, 2026 date and that indicates a change from an upward trend to a downward trend.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where STRL 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 72%.
STRL broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 06, 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.
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the oversold zone for 1 day, which means it's wise to expect a price bounce in the near future.
The 10-day moving average for STRL crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 07, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 14 of 15 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 90%.
Following a +8.47% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where STRL advanced for three days, in 286 of 351 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 81%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 250 of 311 cases where STRL Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 80%.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 27 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating very 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 41 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to consistent 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 Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 50 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating well-balanced risk and returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 75, placing this stock slightly better than average.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 52 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. STRL’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 84 (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 (11.236) is normal, around the industry mean (16.441). P/E Ratio (35.905) is within average values for comparable stocks, (203.442). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.611) is also within normal values, averaging (3.522). Dividend Yield (0.000) settles around the average of (0.007) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (4.365) is also within normal values, averaging (2.926).
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.
PWR | STRL | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 30 | 88 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 86 Overvalued | 84 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 13 | 50 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 56 | 27 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 22 | 52 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 27 | 41 | |
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.
STRL's Valuation (84) in the Engineering And Construction industry is in the same range as PWR (86). This means that STRL’s stock grew similarly to PWR’s over the last 12 months.
PWR's Profit vs Risk Rating (13) in the Engineering And Construction industry is somewhat better than the same rating for STRL (50). This means that PWR’s stock grew somewhat faster than STRL’s over the last 12 months.
STRL's SMR Rating (27) in the Engineering And Construction industry is in the same range as PWR (56). This means that STRL’s stock grew similarly to PWR’s over the last 12 months.
PWR's Price Growth Rating (22) in the Engineering And Construction industry is in the same range as STRL (52). This means that PWR’s stock grew similarly to STRL’s over the last 12 months.
PWR's P/E Growth Rating (27) in the Engineering And Construction industry is in the same range as STRL (41). This means that PWR’s stock grew similarly to STRL’s over the last 12 months.
| PWR | STRL | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 60% | N/A |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 58% | 1 day ago 73% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 82% | 1 day ago 81% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 6 days ago 78% | N/A |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 63% | 1 day ago 71% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 77% | 1 day ago 78% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 9 days ago 74% | 13 days ago 81% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 60% | 1 day ago 72% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 50% | 1 day ago 63% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 75% | 1 day ago 80% |
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).
PWR’s FA Score shows that 3 FA rating(s) are green while STRL’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- PWR’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 red.
- STRL’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.
PWR’s TA Score shows that 6 TA indicator(s) are bullish while STRL’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- PWR’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 4 bearish.
- STRL’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
PWR (@Engineering & Construction) experienced а -4.26% price change this week, while STRL (@Engineering & Construction) price change was -11.55% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Engineering & Construction industry was -5.29%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -6.65%, and the average quarterly price growth was -17.63%.
Reported Earning Dates
PWR is expected to report earnings on Oct 29, 2026.
STRL is expected to report earnings on Nov 09, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Engineering & Construction (-5.29% weekly)Engineering & Construction includes companies that engage in non-residential construction and contract services, including ventilation, heating and air conditioning (HVAC) services. The level/value of construction & engineering activity is one of the potentially relevant indicators of the health of businesses, and hence of the overall economy. Some of the large-cap U.S. companies in this industry include Jacobs Engineering Group Inc,, AECOM and Quanta Services, Inc.
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PWR and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, PWR has been closely correlated with FIX. These tickers have moved in lockstep 78% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if PWR jumps, then FIX could also see price increases.
STRL and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, STRL has been closely correlated with FIX. These tickers have moved in lockstep 74% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if STRL jumps, then FIX could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To STRL | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STRL | 100% | -0.51% | ||
| FIX - STRL | 74% Closely correlated | -0.70% | ||
| ECG - STRL | 71% Closely correlated | -1.41% | ||
| PWR - STRL | 69% Closely correlated | -0.85% | ||
| EME - STRL | 68% Closely correlated | -0.40% | ||
| MYRG - STRL | 67% Closely correlated | -1.31% | ||
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