PLOW vs. RAIL
PLOW (Douglas Dynamics, Inc.) and RAIL (FreightCar America, Inc.) are both stocks. PLOW operates in Auto Parts (Consumer Cyclical), while RAIL operates in Railroads (Industrials). Over the past 10 years, PLOW returned 11.22%/yr vs -6.24%/yr for RAIL. At a 0.31 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
PLOW vs. RAIL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PLOW achieves a 38.14% return, which is significantly higher than RAIL's -33.60% return. Over the past 10 years, PLOW has outperformed RAIL with an annualized return of 11.22%, while RAIL has yielded a comparatively lower -6.24% annualized return.
PLOW
- 1D
- -1.06%
- 1M
- 0.45%
- YTD
- 38.14%
- 6M
- 42.10%
- 1Y
- 67.70%
- 3Y*
- 19.14%
- 5Y*
- 4.20%
- 10Y*
- 11.22%
RAIL
- 1D
- -2.91%
- 1M
- -8.81%
- YTD
- -33.60%
- 6M
- -12.50%
- 1Y
- -11.87%
- 3Y*
- 36.66%
- 5Y*
- 3.03%
- 10Y*
- -6.24%
PLOW vs. RAIL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PLOW Douglas Dynamics, Inc. | 38.14% | 43.83% | -16.47% | -14.72% | -4.01% | -6.11% | -19.64% | 57.21% | -2.68% | 15.63% |
RAIL FreightCar America, Inc. | -33.60% | 23.55% | 231.85% | -15.63% | -13.28% | 53.11% | 16.43% | -69.06% | -60.83% | 16.26% |
Correlation
The correlation between PLOW and RAIL is 0.43, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.43 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 6, 2010 | 0.31 |
The correlation between PLOW and RAIL shifts across timeframes, from 0.23 (3 years) to 0.43 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
PLOW:
$1.06B
RAIL:
$261.10M
PLOW:
$272.12
RAIL:
$0.88
PLOW:
0.16
RAIL:
8.32
PLOW:
0.01
RAIL:
0.11
PLOW:
1.56
RAIL:
0.52
PLOW:
$678.78M
RAIL:
$469.01M
PLOW:
$181.26M
RAIL:
$69.61M
PLOW:
$96.05M
RAIL:
-$1.50M
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Return for Risk
PLOW vs. RAIL — Risk / Return Rank
PLOW
RAIL
PLOW vs. RAIL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Douglas Dynamics, Inc. (PLOW) and FreightCar America, Inc. (RAIL). 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.
| PLOW | RAIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.30 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.82 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.38 | 1.02 | +0.36 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.43 | -0.24 | +4.66 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.69 | -0.43 | +11.13 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| PLOW | RAIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.11 | -0.19 | +2.30 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.13 | 0.04 | +0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.32 | -0.09 | +0.41 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.41 | -0.07 | +0.48 |
Drawdowns
PLOW vs. RAIL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PLOW drawdown since its inception was -55.53%, smaller than the maximum RAIL drawdown of -98.88%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PLOW and RAIL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PLOW | RAIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.53% | -98.88% | +43.35% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.37% | -50.34% | +34.97% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -32.38% | -71.67% | +39.29% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -47.68% | -71.67% | +23.99% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -55.53% | -96.23% | +40.70% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.75% | -89.20% | +77.45% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -18.36% | -71.85% | +53.49% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.35% | 27.38% | -21.03% |
Volatility
PLOW vs. RAIL - Volatility Comparison
Douglas Dynamics, Inc. (PLOW) has a higher volatility of 18.86% compared to FreightCar America, Inc. (RAIL) at 12.90%. This indicates that PLOW's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than RAIL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PLOW | RAIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 18.86% | 12.90% | +5.96% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 26.54% | 45.80% | -19.26% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 32.29% | 62.94% | -30.65% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 32.73% | 69.26% | -36.53% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 34.85% | 73.68% | -38.83% |
Dividends
PLOW vs. RAIL - Dividend Comparison
PLOW's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.64%, while RAIL has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PLOW Douglas Dynamics, Inc. | 2.64% | 3.61% | 4.99% | 3.98% | 3.21% | 2.92% | 2.62% | 1.98% | 2.95% | 2.54% | 2.79% | 4.22% |
RAIL FreightCar America, Inc. | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 1.58% | 2.41% | 1.85% |
Financials
PLOW vs. RAIL - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Douglas Dynamics, Inc. and FreightCar America, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
Frequently Asked Questions
PLOW and RAIL have a correlation of 0.43, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PLOW has higher volatility (18.86%) compared to RAIL (12.90%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PLOW dropped -55.53% vs RAIL's -98.88%.
PLOW currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.11 vs -0.19), 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.
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