Hexcel vs Planet Labs
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KIRA’s take AI analyst
I put Hexcel and Planet Labs side by side, using each one’s latest annual report. Here is what stands out:
- Hexcel is the larger business, with $1.9B of revenue in fiscal 2025 against $308M for Planet Labs, about 6.2 times as much.
- Planet Labs grew revenue faster (25.9%, against −0.5%).
- Hexcel kept more of each dollar of sales as operating profit (9.1% operating margin, against −30.9%).
- Planet Labs turned more of its sales into free cash flow (18.7% FCF margin, against 8.3%).
- Hexcel earned a higher return on the capital invested in it (6.5%, against −70.1%).
Who comes out ahead
Of the 10 measures where higher (or lower) is clearly better, how many each company leads.
Hexcel
HXL
6/10
Operating marginNet marginReturn on capitalReturn on equityPiotroski F-scoreShare count change
Planet Labs
PL
4/10
Revenue growth5-year growthGross marginFCF margin
Side by side
Best in the row
| Latest fiscal year | HXL FY25 | PL FY26 |
|---|---|---|
| Size | ||
| Market cap | $6.1B | $4.8B |
| Revenue | $1.9B | $308M |
| Free cash flow | $157M | $57.7M |
| Net income | $109M | −$247M |
| Growth | ||
| Revenue growth | −0.5% | 25.9% |
| 5-year growth | 4.7% | 22.1% |
| Share count change | −3.6% | 5.4% |
| Profitability | ||
| Gross margin | 23.0% | 56.1% |
| Operating margin | 9.1% | −30.9% |
| Net margin | 5.8% | −80.2% |
| FCF margin | 8.3% | 18.7% |
| Return on capital | 6.5% | −70.1% |
| Return on equity | 7.9% | −78.4% |
| Balance sheet | ||
| Net debt | $922M | −$193M |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 3.1x | — |
| Dividends and buybacks | $508M | $0.0M |
| Valuation & quality | ||
| P/E | 35.9x | — |
| Piotroski F-score | 6 | 3 |
Ten years
Revenue
Operating margin
Free cash flow
Return on capital
Each company's latest fiscal year; fiscal years end in different months. The best value in each row is highlighted where higher (or lower) is clearly better. Not investment advice.