Park Aerospace (PKE) vs Willdan Group (WLDN)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
Park Aerospace (PKE) has outperformed Willdan Group (WLDN) over the past year, gaining 43.9% versus a loss of 21.6%. Over five years, WLDN leads with a +122.2% price change compared with +119.5% for PKE. Willdan Group is the larger company by market cap ($1.14 billion vs $645.1 million), about 1.8 times the size.
On valuation, Willdan Group trades at a lower forward P/E (13.8x vs 58.2x for Park Aerospace). Park Aerospace pays a dividend yielding 1.69%, while Willdan Group does not currently pay one.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | PKE | WLDN |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $29.66 | $74.71 |
| Market cap | $645.14M | $1.14B |
| 1-day change | +1.37% | +1.76% |
| YTD return | +38.99% | -27.93% |
| 1-year return | +43.91% | -21.58% |
| 5-year return | +119.54% | +122.22% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 46.34 | 17.54 |
| Forward P/E | 58.16 | 13.77 |
| EPS (TTM) | $0.64 | $4.26 |
| Dividend yield | 1.69% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.50 | $0.00 |
| 52-week high | $39.86 | $137.00 |
| 52-week low | $18.25 | $64.67 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -25.59% | -45.47% |
| Analyst consensus | none | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +43.29% | +84.04% |
| Average volume | 268.01K | 233.30K |
| Shares outstanding | 21.75M | 15.23M |
| Employees | 125 | 1,814 |
| Sector | Industrials | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Military/Government/Technical | Military/Government/Technical |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- PKE has outperformed WLDN by 65.5 percentage points over the past year.
- Park Aerospace trades at a higher earnings multiple (46.3x vs 17.5x trailing P/E).
- Park Aerospace offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (1.69% vs 0.00%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Park Aerospace in Industrials and Willdan Group in Consumer Discretionary.
About Park Aerospace
PKE stock →Park Aerospace Corp., an aerospace company, develops and manufactures solution and hot-melt advanced composite materials used to produce composite structures for the aerospace market in North America, Asia, and Europe. It offers advanced composite materials, including film adhesives and lightning strike protection materials used to produce primary and secondary structures for jet engines, large and regional transport aircraft, military aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, business jets, general aviation aircraft, and rotary wing aircraft.
Industrials · Military/Government/Technical · 125 employees
About Willdan Group
WLDN stock →Willdan Group, Inc., a technical services company, focuses on the provision of energy and infrastructure solutions in the United States and Canada. The company operates in two segments: Energy, and Engineering and Consulting.
Consumer Discretionary · Military/Government/Technical · 1,814 employees
PKE vs WLDN FAQ
Which is bigger, Park Aerospace or Willdan Group?
Willdan Group (WLDN) is larger, with a market capitalization of $1.14B compared with $645.14M for Park Aerospace (PKE).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, PKE or WLDN?
PKE returned +43.91% over the past 12 months, compared with -21.58% for WLDN (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, PKE or WLDN?
WLDN has the lower trailing P/E at 17.5, versus 46.3 for PKE. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Park Aerospace or Willdan Group?
Park Aerospace pays a dividend yielding 1.69%, while Willdan Group does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Park Aerospace and Willdan Group in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Military/Government/Technical industry within the Industrials sector.