APH vs SXI: Which Is the Better Buy in 2026?
Last updated October 2026
Short answer
APH is the larger of the two ($195.72B market cap): the incumbent the market prices for continued execution (23.81x forward earnings, beta 1.24). SXI is the smaller challenger ($3.25B), priced similarly on forward earnings (22.44x): more room to run, but more to prove. The real question is which set of drivers you believe, and whether owning one (or both) leaves you over-concentrated.
APH vs SXI: the tie-breaker metrics
Same yardstick, side by side (as of October 2026). Valuation lined up like this is most meaningful for two names in the same corner of the market, which these are. Figures are approximate; verify before investing.
| Metric | APH | SXI | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $195.72B | $3.25B | Size. The larger name is the incumbent; the smaller has more room to grow and more to prove. |
| Forward P/E | 23.81 | 22.44 | Valuation on next year's expected earnings, the same yardstick for both. Lower is cheaper for that growth; higher means the market is paying up. |
| Trailing P/E | 39.69 | 30.52 | Valuation on the last 12 months. A big drop from trailing to forward means the market expects earnings to jump, so more growth is already in the price. |
| Beta | 1.24 | 1.07 | Volatility vs the market. Above 1 swings harder than the index; below 1 is steadier. Higher beta means bigger drawdowns to hold through. |
| Price vs 52-week range | 66% of range | 33% of range | Where today's price sits between the 52-week low and high. Near the high is momentum with less margin of safety; near the low is out of favor or a discount, depending on why. |
| Price / book | 12.63 | 4.23 | How much you pay over book value. Very high can signal an asset-light, high-return business or a rich price. |
Before you buy: how APH and SXI affect your concentration
The metrics above tell you which is the marginally better business. The bigger risk for most people is not picking the slightly worse stock, it is over-concentrating. APH and SXI share themes, so owning both, or adding either to what you already hold, can quietly push a large share of your portfolio into one bet.
This is the part a generic comparison page cannot answer, because it depends on what you own. Connect your brokerage and Walnut shows your real, combined APH and SXI exposure, flags overlap with your existing positions, and tells you if adding one would tip you past a concentration you are comfortable with, read-only by default, with your login staying at your broker. Walnut is not an investment adviser.
What does Amphenol Corporation (APH) do?
Amphenol Corporation designs and manufactures electronic and fiber optic connectors, cable, and interconnect systems used across communications, information technology, automotive, industrial, aerospace, defense, mobile devices, and broadband markets. The business is organized into segments spanning harsh environment solutions, communications solutions, and interconnect and sensor systems, and it grows through a combination of organic design wins and a long, disciplined acquisition history. Its January 2026 completion of the roughly $10.5 billion purchase of CommScope's Connectivity and Cable Solutions business meaningfully expanded its fiber optic and IT datacom capabilities. The company employs about 170,000 people.
What does Standex International (SXI) do?
Standex International is a Salem, New Hampshire based diversified industrial company that designs and manufactures engineered components across five segments: Electronics (electro-magnetic components, reed switches, sensors, and power magnetics), Engraving (mold texturizing and tooling), Scientific (temperature-controlled equipment for medical and life-science markets), Engineering Technologies (net and near-net formed components for aerospace, defense, energy, and space), and Specialty Solutions (refrigerated display cases, fluid pumps, and hydraulic cylinders). Over the past several years management has pivoted the portfolio toward the higher-margin Electronics platform and toward what it calls fast-growth markets such as electrification, smart infrastructure, defense, and commercialization of space, while pruning slower legacy lines.
APH vs SXI: how do they differ?
Both fit overlapping themes, but they are not interchangeable. The useful comparison is which set of drivers and risks you want exposure to.
- APH drivers: AI data center demand; Acquisition-led expansion.
- SXI drivers: Electronics as the growth engine; Fast-growth markets and new products.
Which fits which kind of investor
A faster-growing, richer-valued name usually swings harder, so it suits a longer horizon and a higher tolerance for volatility; a steadier, more cash-generative business suits a more conservative or income-minded investor. The honest test is which set of risks you could hold through a drawdown: The most cited risk is valuation, with the stock trading at about 40 times trailing earnings and 24 times forward, a premium that assumes continued strong growth. For SXI, standex is a cyclical industrial, so a slowdown in end markets like appliances, autos, aerospace, or general manufacturing could pressure organic growth.
APH or SXI: which should you pick?
Growth-minded investors who believe the theme has years to run tend to accept the richer multiple for more upside; value-minded investors lean toward the cheaper forward earnings and steadier profile. Pick APH if you believe its drivers more; SXI if you believe its. Many investors hold both, but since they share themes, that is a concentrated bet, not diversification. Decide deliberately and check overlap. For the full detail, see the APH and SXI guides.
APH vs SXI: the full fundamentals
APH. Amphenol reported record Q2 2026 revenue of about $8.8 billion and adjusted EPS of $0.68 against a $0.60 consensus, lifting trailing revenue to about $29 billion. At roughly 40x trailing and 24x forward earnings the stock prices in a continuation of AI-driven growth plus the CommScope contribution. Q3 results are due October 28, 2026, with consensus near $9.5 billion of revenue and $0.73 of EPS.
SXI. SXI ended fiscal 2026 with sales of ~$892 million and a fourth-quarter EPS beat, yet the stock is ~14% lower over three months as the market trimmed what it will pay for small-cap industrial growth. At ~30 times trailing and ~22 times forward earnings it still carries a premium to typical diversified industrials, resting on the electronics-led transformation and the 2028 targets. Fiscal Q1 2027 results, expected around October 29, are the next test.
Headline figures (approximate, October 2026): APH shows revenue (ttm) ~$29 billion, revenue growth (q2 2026, yoy) ~55%, net income (ttm) ~$5.1 billion, operating margin (ttm) ~30%; SXI shows revenue (fy2026, ended june 2026) ~$892M, up ~13% from ~$790M, fiscal q4 2026 sales ~$228M, up ~3% year over year, margins (ttm) ~42% gross, ~18% operating, ~12% net, net income (fy2026) ~$105M; fiscal Q4 adjusted EPS ~$2.45 vs ~$2.35 consensus.
The bottom line: APH vs SXI
APH and SXI are related but distinct: same themes, different businesses and risks. Neither wins in the abstract; the right pick is whichever thesis you actually believe, sized so you are not over-concentrated in one theme. Walnut can show your combined APH and SXI exposure against your real portfolio. It is not an investment adviser.
Wondering how APH or SXI fits the portfolio you already own? Walnut is an AI investing app that connects your brokerage read-only and answers questions like that about your actual holdings: overlap, concentration, and how each position tracks the S&P 500. Compare the best AI portfolio analyzers or see the best AI investing apps in 2026.
Investing in Amphenol Corporation with AI
Connect the broker you already use and ask Walnut's AI how APH fits what you actually hold: whether you own it already through a fund, what it would do to your concentration, and how it has tracked the S&P 500. Read-only by default, and you approve anything before it reaches your broker.
FAQ
What is the difference between APH and SXI?
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Amphenol Corporation designs and manufactures electronic and fiber optic connectors, cable, and interconnect systems used across communications, information technology, automotive, industrial, aerospace, defense, mobile devices, and broadband markets. Standex International is a Salem, New Hampshire based diversified industrial company that designs and manufactures engineered components across five segments: Electronics (electro-magnetic components, reed switches, sensors, and power magnetics), Engraving (mold texturizing and tooling), Scientific (temperature-controlled equipment for medical and life-science markets), Engineering Technologies (net and near-net formed components for aerospace, defense, energy, and space), and Specialty Solutions (refrigerated display cases, fluid pumps, and hydraulic cylinders). They show up together because they share investment themes, but they are different businesses, so the better fit depends on which thesis you are expressing.
Is APH or SXI the better stock?
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Neither is universally better. APH is the larger incumbent; SXI is the smaller challenger and looks cheaper on forward earnings. Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Compare what each does, the tie-breaker metrics above, and the risks, then decide which fits your thesis and what you already own.
Which is cheaper, APH or SXI?
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On forward P/E (as of October 2026), APH trades at 23.81x and SXI at 22.44x, so SXI is the cheaper of the two on next year's expected earnings. A lower multiple is not automatically the better buy: a richer valuation can be justified by faster growth, and a lower one can reflect real risk. Weigh the multiple against how fast each business is compounding.
Should you own both APH and SXI?
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Because they share themes, owning both concentrates you in that theme. That can be intentional (a focused bet) or accidental (less diversification than it looks). Walnut can show your combined exposure across both, and whether adding either over-concentrates you, before you buy.
What are the risks of APH vs SXI?
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APH: The most cited risk is valuation, with the stock trading at about 40 times trailing earnings and 24 times forward, a premium that assumes continued strong growth. A slowdown in AI-related data center capital spending would directly pressure the segment now driving results, and consensus already models growth of about 24 percent in 2027 after roughly 61 percent EPS growth in 2026, so expectations are high. Integration risk from large acquisitions like CommScope CCS, including goodwill and added debt (total debt is about $18.8 billion, a debt-to-equity ratio near 120 percent), is another concern. Cyclical exposure to automotive, industrial, and mobile markets can create quarter to quarter volatility, and being a global manufacturer leaves it exposed to tariffs, supply chain disruption, and currency swings. Competition from large rivals could pressure pricing and share over time. SXI: Standex is a cyclical industrial, so a slowdown in end markets like appliances, autos, aerospace, or general manufacturing could pressure organic growth. The stock trades at a premium price-to-earnings multiple, which leaves little room for execution missteps and makes it vulnerable to multiple compression if growth decelerates. The company has occasionally missed quarterly estimates, and results can be lumpy across its five segments. Acquisition integration, tariff and input-cost pressure, and the small-cap liquidity profile add further variability. The dividend yield is modest, so the return case rests largely on continued earnings growth rather than income. The ~27% drop from the 52-week high to mid-October 2026 shows how quickly that premium can compress even without an earnings miss, and insiders sold shares in late August 2026.
Walnut is informational, not investment advice. This page is descriptive and not a recommendation to buy or sell APH or SXI; figures are approximate and dated (as of October 2026). Verify current data before investing.