A O Smith Corp vs Upstart Holdings Inc — how do they compare? A O Smith Corp trades at $63.65 (market cap $8.65B), while Upstart Holdings Inc trades at $29.11 (market cap $2.91B). The key difference: A O Smith Corp is far larger — about 3× Upstart Holdings Inc's market cap, and A O Smith Corp pays a 2.26% dividend while Upstart Holdings Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AOS | UPST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.65B | $2.91B |
Sector | Industrials | Financials |
52-Week High | $80.47 | $73.76 |
52-Week Low | $55.78 | $24.22 |
Enterprise Value | $9.15B | — |
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.
Upstart trades at $29.23, down 3.24% today, with a bearish technical signal despite recent Q2 2026 earnings beat showing 42% revenue growth and return to GAAP profitability. The stock faces valuation compression concerns with a P/E of 57.48, while analyst consensus remains divided with a $47.20 price target suggesting significant upside potential from current levels.
The outlook balances strong AI-driven loan origination growth against persistent earnings misses and negative cash flow from operations. Key risks include high short interest at 27% and sensitivity to interest rate environment, though institutional sentiment appears cautiously optimistic given the 45% buy rating distribution.
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 →Upstart Holdings Inc provides credit services. The company provides a proprietary, cloud-based, artificial intelligence lending platform. The platform aggregates consumer demand for loans and connects it to the network of Upstart AI-enabled bank partners. The revenue of the company is primarily comprised of fees paid by banks.
Read more on UPST →