Nordson Corporation (NDSN)
Nordson makes precision dispensing and fluid-management equipment for manufacturing and electronics.
NDSN vs PCAR: how the two businesses compare
- Bigger business: PCAR, with $28.4B of yearly revenue, about 10× NDSN's $2.8B.
- More profitable: NDSN keeps 17 cents of each sales dollar as profit, against 8 cents at PCAR.
- More cash from each sale: NDSN turns 26 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 16 cents at PCAR.
From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.
PACCAR (PCAR) is the larger business by reported revenue: $28.4B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 10× NDSN's $2.8B (fiscal year ended Oct 2025). NDSN's net margin was 17.4% and PCAR's 8.4%. The SEC classifies them differently (General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, NEC; Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies); 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.
- Industrials
- Different
- Separate classifications
- Different
- NDSN October 31 · PCAR December 31
- Feb 18, 2026
NDSN vs PCAR: quick comparison
| Company fact | NDSN | PCAR |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Nordson Corporation | PACCAR Inc |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| SEC industry | General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, NEC | Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies |
| Fiscal year-end | October 31 | December 31 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2025-12-17 | 10-K · 2026-02-18 |
NDSN vs PCAR: audited financials
- Scale: PCAR's $28.4B of revenue is about 10× NDSN's $2.8B.
- Net margin: NDSN kept 17.4% of revenue as net income versus 8.4% at PCAR.
- Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled NDSN 25.8% of revenue, or 1.48× net income; PCAR 15.5% of revenue, or 1.86× 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 (2025-10-31 for NDSN, 2025-12-31 for PCAR), so each figure reflects somewhat different demand and cost conditions.
| Metric | NDSN | PCAR |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $2.8B2024-11-01 to 2025-10-31 · SEC filing | $28.4B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Net income | $484M2024-11-01 to 2025-10-31 · SEC filing | $2.4B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Operating cash flow | $719M2024-11-01 to 2025-10-31 · SEC filing | $4.4B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Diluted EPS | $8.512024-11-01 to 2025-10-31 · SEC filing | $4.512025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Net margin | 17.4%2024-11-01 to 2025-10-31 · SEC filing | 8.4%2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
NDSN: FY ending 2025-10-31 · PCAR: FY ending 2025-12-31. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.
Where NDSN and PCAR overlap, and where they don't
Overlap
- Shared research theme: Economic trends.
Differences
- Different SEC industries: NDSN files as General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, NEC; PCAR as Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies.
- Offset fiscal calendars: NDSN's year ends October 31 and PCAR's December 31, about 2 months apart.
- Only PCAR maps to Tariffs & trade.
- Scale: PCAR reported about 10× the annual revenue of NDSN.
- Profitability: net margin of 17.4% for NDSN versus 8.4% for PCAR.
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.
PACCAR Inc (PCAR)
PACCAR designs and builds heavy-duty commercial trucks under the Kenworth, Peterbilt, and DAF brands.
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 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.
What moves PCAR
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for PCAR. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-02-18.
The investment question
You now know PCAR reports about 10× 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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Read the full researchSEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. NDSN's fiscal year ends October 31, while PCAR's ends December 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 3 matched transaction rows for NDSN and 4 matched transaction rows for PCAR. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
NDSN primary filings
PCAR primary filings
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.
More comparisons involving NDSN or PCAR
NDSN vs PCAR FAQs
Are NDSN and PCAR direct competitors?
Not necessarily. Nordson files as General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, NEC and PACCAR as Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies. The pair is compared because both map to the Economic trends research theme, not because the filings show head-to-head competition.
Is NDSN or PCAR the bigger company by revenue?
PACCAR (PCAR) is the larger business by reported revenue: $28.4B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 10× NDSN's $2.8B (fiscal year ended Oct 2025). NDSN's net margin was 17.4% and PCAR's 8.4%. The SEC classifies them differently (General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, NEC; Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies); 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, NDSN or PCAR?
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 NDSN vs PCAR 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 Nordson Corporation and PACCAR Inc 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?
NDSN vs PCAR 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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