NDSN vs. UVV

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

NDSN (Nordson Corporation) and UVV (Universal Corporation) are both stocks. NDSN operates in Specialty Industrial Machinery (Industrials), while UVV operates in Tobacco (Consumer Defensive). Over the past 10 years, NDSN returned 13.93%/yr vs 5.09%/yr for UVV. At a 0.29 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

NDSN vs. UVV - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Nordson Corporation (NDSN) and Universal Corporation (UVV). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NDSN achieves a 17.74% return, which is significantly higher than UVV's 3.14% return. Over the past 10 years, NDSN has outperformed UVV with an annualized return of 13.93%, while UVV has yielded a comparatively lower 5.09% annualized return.

NDSN

• 1D: -0.18%
• 1M: -0.47%
• YTD: 17.74%
• 6M: 21.16%
• 1Y: 33.24%
• 3Y*: 7.98%
• 5Y*: 6.07%
• 10Y*: 13.93%

UVV

• 1D: -1.88%
• 1M: -1.77%
• YTD: 3.14%
• 6M: 4.14%
• 1Y: -7.53%
• 3Y*: 7.54%
• 5Y*: 4.61%
• 10Y*: 5.09%

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

NDSN vs. UVV - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NDSN Nordson Corporation	17.74%	17.03%	-20.15%	12.39%	-5.93%	28.09%	24.45%	37.88%	-17.65%	31.83%
UVV Universal Corporation	3.14%	2.27%	-13.39%	35.79%	1.82%	19.59%	-8.96%	11.08%	7.79%	-14.79%

Correlation

The correlation between NDSN and UVV is 0.17, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.17
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.30
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.33
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.30
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 27, 1990	0.29

The correlation between NDSN and UVV shifts across timeframes, from 0.17 (1 year) to 0.33 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Fundamentals

EPS NDSN : $9.36 UVV : $1.73
PE Ratio NDSN : 30.15 UVV : 30.51
PS Ratio NDSN : 5.48 UVV : 0.45
Total Revenue (TTM) NDSN : $2.90B UVV : $2.21B
Gross Profit (TTM) NDSN : $1.60B UVV : $412.39M
EBITDA (TTM) NDSN : $744.50M UVV : $212.91M

Return for Risk

NDSN vs. UVV — Risk / Return Rank

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

NDSN

NDSN Risk / Return Rank: 81
NDSN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 84
NDSN Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
NDSN Omega Ratio Rank: 77
NDSN Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
NDSN Martin Ratio Rank: 83

UVV

UVV Risk / Return Rank: 26
UVV Sharpe Ratio Rank: 29
UVV Sortino Ratio Rank: 25
UVV Omega Ratio Rank: 25
UVV Calmar Ratio Rank: 25
UVV Martin Ratio Rank: 26

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.

NDSN vs. UVV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Nordson Corporation (NDSN) and Universal Corporation (UVV). 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.

	NDSN	UVV	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.61	-0.32	+1.92
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.37	-0.26	+2.64
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.27	0.96	+0.31
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.36	-0.50	+2.86
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.57	-0.83	+8.41
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NDSN vs. UVV - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NDSN Sharpe Ratio is 1.61, which is higher than the UVV Sharpe Ratio of -0.32. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NDSN and UVV, 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

	NDSN	UVV	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.61	-0.32	+1.92
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.25	0.19	+0.06
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.49	0.18	+0.32
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.38	0.28	+0.10

Drawdowns

NDSN vs. UVV - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NDSN drawdown since its inception was -73.62%, which is greater than UVV's maximum drawdown of -69.75%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NDSN and UVV.

Drawdown Indicators

	NDSN	UVV	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-73.62%	-69.75%	-3.87%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.15%	-15.23%	+1.08%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-39.15%	-29.70%	-9.45%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-39.15%	-29.70%	-9.45%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-44.24%	-45.68%	+1.44%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.42%	-14.30%	+8.88%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.25%	-18.59%	+5.34%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.40%	9.04%	-4.64%

Volatility

NDSN vs. UVV - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Nordson Corporation (NDSN) is 6.53%, while Universal Corporation (UVV) has a volatility of 10.11%. This indicates that NDSN experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than UVV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NDSN	UVV	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.53%	10.11%	-3.58%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	15.06%	18.46%	-3.40%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	20.84%	23.77%	-2.93%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	24.66%	24.57%	+0.09%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	28.43%	28.94%	-0.51%

Dividends

NDSN vs. UVV - Dividend Comparison

NDSN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.15%, less than UVV's 6.22% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NDSN Nordson Corporation	1.15%	1.66%	1.02%	1.01%	0.98%	0.71%	0.77%	0.90%	1.09%	0.78%	0.91%	1.43%
UVV Universal Corporation	6.22%	6.18%	5.87%	4.72%	5.95%	5.64%	6.30%	5.29%	4.80%	4.11%	3.33%	3.71%

Financials

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NDSN and UVV in my portfolio?

NDSN and UVV have a correlation of 0.17, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NDSN or UVV?

UVV has higher volatility (10.11%) compared to NDSN (6.53%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NDSN dropped -73.62% vs UVV's -69.75%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

NDSN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.61 vs -0.32), 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.