AYI vs. EME

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

AYI (Acuity Brands, Inc.) and EME (EMCOR Group, Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Industrials sector — AYI in Electrical Equipment & Parts, EME in Engineering & Construction. Over the past 10 years, AYI returned 2.41%/yr vs 33.77%/yr for EME. A 0.51 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

AYI vs. EME - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Acuity Brands, Inc. (AYI) and EMCOR Group, Inc. (EME). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AYI achieves a -12.99% return, which is significantly lower than EME's 37.38% return. Over the past 10 years, AYI has underperformed EME with an annualized return of 2.41%, while EME has yielded a comparatively higher 33.77% annualized return.

AYI

• 1D: 0.46%
• 1M: 9.53%
• YTD: -12.99%
• 6M: -15.22%
• 1Y: 18.67%
• 3Y*: 25.35%
• 5Y*: 10.95%
• 10Y*: 2.41%

EME

• 1D: 1.48%
• 1M: -7.77%
• YTD: 37.38%
• 6M: 37.33%
• 1Y: 73.87%
• 3Y*: 69.67%
• 5Y*: 46.30%
• 10Y*: 33.77%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

AYI vs. EME - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
AYI Acuity Brands, Inc.	-12.99%	23.53%	42.95%	24.06%	-21.55%	75.42%	-11.79%	20.54%	-34.44%	-23.55%
EME EMCOR Group, Inc.	37.38%	35.05%	111.27%	46.03%	16.81%	39.93%	6.47%	45.18%	-26.68%	16.09%

Correlation

The correlation between AYI and EME is 0.39, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.39
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.50
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.53
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.49
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 4, 2001	0.51

The correlation between AYI and EME shifts across timeframes, from 0.39 (1 year) to 0.53 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Fundamentals

Market Cap AYI : $9.81B EME : $37.82B
EPS AYI : $13.65 EME : $29.65
PE Ratio AYI : 22.92 EME : 28.32
PEG Ratio AYI : 1.85 EME : 0.66
PS Ratio AYI : 2.15 EME : 2.13
PB Ratio AYI : 3.45 EME : 9.78
Total Revenue (TTM) AYI : $4.59B EME : $17.75B
Gross Profit (TTM) AYI : $2.24B EME : $3.47B
EBITDA (TTM) AYI : $700.10M EME : $2.03B

Return for Risk

AYI vs. EME — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

AYI

AYI Risk / Return Rank: 55
AYI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 60
AYI Sortino Ratio Rank: 52
AYI Omega Ratio Rank: 53
AYI Calmar Ratio Rank: 53
AYI Martin Ratio Rank: 54

EME

EME Risk / Return Rank: 83
EME Sharpe Ratio Rank: 87
EME Sortino Ratio Rank: 80
EME Omega Ratio Rank: 84
EME Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
EME Martin Ratio Rank: 82

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

AYI vs. EME - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Acuity Brands, Inc. (AYI) and EMCOR Group, Inc. (EME). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	AYI	EME	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.59	1.96	-1.37
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.95	2.37	-1.41
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.13	1.35	-0.23
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.60	2.95	-2.36
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.31	7.46	-6.15
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

AYI vs. EME - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AYI Sharpe Ratio is 0.59, which is lower than the EME Sharpe Ratio of 1.96. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AYI and EME, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	AYI	EME	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.59	1.96	-1.37
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.35	1.40	-1.05
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.07	1.03	-0.96
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.38	0.60	-0.22

Drawdowns

AYI vs. EME - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AYI drawdown since its inception was -74.22%, which is greater than EME's maximum drawdown of -70.56%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AYI and EME.

Drawdown Indicators

	AYI	EME	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-74.22%	-70.56%	-3.66%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-31.52%	-25.15%	-6.37%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-33.72%	-36.19%	+2.47%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-34.64%	-36.19%	+1.55%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-74.22%	-48.00%	-26.22%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-16.84%	-11.04%	-5.80%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-23.16%	-15.37%	-7.79%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	14.30%	9.94%	+4.36%

Volatility

AYI vs. EME - Volatility Comparison

Acuity Brands, Inc. (AYI) has a higher volatility of 8.12% compared to EMCOR Group, Inc. (EME) at 7.27%. This indicates that AYI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than EME based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AYI	EME	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.12%	7.27%	+0.85%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	25.79%	25.45%	+0.34%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	31.99%	37.97%	-5.98%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	31.70%	33.27%	-1.57%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	36.84%	32.94%	+3.90%

Dividends

AYI vs. EME - Dividend Comparison

AYI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.24%, more than EME's 0.15% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AYI Acuity Brands, Inc.	0.24%	0.19%	0.21%	0.25%	0.31%	0.25%	0.43%	0.38%	0.45%	0.30%	0.23%	0.22%
EME EMCOR Group, Inc.	0.15%	0.16%	0.20%	0.32%	0.36%	0.41%	0.35%	0.37%	0.54%	0.39%	0.45%	0.67%

Financials

AYI vs. EME - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between Acuity Brands, Inc. and EMCOR Group, Inc. over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

AYI - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Acuity Brands, Inc. reported a gross profit of 520.40M and revenue of 1.06B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 49.3%.

EME - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, EMCOR Group, Inc. reported a gross profit of 863.95M and revenue of 4.63B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 18.7%.

AYI - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Acuity Brands, Inc. reported an operating income of 133.00M and revenue of 1.06B, resulting in an operating margin of 12.6%.

EME - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, EMCOR Group, Inc. reported an operating income of 403.85M and revenue of 4.63B, resulting in an operating margin of 8.7%.

AYI - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Acuity Brands, Inc. reported a net income of 96.80M and revenue of 1.06B, resulting in a net margin of 9.2%.

EME - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, EMCOR Group, Inc. reported a net income of 305.48M and revenue of 4.63B, resulting in a net margin of 6.6%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AYI and EME in my portfolio?

AYI and EME have a correlation of 0.39, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, AYI or EME?

AYI has higher volatility (8.12%) compared to EME (7.27%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AYI dropped -74.22% vs EME's -70.56%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

EME currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.96 vs 0.59), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.