ESP vs. KNF

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

ESP (Espey Mfg. & Electronics Corp.) and KNF (Knife River Corporation) are both stocks. ESP operates in Electrical Equipment & Parts (Industrials), while KNF operates in Building Materials (Basic Materials). Over the past 3 years, ESP returned 54.51%/yr vs 25.46%/yr for KNF. At a 0.17 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

ESP vs. KNF - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Espey Mfg. & Electronics Corp. (ESP) and Knife River Corporation (KNF). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ESP achieves a 18.82% return, which is significantly higher than KNF's 8.20% return.

ESP

• 1D: -3.63%
• 1M: -18.94%
• YTD: 18.82%
• 6M: 40.45%
• 1Y: 52.54%
• 3Y*: 54.51%
• 5Y*: 33.03%
• 10Y*: 11.92%

KNF

• 1D: -2.95%
• 1M: -15.70%
• YTD: 8.20%
• 6M: -0.47%
• 1Y: -20.18%
• 3Y*: 25.46%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

ESP vs. KNF - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
ESP Espey Mfg. & Electronics Corp.	18.82%	63.34%	66.83%	16.37%
KNF Knife River Corporation	8.20%	-30.79%	53.58%	88.98%

Correlation

The correlation between ESP and KNF is 0.10, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.10
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.17
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 2, 2023	0.17

Fundamentals

Market Cap ESP : $160.89M KNF : $4.32B
EPS ESP : $3.79 KNF : $2.58
PE Ratio ESP : 14.71 KNF : 29.53
PEG Ratio ESP : 0.21 KNF : 3.36
PS Ratio ESP : 3.75 KNF : 1.35
PB Ratio ESP : 2.85 KNF : 2.77
Total Revenue (TTM) ESP : $42.25M KNF : $3.20B
Gross Profit (TTM) ESP : $15.43M KNF : $585.88M
EBITDA (TTM) ESP : $11.61M KNF : $441.86M

Return for Risk

ESP vs. KNF — Risk / Return Rank

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

ESP

ESP Risk / Return Rank: 69
ESP Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
ESP Sortino Ratio Rank: 65
ESP Omega Ratio Rank: 66
ESP Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
ESP Martin Ratio Rank: 70

KNF

KNF Risk / Return Rank: 21
KNF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 22
KNF Sortino Ratio Rank: 22
KNF Omega Ratio Rank: 23
KNF Calmar Ratio Rank: 21
KNF Martin Ratio Rank: 17

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.

ESP vs. KNF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Espey Mfg. & Electronics Corp. (ESP) and Knife River Corporation (KNF). 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.

	ESP	KNF	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.02	-0.43	+1.45
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.52	-0.36	+1.88
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.20	0.96	+0.24
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.81	-0.55	+2.37
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	3.71	-1.11	+4.82
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ESP vs. KNF - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ESP Sharpe Ratio is 1.02, which is higher than the KNF Sharpe Ratio of -0.43. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ESP and KNF, 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

	ESP	KNF	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.02	-0.43	+1.45
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.78	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.31	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.35	0.70	-0.35

Drawdowns

ESP vs. KNF - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ESP drawdown since its inception was -54.43%, which is greater than KNF's maximum drawdown of -44.15%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ESP and KNF.

Drawdown Indicators

	ESP	KNF	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-54.43%	-44.15%	-10.28%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-29.09%	-36.63%	+7.54%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-29.09%	-44.15%	+15.06%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-33.59%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-54.43%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-22.81%	-29.07%	+6.26%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-15.01%	-12.76%	-2.25%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	14.22%	18.96%	-4.74%

Volatility

ESP vs. KNF - Volatility Comparison

Espey Mfg. & Electronics Corp. (ESP) and Knife River Corporation (KNF) have volatilities of 15.12% and 14.83%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ESP	KNF	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	15.12%	14.83%	+0.29%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	38.18%	37.58%	+0.60%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	52.04%	47.36%	+4.68%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	42.85%	42.34%	+0.51%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	38.01%	42.34%	-4.33%

Dividends

ESP vs. KNF - Dividend Comparison

ESP's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.14%, while KNF has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ESP Espey Mfg. & Electronics Corp.	3.14%	3.71%	2.90%	2.67%	0.00%	0.00%	5.29%	4.63%	8.03%	4.17%	3.84%	3.88%
KNF Knife River Corporation	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Financials

ESP vs. KNF - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between Espey Mfg. & Electronics Corp. and Knife River Corporation over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

ESP - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Espey Mfg. & Electronics Corp. reported a gross profit of 4.23M and revenue of 11.42M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 37.0%.

KNF - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Knife River Corporation reported a gross profit of -2.80M and revenue of 410.10M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was -0.7%.

ESP - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Espey Mfg. & Electronics Corp. reported an operating income of 2.98M and revenue of 11.42M, resulting in an operating margin of 26.1%.

KNF - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Knife River Corporation reported an operating income of -86.30M and revenue of 410.10M, resulting in an operating margin of -21.0%.

ESP - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Espey Mfg. & Electronics Corp. reported a net income of 2.86M and revenue of 11.42M, resulting in a net margin of 25.1%.

KNF - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Knife River Corporation reported a net income of -79.20M and revenue of 410.10M, resulting in a net margin of -19.3%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ESP and KNF in my portfolio?

ESP and KNF have a correlation of 0.10, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ESP or KNF?

ESP has higher volatility (15.12%) compared to KNF (14.83%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ESP dropped -54.43% vs KNF's -44.15%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ESP currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.02 vs -0.43), 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.