VLTO vs WSO Stock Comparison
VLTO currently leads WSO in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 67 vs 56. The clearest difference is momentum, while WSO has the stronger value profile.
What is the main difference between VLTO and WSO?
VLTO leads the current stock comparison as Veralto Corporation, with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Veralto Corporation vs Watsco, Inc.
VLTO leads
VLTO leads by 11 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Quality. Wall Street currently favors WSO on target upside.
Fragile: 4 of 6 evidence groups support VLTO, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Veralto Corporation
Watsco, Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors VLTO over WSO, 67 versus 56 as of Oct 31, 2026. VLTO's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and quality, while WSO holds the stronger value profile. VLTO also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors WSO. 4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor VLTO today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the leader is throwing conflicting signals. VLTO lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 11 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Veralto Corporation and Watsco, Inc. 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 VLTO and WSO 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.
- Momentum79 vs 49VLTO +30
- Quality74 vs 57VLTO +17
- Value49 vs 57WSO +8
- Risk Resilience67 vs 63VLTO +4
4 of 6 evidence groups favor VLTO. VLTO’s edge is concentrated in momentum and quality; WSO keeps a meaningful value edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-28, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-27.
Largest factor move: Momentum -1, not enough on its own to move the overall score.
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 6 active signals are unchanged.
Largest factor move: Momentum -10
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 5 active signals are unchanged.
VLTO's lead widened by 3 AIQ points in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — VLTO and WSO both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
VLTO (Veralto Corporation): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and quality.
WSO (Watsco, Inc.): the counter-case, on value, valuation, analyst expectations — but at materially higher volatility, 41.9% against 17.1%.
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
VLTOVLTO on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
WSOWSO on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
WSOWSO on the peer-relative Value factor, by 8 points.
Momentum
VLTOVLTO on the Momentum factor, by 30 points.
Lower downside
VLTOVLTO on Risk Resilience, by 4 points.
Analyst upside
WSOWSO on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors VLTO, analyst targets favor WSO. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | VLTO | WSO | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | -1.3% | +24.6% | WSO has more room |
| Target dispersion | +9.1% | +23.8% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Hold | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 5 | 3 | 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
4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor VLTO. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | VLTO | 67 vs 56 |
| Fundamentals | VLTOon balance | revenue growth 3.7% vs 37.3%; EPS growth -4.9% vs 116.6%; TTM ROE 32.8% vs 16.8%; gross margin 60.2% vs 27.9%; operating margin 22.7% vs 9.3% — VLTO takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | WSO | Value 49 vs 57 |
| Technicals | VLTO | Price vs 50-day 13.5% vs -0.9%; vs 200-day 10.6% vs -20.7% |
| Risk Resilience | VLTO | Risk Resilience 67 vs 63 |
| Analyst expectations | WSO | Target upside -1.3% vs 24.6% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of VLTO and WSO and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is moderate at 11 points.
- 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 VLTO.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 29 – Oct 28VLTO lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 11 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- VLTO +11
- 67 vs 56
- 7 sessions ago
- VLTO +1
- 67 vs 66
- 30 sessions ago
- VLTO +9
- 59 vs 50
- 90 sessions ago
- VLTO +7
- 63 vs 56
The lead changed hands 5 times in this window, most recently on Sep 24 when VLTO moved ahead of WSO.
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.
5 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted
Only VLTO
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (5.35%)
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
- 52-Week High Proximity — bullish, risk, long horizon (2.2%)
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
1 bullish / 3 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
Only WSO
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (19.78%)
- ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode — neutral, volatility, short horizon (4.30%)
- 52-Week Low Proximity — bearish, risk, long horizon (1.9%)
- Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon
Both carry 1 more signal that do not separate them: MACD Bullish Crossover.
VLTO 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.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +6.77%, AIQ 0 points).
Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 3 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +0.18%, AIQ -3 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.
- 1WSO closes the Momentum gap — currently 30 points behind, the largest single contributor to VLTO's edge.
- 2WSO's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3VLTO's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 5 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
VLTO leads on balance| Metric | VLTO | WSO |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 3.7% | 37.3% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | -4.9% | 116.6% |
| Gross margin | 60.2% | 27.9% |
| Operating margin | 22.7% | 9.3% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 32.8% | 16.8% |
| Debt to equity | 1.09 | 0.18 |
Performance
VLTO leads 6 of 6 windows| Metric | VLTO | WSO |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 1.5% | -4.7% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 9% | -3.9% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 8.5% | -6.4% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 14.9% | -32.1% |
| Year to date | 3% | -13.7% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -1.8% | -19.7% |
Technicals
VLTO has the stronger structure| Metric | VLTO | WSO |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 76.9 | 54.4 |
| ADX (14) | 30.7 | 25.3 |
| Price vs 50-day | 13.5% | -0.9% |
| Price vs 200-day | 10.6% | -20.7% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 17.1% | 41.9% |
Risk
VLTO is the more resilient| Metric | VLTO | WSO |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.23 | 1 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.04 | -0.53 |
| Sortino ratio | -0.06 | -0.76 |
| Max drawdown | -20.9% | -38.7% |
| Current drawdown | -2% | -36.3% |
| Annualized volatility | 23.4% | 35% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -1.9% | -3.2% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, VLTO or WSO?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, VLTO is the stronger of the two as of Oct 31, 2026, scoring 67 against WSO's 56. The edge comes from momentum and quality. WSO 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 VLTO or WSO the better buy right now?
VLTO carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 31, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 4 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the leader is throwing conflicting signals. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor VLTO over WSO?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. VLTO leads Momentum by 30 points; VLTO leads Quality by 17 points; WSO leads Value by 8 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, VLTO or WSO?
Analyst price targets imply -1.3% upside for VLTO and +24.6% for WSO, so the Street currently favors WSO. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors VLTO. 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, VLTO or WSO?
WSO is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. WSO on the peer-relative Value factor, by 8 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, VLTO or WSO?
WSO 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, VLTO or WSO?
VLTO on the Momentum factor, by 30 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, VLTO or WSO?
VLTO is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. VLTO on Risk Resilience, by 4 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 VLTO more profitable than WSO?
VLTO leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 60.2% vs 27.9%; operating margin 22.7% vs 9.3%; ttm roe 32.8% vs 16.8%.
Is VLTO's lead over WSO getting stronger or weaker?
VLTO lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 11 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-29 and 2026-10-28. The lead has changed hands 5 times in that window, most recently on 2026-09-24, when VLTO moved ahead of WSO.
What would change the VLTO vs WSO verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: WSO closes the Momentum gap — currently 30 points behind, the largest single contributor to VLTO's edge; WSO's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; VLTO's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 5 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 VLTO and WSO?
VLTO: 5 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted. WSO: 1 bullish / 3 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 VLTO is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On WSO it is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon).
Compare VLTO and WSO with others
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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.