GE vs HEI: How GE Aerospace and HEICO Compare (2026)

Same yardstick, side by side (as of July 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.

Reading it: GE is the cheaper of the two on forward earnings, but cheaper is not the same as better. Pair the valuation with growth (how far the forward P/E sits below the trailing P/E) and risk (beta) before you decide.

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. GE and HEI 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 GE and HEI 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.

GE Aerospace is the aviation business of the former General Electric conglomerate, which split into three independent companies, with GE Aerospace retaining the GE ticker. It is one of the world's largest makers of commercial and military jet engines. GE Aerospace designs, manufactures, and services engines that power a large share of the global airliner fleet, including through CFM International, its long-running joint venture with France's Safran that produces the best-selling engines for narrowbody aircraft like the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 families. The company makes money from selling new engines and, more importantly, from a highly profitable aftermarket of spare parts, maintenance, repair, and long-term service agreements that generate recurring revenue over each engine's decades-long life. GE Aerospace also supplies military engines and avionics. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, it benefits from a massive installed base of engines, strong air-travel demand, and the lucrative razor-and-blades economics of jet engine servicing.

Full GE guide

HEICO Corporation is a diversified aerospace and defense company best known for making FAA-approved replacement parts for commercial jet engines and aircraft. Its Flight Support Group designs and manufactures aftermarket parts that are functionally equivalent to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts but sold at lower prices, plus it repairs and overhauls components. Its Electronic Technologies Group makes specialized electronic, microwave, and electro-optical products for defense, space, medical, and other demanding applications. HEICO makes money by selling parts and services that airlines, MRO shops, and defense primes need on a recurring basis, often tied to aircraft flight hours and fleet aging. The company is controlled by the Mendelson family and has a long record of disciplined, acquisition-driven growth, having bought dozens of niche suppliers over the years. Founded in its current form in the 1950s and headquartered in Hollywood, Florida, HEICO is widely regarded as a high-quality compounder in aerospace.

Full HEI guide

Both fit overlapping themes, but they are not interchangeable. The useful comparison is which set of drivers and risks you want exposure to.

• GE drivers: Aftermarket services engine; Dominant narrowbody position.
• HEI drivers: Aftermarket parts moat; Acquisition-driven growth.

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: GE Aerospace is exposed to the cyclical aviation industry, where downturns, pandemics, or shocks to air travel can sharply reduce flight hours and aftermarket revenue. For HEI, hEICO trades at a premium valuation that embeds continued high growth, so any slowdown in commercial air traffic, a deep airline downturn, or a pause in its acquisition pipeline could compress the multiple.

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 GE if you believe its drivers more; HEI 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 GE and HEI guides.

GE. GE Aerospace is valued as a high-quality aviation franchise with durable, recurring aftermarket profits and leadership in narrowbody engines. Investors assign a premium multiple reflecting the predictability of services revenue and strong air-travel demand. The valuation has expanded considerably, leaving it sensitive to the cyclicality of aviation and to engine delivery and supply chain execution.

HEI. HEICO commands one of the highest valuations in aerospace and defense, reflecting its consistent double-digit growth, high margins, recurring aftermarket demand, and a long record of value-accretive acquisitions. The premium multiple is the market's way of paying up for a proven compounder; it leaves limited room for execution missteps and has historically compressed mainly during broad market or aerospace downturns.

Headline figures (approximate, early 2026): GE shows revenue (ttm) ~$35 to 40 billion, operating margin ~high teens to twenties percent, net income (ttm) ~$6 billion or more, aftermarket revenue ~majority of profit; HEI shows revenue (ttm) ~$4 billion, operating margin ~22%, net income (ttm) ~$550 million, p/e (ttm) ~55x.

GE and HEI 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 GE and HEI exposure against your real portfolio. It is not an investment adviser.