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Curtiss-Wright vs Howmet Aerospace: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with Curtiss-Wright carrying a narrow edge on valuation. Howmet Aerospace still leads on growth and stability, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. The market setup is broadly comparable for both — no clear directional signal from price behavior. 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. Both peer scores are relative to the Russell 1000 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-08-16

The comparison is mainly decided in valuation, while growth remains the main counterforce.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Aerospace & Defense

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. CW and HWM share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how Curtiss-Wright and Howmet Aerospace each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
CW
Curtiss-Wright Corporation
52
Peer-Score
Signal qualityMedium
Peer basis: Russell 1000
vs
HWM
Howmet Aerospace Inc.
47
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: Russell 1000

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

Pricing shapes this comparison more than a broad operating gap.

Dimension spread: CW vs HWM Profitability 51 44 Stability 65 75 Valuation 47 8 Growth 50 79 CW HWM
Gap Ranking
#1 Valuation +39
#2 Growth +29
#3 Stability +10
#4 Profitability +7
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for CW and HWM Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer CWHWM Relative valuation Structural strength

Howmet Aerospace Inc. occupies the cheaper side of the setup map, although Curtiss-Wright Corporation still holds the stronger structural profile.

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

Entry today — historical context

Where CW and HWM each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY CW Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 6 pct gap HWM Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 93rd 99th
CW (93rd percentile) and HWM (99th percentile) both sit in the upper portion of their own 5-year ranges. The historical entry context is broadly similar for both. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Valuation
Curtiss-Wright Corporation sits higher in the group on valuation, adding to the overall structural advantage.
Growth
Both look solid on growth, though Howmet Aerospace Inc. still holds the stronger peer position.
Valuation — Dominant Gap
CW
47
HWM
8
Gap+39in favour of CW

The multiple-based pricing edge comes from a forward P/E that is 4.4 turns lower.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

There is still a strong counterforce in growth, so the lead stays clear without becoming a sweep.

What this means for the comparison

The main read on valuation is clearer than the broader score gap.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the CW vs HWM comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Other comparisons with conflicting dimension signals

Explore how CW and HWM 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.

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.