Structurally, Applied Industrial Technologies and Grafton are closely matched — neither holds a meaningful edge overall. Grafton still leads on growth and valuation, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. On the market side, Applied Industrial Technologies is in better shape — its trend is intact while Grafton's trend has broken down.
The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Peer scores are normalised within each company's primary universe (AIT: Russell 1000, GFTU.L: STOXX 600).
The page question resolves more clearly through valuation, even though the overall score is effectively tied.
Both operate in: Industrial Distribution
This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. AIT and GFTU.L share the same industry classification.
For a similarity-based comparison, see how AIT and Grafton each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.
Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.
The largest gaps do not all point in the same direction.
Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.
Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. looks stronger, but the price setup still looks more supportive for Grafton Group plc.
Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.
The main spread comes from a meaningfully cheaper peer-relative valuation.
There is still a strong counterforce in growth, so the lead stays clear without becoming a sweep.
Valuation is the clearest driver of the lead, with stability adding further support — though growth still provides a real counterweight.
Break down the AIT vs GFTU.L comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.
Explore how AIT and GFTU.L each compare against other companies in their peer groups.
Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.
AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.
Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.
Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.
Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.