MSI vs. AIT

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

MSI (Motorola Solutions, Inc.) and AIT (Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.) are both stocks. MSI operates in Communication Equipment (Technology), while AIT operates in Industrial Distribution (Industrials). Over the past 10 years, MSI returned 21.53%/yr vs 22.87%/yr for AIT. At a 0.28 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

MSI vs. AIT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Motorola Solutions, Inc. (MSI) and Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (AIT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, MSI achieves a 6.41% return, which is significantly lower than AIT's 22.87% return. Over the past 10 years, MSI has underperformed AIT with an annualized return of 21.53%, while AIT has yielded a comparatively higher 22.87% annualized return.

MSI

• 1D: -0.86%
• 1M: 5.94%
• YTD: 6.41%
• 6M: 10.18%
• 1Y: -1.60%
• 3Y*: 14.78%
• 5Y*: 15.60%
• 10Y*: 21.53%

AIT

• 1D: -0.28%
• 1M: 1.96%
• YTD: 22.87%
• 6M: 22.65%
• 1Y: 36.57%
• 3Y*: 33.63%
• 5Y*: 28.07%
• 10Y*: 22.87%

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

MSI vs. AIT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
MSI Motorola Solutions, Inc.	6.41%	-16.17%	49.12%	23.04%	-3.81%	61.90%	7.35%	42.19%	29.64%	11.44%
AIT Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.	22.87%	8.01%	39.67%	38.35%	24.25%	33.57%	19.37%	26.35%	-19.41%	16.89%

Correlation

The correlation between MSI and AIT is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.22
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.34
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.38
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.38
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 10, 1984	0.28

The correlation between MSI and AIT shifts across timeframes, from 0.22 (1 year) to 0.38 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Fundamentals

Market Cap MSI : $68.34B AIT : $11.95B
EPS MSI : $12.42 AIT : $10.56
PE Ratio MSI : 32.76 AIT : 29.78
PEG Ratio MSI : 2.00 AIT : 0.93
PS Ratio MSI : 5.77 AIT : 2.48
PB Ratio MSI : 26.86 AIT : 4.00
Total Revenue (TTM) MSI : $11.87B AIT : $4.84B
Gross Profit (TTM) MSI : $5.92B AIT : $1.47B
EBITDA (TTM) MSI : $3.35B AIT : $563.38M

Return for Risk

MSI vs. AIT — Risk / Return Rank

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

MSI

MSI Risk / Return Rank: 37
MSI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 39
MSI Sortino Ratio Rank: 33
MSI Omega Ratio Rank: 32
MSI Calmar Ratio Rank: 40
MSI Martin Ratio Rank: 40

AIT

AIT Risk / Return Rank: 79
AIT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 81
AIT Sortino Ratio Rank: 75
AIT Omega Ratio Rank: 74
AIT Calmar Ratio Rank: 83
AIT 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.

MSI vs. AIT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Motorola Solutions, Inc. (MSI) and Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (AIT). 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.

	MSI	AIT	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.07	1.40	-1.47
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.07	1.94	-1.87
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.01	1.25	-0.24
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.06	2.86	-2.92
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.12	6.86	-6.98
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

MSI vs. AIT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current MSI Sharpe Ratio is -0.07, which is lower than the AIT Sharpe Ratio of 1.40. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of MSI and AIT, 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

	MSI	AIT	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.07	1.40	-1.47
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.68	0.93	-0.25
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.86	0.69	+0.17
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.24	0.43	-0.19

Drawdowns

MSI vs. AIT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum MSI drawdown since its inception was -93.60%, which is greater than AIT's maximum drawdown of -66.47%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MSI and AIT.

Drawdown Indicators

	MSI	AIT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-93.60%	-66.47%	-27.13%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-25.45%	-12.86%	-12.59%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-27.01%	-26.42%	-0.59%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-27.23%	-26.42%	-0.81%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-32.81%	-59.29%	+26.48%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-18.10%	-0.28%	-17.82%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-40.71%	-18.04%	-22.67%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	13.09%	5.35%	+7.74%

Volatility

MSI vs. AIT - Volatility Comparison

Motorola Solutions, Inc. (MSI) has a higher volatility of 14.42% compared to Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (AIT) at 5.61%. This indicates that MSI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AIT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	MSI	AIT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	14.42%	5.61%	+8.81%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	19.64%	19.07%	+0.57%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	23.77%	26.31%	-2.54%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	23.07%	30.49%	-7.42%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	25.16%	33.29%	-8.13%

Dividends

MSI vs. AIT - Dividend Comparison

MSI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.13%, more than AIT's 0.62% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AIT Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.	0.62%	0.72%	0.62%	0.81%	1.08%	1.29%	1.64%	1.86%	2.22%	1.70%	1.89%	2.67%
MSI Motorola Solutions, Inc.	1.13%	1.17%	0.87%	1.16%	1.26%	1.07%	1.55%	1.46%	1.85%	2.14%	2.05%	2.09%

Financials

MSI vs. AIT - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between Motorola Solutions, Inc. and Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

MSI - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Motorola Solutions, Inc. reported a gross profit of 1.36B and revenue of 2.71B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 50.2%.

AIT - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. reported a gross profit of 397.52M and revenue of 1.25B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 31.8%.

MSI - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Motorola Solutions, Inc. reported an operating income of 525.00M and revenue of 2.71B, resulting in an operating margin of 19.3%.

AIT - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. reported an operating income of 137.93M and revenue of 1.25B, resulting in an operating margin of 11.0%.

MSI - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Motorola Solutions, Inc. reported a net income of 368.00M and revenue of 2.71B, resulting in a net margin of 13.6%.

AIT - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. reported a net income of 99.77M and revenue of 1.25B, resulting in a net margin of 8.0%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both MSI and AIT in my portfolio?

MSI and AIT have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, MSI or AIT?

MSI has higher volatility (14.42%) compared to AIT (5.61%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MSI dropped -93.60% vs AIT's -66.47%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

AIT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.40 vs -0.07), 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.