Sonoco Products (SON) vs Advanced Drainage Systems (WMS)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Sonoco Products (SON) has outperformed Advanced Drainage Systems (WMS) over the past year, gaining 12.4% versus a loss of 8.9%. Over five years, WMS leads with a +11.6% price change compared with -22.1% for SON. Advanced Drainage Systems is the larger company by market cap ($9.51 billion vs $4.72 billion), about 2.0 times the size, while Sonoco Products is growing revenue faster (+41.7% vs +5.0%).
On valuation, Sonoco Products trades at a lower forward P/E (7.6x vs 17.1x for Advanced Drainage Systems). Sonoco Products offers the higher dividend yield (4.46% vs 0.59%). Advanced Drainage Systems converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 14.0% versus 13.3%.
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 | SON | WMS |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $47.74 | $126.08 |
| Market cap | $4.72B | $9.51B |
| 1-day change | -0.58% | -3.07% |
| YTD return | +9.40% | -12.95% |
| 1-year return | +12.41% | -8.88% |
| 5-year return | -22.12% | +11.63% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 7.39 | 21.48 |
| Forward P/E | 7.57 | 17.10 |
| EPS (TTM) | $6.46 | $5.87 |
| Dividend yield | 4.46% | 0.59% |
| Annual dividend | $2.13 | $0.74 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $7.52B | $3.05B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +41.72% | +5.03% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $1.00B | $426.46M |
| Gross margin | 20.94% | 38.27% |
| Operating margin | 13.54% | 20.30% |
| Net margin | 13.34% | 13.98% |
| 52-week high | $60.67 | $179.32 |
| 52-week low | $38.65 | $124.39 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -21.31% | -29.69% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +28.01% | +45.07% |
| Average volume | 1.11M | 702.62K |
| Shares outstanding | 98.88M | 75.41M |
| Employees | 22,000 | 6,425 |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Containers/Packaging | Containers/Packaging |
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
- Advanced Drainage Systems is about 2.0 times larger than Sonoco Products by market value ($9.51B vs $4.72B).
- SON has outperformed WMS by 21.3 percentage points over the past year.
- Advanced Drainage Systems trades at a higher earnings multiple (21.5x vs 7.4x trailing P/E).
- Sonoco Products offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (4.46% vs 0.59%).
- Sonoco Products grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+41.72% vs +5.03%).
About Sonoco Products
SON stock →Sonoco Products Company, together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and sells various engineered and sustainable packaging products in the United States, Europe, Canada, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Consumer Packaging and Industrial Paper Packaging.
Consumer Discretionary · Containers/Packaging · 22,000 employees
About Advanced Drainage Systems
WMS stock →Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets thermoplastic corrugated pipes and related water management products in the United States, Canada, and internationally.
Consumer Discretionary · Containers/Packaging · 6,425 employees
SON vs WMS FAQ
Which is bigger, Sonoco Products or Advanced Drainage Systems?
Advanced Drainage Systems (WMS) is larger, with a market capitalization of $9.51B compared with $4.72B for Sonoco Products (SON).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, SON or WMS?
SON returned +12.41% over the past 12 months, compared with -8.88% for WMS (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, SON or WMS?
SON has the lower trailing P/E at 7.4, versus 21.5 for WMS. 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, Sonoco Products or Advanced Drainage Systems?
Sonoco Products has the higher yield at 4.46%, compared with 0.59% for Advanced Drainage Systems.
Are Sonoco Products and Advanced Drainage Systems in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Containers/Packaging industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.