DOW vs IFF Stock Comparison
Compare DOW and IFF across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between DOW and IFF?
IFF leads the current stock comparison as International Flavors & Fragrances Inc., with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Dow Inc. vs International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
IFF leads
IFF leads by 16 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Quality, and the lead has widened from 3 points over 30 sessions. Wall Street currently favors DOW on target upside.
Competitive: 3 of 6 evidence groups support IFF, its lead is widening, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Dow Inc.
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors IFF over DOW, 56 versus 40 as of Sep 11, 2026. IFF's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and quality, while DOW holds the stronger value profile. IFF also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors DOW. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor IFF today, and the comparison is rated Competitive on stability: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. IFF lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 3 to 16 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Dow Inc. and International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Price-return comparison using available daily close history.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000
Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.
Compare DOW and IFF against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
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.
- Momentum24 vs 63IFF +39
- Quality22 vs 42IFF +20
- Risk Resilience55 vs 73IFF +18
- Value65 vs 54DOW +11
3 of 6 evidence groups favor IFF. IFF’s edge is concentrated in momentum and quality; DOW keeps a meaningful value edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.
Largest factor move: Momentum -4
New signals
- RSI Oversold - Potential Bounce — bullish, momentum, short horizon
Largest factor move: Momentum -1
No new signals fired.
IFF's lead widened by 1 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — DOW and IFF both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and quality.
DOW (Dow Inc.): the counter-case, on value, valuation, analyst expectations — but at materially higher volatility, 32% against 21.5%.
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
IFFIFF on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
DOWDOW on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
DOWDOW on the peer-relative Value factor, by 11 points.
Momentum
IFFIFF on the Momentum factor, by 39 points.
Lower downside
IFFIFF on Risk Resilience, by 18 points.
Analyst upside
DOWDOW on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors IFF, analyst targets favor DOW. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | DOW | IFF | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +36.2% | +8.2% | DOW has more room |
| Target dispersion | +58.2% | +27.6% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Hold | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 9 | 6 | 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.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor IFF. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | IFF | 40 vs 56 |
| Fundamentals | Even | revenue growth 23.5% vs -28.7%; EPS growth 235.1% vs -69.7%; TTM ROE -6.6% vs 2.1%; gross margin 9.8% vs 37.5% |
| Valuation | DOW | Value 65 vs 54 |
| Technicals | IFF | Price vs 50-day -3.5% vs 2%; vs 200-day -6.2% vs 12.2% |
| Risk Resilience | IFF | Risk Resilience 55 vs 73 |
| Analyst expectations | DOW | Target upside 36.2% vs 8.2% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of DOW and IFF 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 16 points. (supports the conclusion holding)
- Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- 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 IFF.
How the comparison changed
119 daily snapshots · May 4 – Sep 10IFF lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 3 to 16 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- IFF +16
- 40 vs 56
- 7 sessions ago
- IFF +17
- 42 vs 59
- 30 sessions ago
- IFF +3
- 52 vs 55
- 90 sessions ago
- IFF +17
- 40 vs 57
The lead changed hands 4 times in this window, most recently on Jul 27 when IFF moved ahead of DOW.
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.
1 bullish / 3 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (5.02%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- RSI Oversold - Potential Bounce — bullish, momentum, short horizon
3 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (9.33%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
IFF 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 down over the latest session (price -2.06%, AIQ -1 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -0.52%, 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.
- 1DOW closes the Momentum gap — currently 39 points behind, the largest single contributor to IFF's edge.
- 2DOW's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3IFF's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 1 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
Split| Metric | DOW | IFF |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 23.5% | -28.7% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 235.1% | -69.7% |
| Gross margin | 9.8% | 37.5% |
| Operating margin | -0.1% | 7.8% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | -6.6% | 2.1% |
| Debt to equity | 0.85 | 0.45 |
Performance
IFF leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | DOW | IFF |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -5.2% | -3.3% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -3% | 0.2% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -13.4% | 13.2% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -13.8% | 22.3% |
| Year to date | 26.8% | 24.7% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 23.6% | 27% |
Technicals
IFF has the stronger structure| Metric | DOW | IFF |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 24.4 | 52.9 |
| ADX (14) | 11.1 | 24.2 |
| Price vs 50-day | -3.5% | 2% |
| Price vs 200-day | -6.2% | 12.2% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 32% | 21.5% |
Risk
IFF is the more resilient| Metric | DOW | IFF |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0 | 0.74 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.59 | 0.78 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.06 | 1.52 |
| Max drawdown | -35.5% | -19.7% |
| Current drawdown | -29.2% | -4.6% |
| Annualized volatility | 44.6% | 35.8% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -3.8% | -2.8% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, DOW or IFF?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, IFF is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 56 against DOW's 40. The edge comes from momentum and quality. DOW is not without a case — it holds the better value profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. 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 DOW or IFF the better buy right now?
IFF carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Competitive — 3 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 IFF over DOW?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. IFF leads Momentum by 39 points; IFF leads Quality by 20 points; IFF leads Risk Resilience by 18 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, DOW or IFF?
Analyst price targets imply +36.2% upside for DOW and +8.2% for IFF, so the Street currently favors DOW. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors IFF. 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, DOW or IFF?
DOW is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. DOW on the peer-relative Value factor, by 11 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, DOW or IFF?
DOW 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, DOW or IFF?
IFF on the Momentum factor, by 39 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, DOW or IFF?
IFF is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. IFF on Risk Resilience, by 18 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is DOW more profitable than IFF?
IFF leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 9.8% vs 37.5%; operating margin -0.1% vs 7.8%; ttm roe -6.6% vs 2.1%.
Is IFF's lead over DOW getting stronger or weaker?
IFF lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 3 to 16 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has changed hands 4 times in that window, most recently on 2026-07-27, when IFF moved ahead of DOW.
What would change the DOW vs IFF verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: DOW closes the Momentum gap — currently 39 points behind, the largest single contributor to IFF's edge; DOW's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; IFF's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 1 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 DOW and IFF?
DOW: 1 bullish / 3 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted. IFF: 3 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 DOW is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On IFF it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare DOW and IFF 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.