SEI vs WTTR: Which Is the Better Buy in 2026?
Last updated August 2026
Short answer
SEI is the larger of the two ($4.94B market cap): the incumbent the market prices for continued execution (22.03x forward earnings, beta 1.18). WTTR is the smaller challenger ($2.60B), actually pricier on forward earnings (28.45x): 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.
SEI vs WTTR: the tie-breaker metrics
Same yardstick, side by side (as of August 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 | SEI | WTTR | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $4.94B | $2.60B | Size. The larger name is the incumbent; the smaller has more room to grow and more to prove. |
| Forward P/E | 22.03 | 28.45 | 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 | 61.20 | 88.19 | 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 | 1.18 | 0.96 | 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 | 44% of range | 77% 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 | 3.84 | 2.28 | How much you pay over book value. Very high can signal an asset-light, high-return business or a rich price. |
Reading it: SEI 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.
Before you buy: how SEI and WTTR 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. SEI and WTTR 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 SEI and WTTR 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 Solaris Energy Infrastructure (SEI) do?
Solaris Energy Infrastructure (NYSE:SEI), formerly Solaris Oilfield Infrastructure (ticker SOI until September 2024), operates two segments. Solaris Power Solutions leases mobile natural-gas turbine power generation, control, and distribution equipment to data centers, energy operators, and industrial customers, while Solaris Logistics Solutions provides sand-handling and material-management systems used to complete oil and gas wells. The company has pivoted hard toward distributed power as demand from AI and data center buildouts has surged, expanding its power fleet and signing multiple long-term contracts with large technology firms, including one investment-grade customer for more than 600 MW under a 10-year term.
What does Select Water Solutions (WTTR) do?
Select Water Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: WTTR) provides sustainable water and chemical solutions to the energy industry across major U.S. shale basins. It runs three segments: Water Infrastructure (permanent and semi-permanent pipelines, recycling, and disposal assets under longer-term contracts), Water Services (water transfer, flowback, well testing, fluids hauling, and containment for E&P operators), and Chemical Technologies (production and completion chemistry). The company manages billions of barrels of produced water annually and positions its recycling and treatment capabilities as an answer to tightening water-sourcing and disposal constraints in basins like the Permian.
SEI vs WTTR: 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.
- SEI drivers: AI and data center power demand; Fleet expansion and long-term contracts.
- WTTR drivers: Water Infrastructure buildout; Margin expansion and mix shift.
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: Customer concentration is the dominant risk: as of late 2024 a single large customer accounted for the vast majority of power solutions revenue, so any contract change, delay, or non-renewal could sharply affect results. For WTTR, wTTR's revenue is tied to U.S.
SEI or WTTR: 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 SEI if you believe its drivers more; WTTR 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 SEI and WTTR guides.
SEI vs WTTR: the full fundamentals
SEI. SEI trades at a rich trailing P/E in the roughly 80 to 95 range, reflecting expectations that its contracted power fleet drives large forward earnings growth. Q1 2026 delivered record revenue near $196 million and Adjusted EBITDA of about $84 million, ahead of consensus, and management raised near-term EBITDA guidance. The company carries roughly $1.3 billion of net debt after refinancing, keeping leverage near 1.3 times EBITDA.
WTTR. In Q1 2026 WTTR beat estimates with ~$0.08 EPS and pushed gross margins above 30% for the first time. The trailing P/E has been reported in the 50 to 90+ range depending on the earnings metric, reflecting compressed recent net income against a stock that the market is pricing on future infrastructure growth. Valuation therefore leans heavily on EBITDA and the credibility of the raised infrastructure guidance rather than on trailing GAAP earnings.
Headline figures (approximate, MAY 2026): SEI shows revenue (ttm) ~$690M, revenue (fy2025) ~$622M, q1 2026 revenue ~$196M (up ~55% YoY), adjusted ebitda (ttm) ~$283M; WTTR shows revenue (q1 2026) ~$366M, revenue (ttm) ~$1.5B, adjusted ebitda (q1 2026) ~$77.6M, net income (q1 2026) ~$9.4M.
The bottom line: SEI vs WTTR
SEI and WTTR 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 SEI and WTTR exposure against your real portfolio. It is not an investment adviser.
Wondering how SEI or WTTR 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 Solaris Energy Infrastructure with AI
Connect the broker you already use and ask Walnut's AI how SEI 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 SEI and WTTR?
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Solaris Energy Infrastructure (NYSE:SEI), formerly Solaris Oilfield Infrastructure (ticker SOI until September 2024), operates two segments. Select Water Solutions, Inc. 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 SEI or WTTR the better stock?
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Neither is universally better. SEI is the larger incumbent; WTTR is the smaller challenger and looks pricier 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, SEI or WTTR?
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On forward P/E (as of August 2026), SEI trades at 22.03x and WTTR at 28.45x, so SEI 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 SEI and WTTR?
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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 SEI vs WTTR?
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SEI: Customer concentration is the dominant risk: as of late 2024 a single large customer accounted for the vast majority of power solutions revenue, so any contract change, delay, or non-renewal could sharply affect results. The valuation is demanding, with the stock trading at a large multiple of trailing earnings, leaving little room for execution stumbles or slowing AI-power demand. Rapid fleet expansion funded by roughly $1.3 billion of debt raises leverage and interest expense, and turbine delivery timelines are subject to supply chain and commissioning delays. The legacy logistics business remains tied to volatile oil and gas activity, and cash generation has historically been sensitive to commodity price swings. Broader risks include competition from larger equipment and power providers and the possibility that hyperscalers build or procure power capacity in-house. WTTR: WTTR's revenue is tied to U.S. oil and gas drilling and completion activity, which swings with commodity prices, so a downturn in the Permian or broader shale spending would pressure the services and chemicals segments. The stock trades at a high trailing earnings multiple, meaning results that fall short of the infrastructure growth narrative could compress the valuation. The infrastructure buildout requires ongoing capital and acquisition integration, which carries execution and balance-sheet risk. Concentration in a handful of shale basins and among large E&P customers adds counterparty and geographic exposure. Water-disposal regulation is a tailwind for recycling but can also raise operating costs and complexity.
Walnut is informational, not investment advice. This page is descriptive and not a recommendation to buy or sell SEI or WTTR; figures are approximate and dated (as of August 2026). Verify current data before investing.