NDSN vs PWR: how the two businesses compare

  • Bigger business: PWR, with $28.5B of yearly revenue, about 10× NDSN's $2.8B.
  • More profitable: NDSN keeps 17 cents of each sales dollar as profit, against 4 cents at PWR.
  • More cash from each sale: NDSN turns 26 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 8 cents at PWR.

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

Quanta Services (PWR) is the larger business by reported revenue: $28.5B 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 PWR's 3.7%. The SEC classifies them differently (General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, NEC; Electrical Work); 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
NDSN October 31 · PWR December 31
Reviewed
Feb 19, 2026

NDSN vs PWR: quick comparison

Company factNDSNPWR
CompanyNordson CorporationQuanta Services, Inc.
ExchangeNASDAQNYSE
SEC industryGeneral Industrial Machinery & Equipment, NECElectrical Work
Fiscal year-endOctober 31December 31
Latest annual filing10-K · 2025-12-1710-K · 2026-02-19

NDSN vs PWR: audited financials

  • Scale: PWR's $28.5B of revenue is about 10× NDSN's $2.8B.
  • Net margin: NDSN kept 17.4% of revenue as net income versus 3.7% at PWR.
  • Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled NDSN 25.8% of revenue, or 1.48× net income; PWR 7.8% of revenue, or 2.14× 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 PWR), so each figure reflects somewhat different demand and cost conditions.

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

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

Overlap

  • Shared research theme: Economic trends.

Differences

  • Different SEC industries: NDSN files as General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, NEC; PWR as Electrical Work.
  • Offset fiscal calendars: NDSN's year ends October 31 and PWR's December 31, about 2 months apart.
  • Scale: PWR reported about 10× the annual revenue of NDSN.
  • Profitability: net margin of 17.4% for NDSN versus 3.7% for PWR.

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.

Nordson Corporation (NDSN)

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

Quanta Services, Inc. (PWR)

Quanta Services builds and maintains electric power grids, pipelines, and communications infrastructure.

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 PWR

We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for PWR. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-02-19.

The investment question

You now know PWR 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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SEC 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 PWR'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 30 matched transaction rows for PWR. 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.

NDSN vs PWR FAQs

Are NDSN and PWR direct competitors?

Not necessarily. Nordson files as General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, NEC and Quanta Services as Electrical Work. 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 PWR the bigger company by revenue?

Quanta Services (PWR) is the larger business by reported revenue: $28.5B 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 PWR's 3.7%. The SEC classifies them differently (General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, NEC; Electrical Work); 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 PWR?

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 PWR 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 Quanta Services, 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 PWR 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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