AVY vs SW Stock Comparison
AVY currently leads SW in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 59 vs 38. The clearest difference is momentum.
What is the main difference between AVY and SW?
AVY leads the current stock comparison as Avery Dennison Corporation, with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Avery Dennison Corporation vs Smurfit Westrock plc
AVY leads
AVY leads by 21 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Quality, and the lead has widened from 5 points over 30 sessions. Wall Street currently favors SW on target upside.
Competitive: 4 of 6 evidence groups support AVY, its lead is widening, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Avery Dennison Corporation
Smurfit Westrock plc
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors AVY over SW, 59 versus 38 as of Oct 21, 2026. AVY's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and quality. AVY also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors SW. 4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor AVY today, and the comparison is rated Competitive on stability: the leader is throwing conflicting signals. AVY lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 5 to 21 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Avery Dennison Corporation and Smurfit Westrock plc across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare AVY and SW against another ticker
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AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Momentum82 vs 25AVY +57
- Quality50 vs 29AVY +21
- Value48 vs 44AVY +4
- Risk Resilience62 vs 64Even
4 of 6 evidence groups favor AVY. AVY’s edge is concentrated in momentum and quality.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.
Largest factor move: Momentum +5
New signals
- BB Upper Band Breach — bearish, volatility, short horizon
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
No factor moved materially.
New signals
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
AVY's lead widened by 1 AIQ point in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — AVY and SW both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
AVY (Avery Dennison Corporation): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and quality.
SW (Smurfit Westrock plc): the counter-case, on analyst expectations.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
AVYAVY on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
SWSW on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
AVYAVY on the peer-relative Value factor, by 4 points.
Momentum
AVYAVY on the Momentum factor, by 57 points.
Lower downside
AVYAVY carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility.
Analyst upside
SWSW on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors AVY, analyst targets favor SW. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | AVY | SW | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +13.5% | +65% | SW has more room |
| Target dispersion | +24.6% | +175.4% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 4 | 8 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Dividend growth
| Dividend metric | AVY | SW |
|---|---|---|
| 5Y dividend CAGR | 9.41% | -4.53% |
| 2020 regular DPS | $2.360 | $2.173 |
| 2025 regular DPS | $3.700 | $1.723 |
| Years increased | 5 | 2 |
| No cut in window | Yes | No (3) |
| Cohort rank | #115 | not ranked |
AVY grew its split-adjusted regular dividend faster over 2020–2025 — 9.41% a year against SW's -4.53%. AVY never reduced its regular dividend in the window; SW did in 3 years.
Yield and payout ratio shown elsewhere on this page are current values, not part of the study window.
Split-adjusted regular dividends per share, 2020–2025, excluding special dividends. Research as of Sep 19, 2026.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor AVY. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | AVY | 59 vs 38 |
| Fundamentals | AVYon balance | revenue growth 7.2% vs 19.9%; EPS growth 22.5% vs 23.1%; TTM ROE 31.1% vs 2.7%; gross margin 29% vs 17.9%; operating margin 12.4% vs 5.4% — AVY takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | AVY | Value 48 vs 44 |
| Technicals | AVY | Price vs 50-day 3% vs -8%; vs 200-day 3.5% vs -5.2% |
| Risk Resilience | Even | Risk Resilience 62 vs 64 |
| Analyst expectations | SW | Target upside 13.5% vs 65% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of AVY and SW and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
- The AIQ gap is wide at 21 points. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader's advantage has been widening. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on AVY.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20AVY lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 5 to 21 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- AVY +21
- 59 vs 38
- 7 sessions ago
- AVY +21
- 58 vs 37
- 30 sessions ago
- AVY +5
- 50 vs 45
- 90 sessions ago
- AVY +13
- 56 vs 43
The lead has not changed hands in this window.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
4 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted
Only AVY
- BB Upper Band Breach — bearish, volatility, short horizon
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
- MACD Bullish Crossover — bullish, momentum, short horizon
2 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
Only SW
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- RSI Oversold - Potential Bounce — bullish, momentum, short horizon
- MACD Bearish Crossover — bearish, momentum, short horizon
Both carry 1 more signal that do not separate them: Golden Cross Active.
AVY leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price and the AIQ Score both moved up over the latest session (price +0.52%, AIQ +1 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +0.66%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1SW closes the Momentum gap — currently 57 points behind, the largest single contributor to AVY's edge.
- 2SW's Bollinger Band Squeeze turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend.
- 3AVY's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 4 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
AVY leads on balance| Metric | AVY | SW |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 7.2% | 19.9% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 22.5% | 23.1% |
| Gross margin | 29% | 17.9% |
| Operating margin | 12.4% | 5.4% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 31.1% | 2.7% |
| Debt to equity | 1.58 | 0.79 |
Performance
AVY leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | AVY | SW |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 4.3% | -0.6% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 3.5% | -11.3% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 13% | -7.5% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 5.1% | -0.1% |
| Year to date | -2.1% | 6.5% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 11.7% | -0.3% |
Technicals
AVY has the stronger structure| Metric | AVY | SW |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 70.1 | 24.3 |
| ADX (14) | 16.4 | 30.6 |
| Price vs 50-day | 3% | -8% |
| Price vs 200-day | 3.5% | -5.2% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 16.5% | 19.4% |
Risk
Split| Metric | AVY | SW |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.45 | 1.46 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.41 | 0.12 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.85 | 0.19 |
| Max drawdown | -22.5% | -31.3% |
| Current drawdown | -9.8% | -20.5% |
| Annualized volatility | 25.6% | 44% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -2.1% | -3.9% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, AVY or SW?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, AVY is the stronger of the two as of Oct 21, 2026, scoring 59 against SW's 38. The edge comes from momentum and quality. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is AVY or SW the better buy right now?
AVY carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 21, 2026, and the comparison is rated Competitive — 4 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Competitive rating means the two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
Why does the AIQ Score favor AVY over SW?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. AVY leads Momentum by 57 points; AVY leads Quality by 21 points; AVY leads Value by 4 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, AVY or SW?
Analyst price targets imply +13.5% upside for AVY and +65% for SW, so the Street currently favors SW. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors AVY. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, AVY or SW?
AVY is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. AVY on the peer-relative Value factor, by 4 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, AVY or SW?
SW on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, AVY or SW?
AVY on the Momentum factor, by 57 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, AVY or SW?
AVY is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. AVY carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is AVY more profitable than SW?
AVY leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 29% vs 17.9%; operating margin 12.4% vs 5.4%; ttm roe 31.1% vs 2.7%.
Is AVY's lead over SW getting stronger or weaker?
AVY lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 5 to 21 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-21 and 2026-10-20. The lead has not changed hands in that window.
What would change the AVY vs SW verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: SW closes the Momentum gap — currently 57 points behind, the largest single contributor to AVY's edge; SW's Bollinger Band Squeeze turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend; AVY's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 4 bullish and 2 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about AVY and SW?
AVY: 4 bullish / 2 bearish, conflicted. SW: 2 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on AVY is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On SW it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare AVY and SW with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.