HON vs NDSN: how the two businesses compare

  • Bigger business: HON, with $37.4B of yearly revenue, about 13× NDSN's $2.8B.
  • More profitable: NDSN keeps 17 cents of each sales dollar as profit, against 13 cents at HON.
  • More cash from each sale: NDSN turns 26 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 17 cents at HON.

From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.

Honeywell International (HON) is the larger business by reported revenue: $37.4B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 13× NDSN's $2.8B (fiscal year ended Oct 2025). HON's net margin was 12.6% and NDSN's 17.4%. The SEC classifies them differently (Aircraft Engines & Engine Parts; General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, NEC); what connects them is shared exposure to the Economic trends research theme, not a common industry.

Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.

Sector
Industrials
SEC industry
Different
Separate classifications
Fiscal year ends
Different
HON December 31 · NDSN October 31
Reviewed
Feb 17, 2026

HON vs NDSN: quick comparison

Company factHONNDSN
CompanyHoneywell International Inc.Nordson Corporation
ExchangeNASDAQNASDAQ
HeadquartersCharlotte, North Carolina—
Founded1906—
SEC industryAircraft Engines & Engine PartsGeneral Industrial Machinery & Equipment, NEC
Fiscal year-endDecember 31October 31
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-02-1710-K · 2025-12-17

HON vs NDSN: audited financials

  • Scale: HON's $37.4B of revenue is about 13× NDSN's $2.8B.
  • Net margin: NDSN kept 17.4% of revenue as net income versus 12.6% at HON.
  • Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled HON 17.1% of revenue, or 1.36× net income; NDSN 25.8% of revenue, or 1.48× net income. A ratio well above 1× usually reflects non-cash charges or working-capital release; well below 1× can reflect working-capital build or non-cash gains.
  • Periods: the fiscal years end about 2 months apart (2025-12-31 for HON, 2025-10-31 for NDSN), so each figure reflects somewhat different demand and cost conditions.

HON: FY ending 2025-12-31 · NDSN: FY ending 2025-10-31. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.

Where HON and NDSN overlap, and where they don't

Overlap

  • Shared research theme: Economic trends.

Differences

  • Different SEC industries: HON files as Aircraft Engines & Engine Parts; NDSN as General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, NEC.
  • Offset fiscal calendars: HON's year ends December 31 and NDSN's October 31, about 2 months apart.
  • Scale: HON reported about 13× the annual revenue of NDSN.

Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.

Honeywell International Inc. (HON)

Honeywell is a diversified industrial company spanning aerospace, building automation, performance materials, and safety technology. Its software-driven automation offerings tie its many end markets together.

Nordson Corporation (NDSN)

Nordson makes precision dispensing and fluid-management equipment for manufacturing and electronics.

What moves each company

Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.

What moves HON

We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for HON. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-02-17.

What moves NDSN

We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for NDSN. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2025-12-17.

The investment question

You now know HON reports about 13× NDSN's revenue, and NDSN keeps more of each dollar as net income. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about their exposure to economic trends, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.

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SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence

Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. HON's fiscal year ends December 31, while NDSN's ends October 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.

The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 28 matched transaction rows for HON and 3 matched transaction rows for NDSN. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.

What this comparison cannot tell you

This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.

A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.

HON vs NDSN FAQs

Are HON and NDSN direct competitors?

Not necessarily. Honeywell International files as Aircraft Engines & Engine Parts and Nordson as General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, NEC. The pair is compared because both map to the Economic trends research theme, not because the filings show head-to-head competition.

Is HON or NDSN the bigger company by revenue?

Honeywell International (HON) is the larger business by reported revenue: $37.4B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 13× NDSN's $2.8B (fiscal year ended Oct 2025). HON's net margin was 12.6% and NDSN's 17.4%. The SEC classifies them differently (Aircraft Engines & Engine Parts; General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, NEC); what connects them is shared exposure to the Economic trends research theme, not a common industry. Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.

Which is better, HON or NDSN?

There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.

Does this HON vs NDSN comparison include live prices?

No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Honeywell International Inc. and Nordson Corporation tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.

Where does the company information come from?

Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-11-09. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-11-09. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?

HON vs NDSN compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.

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