Advertisement
PWR vs STRL
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Quanta Services (PWR) vs. Sterling Infrastructure (STRL) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Both PWR and STRL operate in the infrastructure sector, benefiting from electrification, data centers, and energy transition demands.
- STRL shows superior recent momentum with YTD returns around 163% versus PWR's 83%.
- PWR reported Q1 2026 revenue of $7.87 billion (up 26.3% YoY) and a record $48.5 billion backlog.
- STRL delivered Q1 2026 revenue of $825.7 million (up 91.6% YoY) and raised full-year guidance.
- Over one year, STRL returned approximately 384% compared to PWR's over 100%.
- PWR offers scale and diversification; STRL provides higher growth velocity in e-infrastructure.
Introduction
Quanta Services (PWR) and Sterling Infrastructure (STRL) are key players in the infrastructure construction sector, capitalizing on surging demand for electric grid upgrades, data centers, and transportation projects amid the energy transition and AI boom. This stock comparison evaluates their recent performance, business models, and market positioning to assist traders seeking momentum opportunities and investors focused on long-term infrastructure growth. Both stocks have significantly outperformed broader indices in recent market activity, reflecting strong sector tailwinds, but differ in scale, specialization, and volatility, making the analysis relevant for diversified portfolios or sector-specific bets.
PWR Overview and Recent Performance
Quanta Services, Inc. (PWR) is a leading provider of specialized infrastructure solutions for electric power, pipeline, renewable energy, and communications industries. The company delivers engineering, procurement, construction, and maintenance services, with a focus on transmission, distribution, and data center infrastructure.
In recent quarters, PWR has shown robust growth, reporting Q1 2026 revenue of $7.87 billion, a 26.3% year-over-year increase, surpassing estimates by 12.6%. Adjusted EPS reached $2.68, beating consensus by 31.2%, driven by strong demand in electric infrastructure from utilities and data centers. The company ended the quarter with a record backlog of $48.5 billion, up from $43.9 billion expected, signaling sustained visibility. Year-to-date, shares have gained approximately 83%, with 30-day returns around 18%, fueled by raised full-year guidance and AI-related power demand. Sentiment remains positive due to the company's scale and diversified exposure, though valuation concerns have emerged post-rally.
STRL Overview and Recent Performance
Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. (STRL) specializes in e-infrastructure, transportation, and building solutions, including civil construction for highways, data centers, and residential developments. Operating through subsidiaries, it focuses on high-margin projects in mission-critical sectors like data centers and manufacturing reshoring.
Recent market activity highlights STRL's explosive growth, with Q1 2026 revenue surging 91.6% year-over-year to $825.7 million, beating estimates by 39.5%. Adjusted EPS of $3.59 exceeded consensus by 63.9%, boosted by the CEC Facilities Group acquisition and organic e-infrastructure wins. Backlog expanded to $5.15 billion, up 131%, with full-year revenue guidance raised 21% above expectations. Shares have delivered YTD returns of about 163% and one-year gains near 384%, reflecting enthusiasm for its niche positioning amid infrastructure spending. Performance has been volatile but upward-trending, influenced by strong execution and sector momentum.
Trending AI Robots
Tickeron’s Trending AI Robots page showcases the top 25 AI trading bots selected from 351 total, curated by AI analysis for superior performance in current market conditions like volatility and sector rotations. These bots employ diverse strategies—momentum, sector rotation, and pattern recognition—across timeframes from intraday to swing trades, targeting thousands of tickers in high-growth areas such as semiconductors, industrials, data centers, AI infrastructure, oil & energy, and small-caps. Standout stats include annualized returns up to +169%, win rates of 70–88%, and profit factors reaching 11.7, with some achieving low drawdowns amid rapid gains. Tickeron offers hundreds of AI Trading Bots overall, each with unique styles, performances, and ticker sets, but only the most suitable earn a spot here based on real-time forward-testing. Explore these bots for potential edge in stock trading; subscribe to access signals and copy trades directly.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Quanta Services (PWR) and Sterling Infrastructure (STRL) both thrive in infrastructure but diverge in scale and focus. PWR's broad business model spans electric transmission, renewables, and pipelines, offering diversification across utilities and large-load centers like data centers, supported by a massive $48.5 billion backlog. STRL emphasizes niche e-infrastructure and civil works, with faster growth in data centers and transportation via targeted acquisitions like CEC, yielding a $5.15 billion backlog.
Growth drivers contrast: PWR benefits from steady utility capex (CAPEX, capital expenditures) and grid modernization; STRL from high-margin mission-critical projects. Recent momentum favors STRL (384% one-year return vs. PWR's 100%+), but PWR exhibits greater stability as a large-cap leader. Risk factors include project delays and labor shortages for both, amplified by STRL's smaller size and higher beta. Sector exposure overlaps in industrials but STRL leans civil/transport. Market sentiment tilts to STRL for growth, PWR for resilience.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently favors STRL due to its superior trend consistency, explosive relative performance (e.g., 163% YTD vs. 83%), and accelerating catalysts like backlog growth and e-infrastructure wins. While PWR offers stability and scale, STRL's momentum positions it probabilistically stronger in recent market conditions focused on high-growth infrastructure plays.
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. 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 PWR is a Hold and STRL 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).
PWR’s FA Score shows that 3 FA rating(s) are green whileSTRL’s FA Score has 3 green FA rating(s).
- PWR’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 red.
- STRL’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 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 4 TA indicator(s) are bullish while STRL’s TA Score has 6 bullish TA indicator(s).
- PWR’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
- STRL’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
PWR (@Engineering & Construction) experienced а +3.17% price change this week, while STRL (@Engineering & Construction) price change was +63.97% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Engineering & Construction industry was -1.45%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +8.47%, and the average quarterly price growth was +26.75%.
Reported Earning Dates
PWR is expected to report earnings on Jul 30, 2026.
STRL is expected to report earnings on Aug 10, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Engineering & Construction (-1.45% 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.
| PWR | STRL | PWR / STRL | |
| Capitalization | 117B | 26.6B | 440% |
| EBITDA | 2.71B | 590M | 459% |
| Gain YTD | 85.219 | 183.506 | 46% |
| P/E Ratio | 107.19 | 77.59 | 138% |
| Revenue | 30.1B | 2.89B | 1,043% |
| Total Cash | 365M | 512M | 71% |
| Total Debt | 6.32B | 342M | 1,848% |
PWR | STRL | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 21 | 28 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 92 Overvalued | 93 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 3 | 2 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 60 | 27 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 6 | 34 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 9 | 4 | |
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.
PWR's Valuation (92) in the Engineering And Construction industry is in the same range as STRL (93). This means that PWR’s stock grew similarly to STRL’s over the last 12 months.
STRL's Profit vs Risk Rating (2) in the Engineering And Construction industry is in the same range as PWR (3). This means that STRL’s stock grew similarly to PWR’s over the last 12 months.
STRL's SMR Rating (27) in the Engineering And Construction industry is somewhat better than the same rating for PWR (60). This means that STRL’s stock grew somewhat faster than PWR’s over the last 12 months.
PWR's Price Growth Rating (6) in the Engineering And Construction industry is in the same range as STRL (34). This means that PWR’s stock grew similarly to STRL’s over the last 12 months.
STRL's P/E Growth Rating (4) in the Engineering And Construction industry is in the same range as PWR (9). This means that STRL’s stock grew similarly to PWR’s over the last 12 months.
| PWR | STRL | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 55% | 2 days ago 64% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 59% | 2 days ago 70% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 81% | 2 days ago 80% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 78% | 2 days ago 78% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 76% | 2 days ago 80% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 77% | 2 days ago 79% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 7 days ago 73% | 2 days ago 82% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 5 days ago 59% | 14 days ago 70% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 51% | 2 days ago 69% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 76% | 2 days ago 80% |
Advertisement
PWR and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, PWR has been closely correlated with MTZ. These tickers have moved in lockstep 79% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if PWR jumps, then MTZ could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To PWR | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PWR | 100% | +4.88% | ||
| MTZ - PWR | 79% Closely correlated | +1.71% | ||
| MYRG - PWR | 79% Closely correlated | +4.70% | ||
| FIX - PWR | 76% Closely correlated | +4.13% | ||
| IESC - PWR | 67% Closely correlated | +3.02% | ||
| EME - PWR | 66% Closely correlated | +1.07% | ||
More | ||||
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 78% 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% | +2.77% | ||
| FIX - STRL | 78% Closely correlated | +4.13% | ||
| PWR - STRL | 76% Closely correlated | +4.88% | ||
| IESC - STRL | 73% Closely correlated | +3.02% | ||
| MTZ - STRL | 63% Loosely correlated | +1.71% | ||
| ECG - STRL | 62% Loosely correlated | +0.37% | ||
More | ||||