A O Smith Corp vs Western Union Co — how do they compare? A O Smith Corp trades at $62.56 (market cap $8.65B), while Western Union Co trades at $7 (market cap $2.20B). The key difference: A O Smith Corp is far larger — about 3.9× Western Union Co's market cap, and Western Union Co pays the higher dividend (13.33%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AOS | WU | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.65B | $2.20B |
Sector | Industrials | Technology |
52-Week High | $80.47 | $10.28 |
52-Week Low | $55.78 | $6.36 |
Enterprise Value | $9.15B | $2.10B |
Dividend Yield | 2.26% | 13.33% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AOS trades at $62.41, down 2.45% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and key support at $60. The company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $1.03, beating estimates, driven by North America strength. Revenue remains stable at $3.83B for 2025, with strong profitability margins including a 38.59% gross margin and 14.26% net income margin. Recent leadership transition saw Kevin Wheeler retire as Executive Chairman, with Stephen Shafer taking over.
The stock offers a 7.8% upside to the $67.25 consensus price target, supported by solid cash flow and a dividend yield. Risks include exposure to input cost pressures and weaker China demand, as noted in Q2 results. Analyst sentiment is mixed with 33% buy ratings, but institutional selling by Amundi in Q1 2026 warrants monitoring for momentum shifts.
Western Union (WU) trades at $6.985, down 0.64% on the day, with a bearish technical signal and recent earnings misses in Q1 and Q2 2026. The company maintains a dividend of $0.24 per share and shows strong profitability with a 9.79% net income margin and 43.97% ROE, but revenue has declined from $4.5B in 2022 to $4.05B in 2025. Analyst consensus is mixed with a $7.14 price target, but news highlights challenges like retail money transfer weakness and strategic shifts.
The outlook is cautious due to declining revenue, earnings volatility, and bearish sentiment, though low valuation ratios (P/E of 5.69) may appeal to value investors. Risks include competitive pressures and execution hurdles in digital transitions, requiring close monitoring of upcoming Q3 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 →Western Union provides domestic and international money transfers through its global network of about 500,000 outside agents. It is the largest money transfer company in the world and one of only a few companies with a truly global agent network.
Read more on WU →