A O Smith Corp vs Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Class A Common Stock — how do they compare? A O Smith Corp trades at $63.65 (market cap $8.65B), while Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Class A Common Stock trades at $356.44 (market cap $9.43B). The key difference: A O Smith Corp and Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Class A Common Stock are close in size by market cap, and A O Smith Corp pays a 2.26% dividend while Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Class A Common Stock pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AOS | BIO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.65B | $9.43B |
Sector | Industrials | Health |
52-Week High | $80.47 | $356.25 |
52-Week Low | $55.78 | $241.71 |
Enterprise Value | $9.15B | $9.18B |
Dividend Yield | 2.26% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
A.O. Smith Corporation (AOS) trades at $62.53, showing modest daily gains of 0.19%. The stock maintains strong profitability with 13.15% net margins and 27.13% ROE, though recent Q1 2026 earnings missed expectations. Technical indicators suggest a bullish trend with the current price near key support at $62. Recent leadership transition with Kevin Wheeler's retirement and Stephen Shafer assuming chairman role adds management continuity.
The outlook remains cautiously optimistic with a $67.25 consensus price target offering 7.5% upside potential. Strong North American performance and dividend growth provide support, but higher input costs and weaker China demand present headwinds. The stock's valuation appears reasonable at 17.74 P/E, though recent Zacks Strong Sell ratings warrant monitoring.
Bio-Rad Laboratories (BIO) trades at $362.08, up 2.13% daily, near its 52-week high. The stock shows a bullish technical trend with strong moving averages, though RSI indicates overbought conditions. Fundamentally, Q2 2026 earnings beat estimates with EPS of $2.62 versus $1.75 expected, and revenue remains stable around $2.6 billion. Net income turned positive in 2025 after prior losses, with a current net margin of 29.41%. Analyst consensus is Buy with a $350 price target, and institutional holdings increased, as noted by Amundi's 1,763.4% stake growth per SEC filing on August 5, 2026.
Outlook is cautiously optimistic with solid earnings recovery and institutional support, but risks include high P/E of 43.39, potential overvaluation, and reliance on academic research markets. Investors should weigh strong profitability against valuation concerns and monitor upcoming Q3 earnings for sustained growth.
Trailing returns across standard periods
A.O. Smith Corporation manufactures and markets comprehensive lines of residential and commercial gas, gas tankless, and electric water heaters. Supplementary products include water heating equipment, condensing and noncondensing boilers, and water system tanks. The company's two operating segments are by geographic region: North America (majority of total revenue) and the Rest of the World. A material portion of sales in North America derive from replacing existing products, and the company utilizes a wholesale distribution channel and multiple selling locations. The Rest of the World segment sells primarily to Asian countries and operates sales offices to expand distribution and market its product portfolio.
Read more on AOS →Bio-Rad Laboratories, headquartered in Hercules, California, develops, manufactures, and markets products and solutions for the clinical diagnostics and life sciences markets. In diagnostics (53% of sales), Bio-Rad manufactures, sells, and supports test systems and specialized quality controls for clinical laboratories. In life sciences (47% of sales), the firm develops and manufactures a range of instruments and reagents used in research, biopharmaceutical production, and food testing. The company is geographically diverse, with major markets in the Americas (42% of 2021 sales), Europe and Africa (33%), and Asia-Pacific (25%). Bio-Rad owns 37% of Sartorius AG, a laboratory and biopharmaceutical supplier.
Read more on BIO →