AXALTA COATING SYSTEMS LTD. vs NEWMARKET CORPORATION. A side-by-side on valuation, growth, margins, returns, and what each price is betting.
NewMarket blends petroleum additives, the small-dose chemistry that keeps engines and fuels running, and it earns 23.71% on equity with a 15.25% net margin. Axalta Coating Systems runs a broader coatings book at 14.96% return on equity and a 7.22% margin. Both keep debt light, Axalta near zero and NewMarket at 0.54, and both convert well to cash, 6.59% and 5.87% free-cash yields. NewMarket pays a 1.42% dividend and trades at 18.04 times earnings; Axalta pays nothing and trades at 20.18 times. The additive maker holds the fatter margin and the richer returns, priced a shade cheaper for the privilege.
Comparison updated 2026-07-11.
| Metric | AXTA | NEU |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $32.48 | $762.64 |
| Market cap | $7.0B | $7.1B |
| Sector | Specialty Chemicals | Chemicals |
| Stage | Mature | Mature |
| Implied growth (priced in) | -2.4% | -4.1% |
| P/E | 19.0 | 17.4 |
| P/B | 2.83 | 4.10 |
| P/S | 1.36 | 2.64 |
| EV/EBITDA | 6.3 | 12.2 |
| Revenue growth | -2.5% | -3.5% |
| Gross margin | — | 33.0% |
| Operating margin | 11.6% | 21.4% |
| Net margin | 7.2% | 15.3% |
| Return on equity | 15.0% | 23.7% |
| Return on assets | 4.9% | 11.7% |
| Return on invested capital | 24.6% | 15.4% |
| FCF yield | 7.0% | 6.1% |
| Dividend yield | — | 1.5% |
| Debt / equity | 0.01 | 0.54 |
| Current ratio | 2.10 | 2.55 |
| Altman Z (solvency) | 2.19 | 4.19 |
| Piotroski F (quality) | 6 / 9 | 7 / 9 |
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The stronger value is highlighted per metric where one is strictly better on that single number; it is not an overall verdict on either company. For informational and research purposes only. Not investment advice. Not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. boothcheck is not a registered investment adviser. Past performance does not guarantee future results.