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Stock Comparison · Broad operating lead

Applied Industrial Technologies vs Lincoln Electric Holdings: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

Applied Industrial Technologies holds the cleaner structural position, with the lead spread across growth and profitability. The remaining gap is narrow enough that the comparison remains open to different readings. The market setup is mixed, without a decisive signal in either direction. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels.

Updated 2026-04-05

The clearest separation starts in growth, but profitability adds another real layer to the result.

Trajectory Similarity
0.81
Similar
Peer-set rank: #10
within Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.'s functional peer set

These two companies are linked by measured long-term financial trajectory similarity within the selected peer universe.

The pair sits on a clearly comparable long-term path, though it is not a near-twin match.

Most of the shared profile comes through margin consistency and capital structure.

Similarity drivers
margin consistencycapital structure
How to read the score
0.85–1.00 · Very similar0.70–0.84 · Similar0.55–0.69 · Moderately similarbelow 0.55 · Loose match
Peer-Relative Score
AIT
Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.
62
Peer-Score
Signal qualityMedium
vs
LECO
Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc.
55
Peer-Score
Signal qualityMedium

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

More than one operating dimension supports the result here.

Dimension spread: AIT vs LECO Profitability 56 46 Stability 61 55 Valuation 67 64 Growth 67 53 AIT LECO
Gap Ranking
#1 Growth +14
#2 Profitability +10
#3 Stability +6
#4 Valuation +3
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for AIT and LECO Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer AITLECO Relative valuation Structural strength

Neither company combines the stronger profile with the cheaper valuation.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Growth
Both look solid on growth, though Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. still holds the stronger peer position.
Profitability
On profitability, the edge still sits with Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc., even though both profiles look solid.
Growth — Dominant Gap
AIT
67
LECO
53
Gap+14in favour of AIT

The current lead is backed by a stronger multi-year growth trajectory.

What else supports the lead

Profitability still reinforces the same direction, which makes the lead look broader across the profile.

What this means for the comparison

The lead is built on both growth and profitability, making it broader than a single-dimension result.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the AIT vs LECO comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

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Similar growth-and-profitability comparisons

Explore how AIT and LECO 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.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

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.

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.