Compare StocksAOS vs MSFT

A. O. Smith Corporation (AOS) vs Microsoft Corporation (MSFT)

AOS
A. O. Smith Corporation
$64.54
VS
MSFT
Microsoft Corporation
$389.02

Rewards

AOS
  • A. O. Smith Corporation has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
  • A. O. Smith Corporation scores 95/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with roic consistency as the strongest competitive dimension.
  • Free cash flow has grown at a 19.4% CAGR over the past 4 years, demonstrating strong earnings power growth.
MSFT
  • Microsoft Corporation has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
  • Gross margin of 68.6% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
  • Microsoft Corporation scores 88/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with revenue predictability as the strongest competitive dimension.

Risks

AOS
    MSFT
    • FCF yield of 2.5% is below 3%, meaning the market is pricing in substantial future growth to justify the current price.

    Key Valuation Metrics

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    AOS
    MSFT
    Valuation
    $426.16M
    Free Cash Flow
    $71.61B
    4.77%
    FCF Yield
    2.48%
    16.76
    Trailing P/E
    24.33
    14.86
    Forward P/E
    20.64
    Quality & Moat
    26.34%
    ROIC
    22.10%
    29.40%
    ROE
    26.05%
    38.83%
    Gross Margin
    68.59%
    0.88
    PEG Ratio
    0.41
    Balance Sheet Safety
    0.11
    Debt / Equity
    0.32
    N/A
    Interest Coverage
    N/A
    0.01
    Net Debt / EBITDA
    0.19
    2.17%
    Dividend Yield
    0.94%
    AOS: 8Ties: 1MSFT: 3
    AOSMSFT

    Historical Fundamentals

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    AOS

    Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.

    MSFT

    Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.

    Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.

    $1 Retained Earnings Test

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    AOS
    $0.57
    created per $1 retained over 3 years
    Mediocre Allocator
    Σ Retained
    $1.07B
    Δ Market Cap
    +$612.2M
    Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
    > $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
    MSFT
    $9.18
    created per $1 retained over 3 years
    Exceptional Value Creator
    Σ Retained
    $196.68B
    Δ Market Cap
    +$1.81T
    Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
    > $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

    Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
    > $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

    Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis

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    AOS
    26.3% Margin of Safety
    Price is 26.3% below estimated fair value
    Current Price: $64.54
    Fair Value: $87.59
    Strongly undervalued
    Undervalued
    Fairly valued
    Overvalued
    Strongly overvalued
    MSFT
    0.5% Overvalued
    Price is 0.5% above estimated fair value
    Current Price: $389.02
    Fair Value: $387.10
    Strongly undervalued
    Undervalued
    Fairly valued
    Overvalued
    Strongly overvalued

    Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth

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    AOS

    What growth rate is the market pricing in at $65?

    +5.0%
    Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
    Standard FCF implies +8.4%

    The market implies +5.0% Owner Earnings growth, below historical trends — potential opportunity.

    Standard FCF implies a more demanding +8.4%, reflecting heavy growth investment expected to generate future returns.

    MSFT

    What growth rate is the market pricing in at $389?

    +12.6%
    Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
    Standard FCF implies +17.4%

    The market implies +12.6% Owner Earnings growth, roughly in line with history — reasonably priced.

    Standard FCF implies +17.4%, reflecting ongoing growth investment.

    Economic Moat Score

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    AOS
    95/100
    Wide Moat
    70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

    Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. ROIC Consistency is the standout factor.

    Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.
    MSFT
    88/100
    Wide Moat
    70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

    Wide moat driven primarily by revenue predictability. Reinvestment Efficiency is the area most vulnerable to competitive pressure.

    Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.

    Forensic Accounting

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    AOS
    -2.50
    Unlikely Manipulator
    Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

    M-Score Trend

    Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
    MSFT
    -2.51
    Unlikely Manipulator
    Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

    M-Score Trend

    Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

    Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

    Ownership Breakdown

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    AOS
    Insiders 0.4%Institutions 108.0%
    No. of Institutional Holders903
    High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
    MSFT
    Insiders 0.1%Institutions 76.0%Retail & Other 23.9%
    No. of Institutional Holders8,054
    High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

    High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

    Insider Buying Activity

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    AOS
    0
    Buys (3M)
    0
    Buys (12M)
    No open market insider purchases found.
    Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
    MSFT
    1
    Buys (3M)
    2
    Buys (12M)
    Total value (12M): $3.44M
    STANTON JOHN W.
    Director
    $1.99M
    @ $397.35 · 2026-02-18
    SMITH BRADFORD LEE
    President
    $1.45M
    @ $377.47 · 2025-04-23
    Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises

    Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises.

    Insider Selling Activity

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    AOS
    2
    Sells (3M)
    5
    Sells (12M)
    Total value (12M): $3.11M
    SCHUH DARRELL W
    Officer
    $82,126
    @ $74.39 · 2026-03-04
    SCHUH DARRELL W
    Officer
    $28,439
    @ $79.88 · 2026-02-13
    STERN JAMES F
    General Counsel
    $1.24M
    @ $71.24 · 2025-08-07
    WHEELER KEVIN J.
    Officer and Director
    $1.58M
    @ $71.26 · 2025-07-30
    SMITH MARK D
    Director
    $171,264
    @ $71.36 · 2025-07-29
    HEIDEMAN ROBERT JAMES
    Chief Technology Officer
    $67,357
    @ $65.65 · 2025-02-07
    KARGE DOUGLAS SAMUEL
    Officer
    $27,507
    @ $65.65 · 2025-02-07
    CARVER SAMUEL M
    Officer
    $1.19M
    @ $81.00 · 2024-08-07
    BROWN RONALD DALE
    Director
    $311,071
    @ $85.67 · 2024-07-30
    Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives
    MSFT
    1
    Sells (3M)
    13
    Sells (12M)
    Total value (12M): $172.43M
    HOGAN KATHLEEN T
    Officer
    $5.05M
    @ $409.55 · 2026-03-06
    NUMOTO TAKESHI
    Officer
    $1.36M
    @ $478.72 · 2025-12-04
    ALTHOFF JUDSON
    Officer
    $6.27M
    @ $491.52 · 2025-12-02
    SMITH BRADFORD LEE
    President
    $19.97M
    @ $518.64 · 2025-11-03
    NADELLA SATYA
    Chief Executive Officer
    $75.32M
    @ $504.78 · 2025-09-03
    NUMOTO TAKESHI
    Officer
    $2.56M
    @ $527.32 · 2025-08-12
    NUMOTO TAKESHI
    Officer
    $1.39M
    @ $463.00 · 2025-06-03
    NUMOTO TAKESHI
    Officer
    $460,008
    @ $460.01 · 2025-05-30
    HOGAN KATHLEEN T
    Officer
    $9.76M
    @ $453.77 · 2025-05-21
    ALTHOFF JUDSON
    Officer
    $7.33M
    @ $458.18 · 2025-05-19
    COLEMAN AMY
    Officer
    $5.99M
    @ $452.04 · 2025-05-15
    SMITH BRADFORD LEE
    President
    $1.68M
    @ $438.44 · 2025-05-05
    SMITH BRADFORD LEE
    President
    $35.30M
    @ $435.84 · 2025-05-05
    NUMOTO TAKESHI
    Officer
    $1.12M
    @ $447.41 · 2024-12-09
    NUMOTO TAKESHI
    Officer
    $874,634
    @ $437.32 · 2024-12-04
    NUMOTO TAKESHI
    Officer
    $1.50M
    @ $428.76 · 2024-12-02
    ALTHOFF JUDSON
    Officer
    $10.43M
    @ $417.00 · 2024-11-22
    NUMOTO TAKESHI
    Officer
    $414,720
    @ $414.72 · 2024-11-22
    YOUNG CHRISTOPHER DAVID
    Officer
    $3.05M
    @ $423.66 · 2024-11-12
    HOGAN KATHLEEN T
    Officer
    $7.16M
    @ $411.86 · 2024-09-10
    NUMOTO TAKESHI
    Officer
    $1.03M
    @ $411.04 · 2024-09-10
    SMITH BRADFORD LEE
    President
    $16.10M
    @ $402.59 · 2024-09-09
    HOOD AMY E
    Chief Financial Officer
    $15.60M
    @ $410.55 · 2024-09-05
    NADELLA SATYA
    Chief Executive Officer
    $32.02M
    @ $408.63 · 2024-09-04
    NUMOTO TAKESHI
    Officer
    $235,535
    @ $416.14 · 2024-06-03
    ALTHOFF JUDSON
    Officer
    $10.64M
    @ $425.68 · 2024-05-23
    Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives

    Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives.

    🎭 Mr. Market's Mood

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    AOS
    FearGreed
    😨Fear(36/100)

    "Market is pessimistic — investigate whether fears are temporary or structural"

    Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
    MSFT
    FearGreed
    😐Neutral(43/100)

    "Market is pricing this stock without strong emotion in either direction"

    Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

    Composite sentiment score based on market signals. Inspired by Buffett’s "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

    ⚖️ Buffett Signal

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    AOS
    Awaiting DCF Data

    The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

    DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Fear (36)
    MSFT
    Awaiting DCF Data

    The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

    DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Neutral (43)
    View AOS Full AnalysisView MSFT Full Analysis
    A. O. Smith Corporation (AOS) vs Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Stock Comparison | SafetyMargin.io