A O Smith Corp vs iShares MSCI South Africa ETF — how do they compare? A O Smith Corp trades at $63.65 (market cap $8.48B), while iShares MSCI South Africa ETF trades at $68.5. The key difference: A O Smith Corp pays a 2.31% dividend while iShares MSCI South Africa ETF pays none, and iShares MSCI South Africa ETF is trading nearer its 52-week high, A O Smith Corp nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AOS | EZA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.48B | — |
Sector | Industrials | Broad Market / Factor |
52-Week High | $80.47 | $81.60 |
52-Week Low | $55.78 | $56.36 |
Enterprise Value | $8.98B | — |
Dividend Yield | 2.31% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
A. O. Smith Corporation (AOS) trades at $63.98, up 1.57% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and support at $63. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat estimates at $1.03 per share, driven by North America strength, though net income margins softened to 13.15% in 2025. The company maintains solid profitability with a 27.13% ROE and a $0.36 dividend declared for H2-2026.
Outlook is mixed: analyst consensus targets $67.25 with 33% buy ratings, but Zacks flagged AOS as a strong sell in June 2026. Risks include higher input costs, weak China demand, and competitive pressures. Cash flow turned positive in 2026, yet revenue stagnation around $3.8B warrants caution for growth investors.
EZA trades at $69.65, up 4.14% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but overbought oscillators. The stock faces resistance near $68 and support at $66. Recent news highlights macroeconomic pressures on its South African-focused portfolio, including exposure to gold, banking, and platinum group metals amid rising interest rates and inflation.
The outlook is mixed, with technical strength offset by fundamental headwinds from global reflation. Investment opportunities hinge on commodity price stability, while risks include yield curve dynamics and cost of capital increases that may pressure constituent earnings.
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 →EZA is a country-specific ETF that tracks the South African equity market. It provides exposure to large and mid-cap companies across key sectors like materials and financials, with top holdings such as AngloGold Ashanti and Naspers.
Read more on EZA →