Home Compare DOV vs NDSN
Stock Comparison · Industry comparison · Specialty Industrial Machinery

Dover vs Nordson: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with Dover carrying a narrow edge on growth. Nordson still has the edge on profitability, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. 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. Both peer scores are relative to the S&P 500 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-07-05

Most of the separation is still concentrated in growth.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Specialty Industrial Machinery

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

For a similarity-based comparison, see how Dover and Nordson each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
DOV
Dover Corporation
51
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
NDSN
Nordson Corporation
48
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

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

The clearest separation appears in growth.

Dimension spread: DOV vs NDSN Profitability 24 40 Stability 48 46 Valuation 65 59 Growth 71 44 DOV NDSN
Gap Ranking
#1 Growth +27
#2 Profitability +16
#3 Valuation +6
#4 Stability +2
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for DOV and NDSN Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer DOVNDSN Relative valuation Structural strength

The structural gap is limited here, but current pricing still leans against Nordson Corporation.

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

Entry today — historical context

Where DOV and NDSN each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY DOV Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 4 pct gap NDSN Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 95th 98th
DOV (95th percentile) and NDSN (98th 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
Growth
Both profiles are strong on growth, but Dover Corporation leads clearly.
Profitability
Nordson Corporation holds the stronger peer position on profitability.
Growth — Dominant Gap
DOV
71
NDSN
44
Gap+27in favour of DOV

The main growth separation is wide, driven by a meaningfully stronger expansion profile.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Profitability still favours Nordson, with a 7.1-point operating margin advantage keeping the comparison from looking fully resolved.

What this means for the comparison

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

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the DOV vs NDSN comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Similar growth-and-profitability comparisons

Explore how DOV and NDSN 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.