Sifting through countless of stocks in the Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components industry can be tedious, and sometimes two stocks are just too similar to judge which is the better investment. If you’re on the fence about investing in Arrow Electronics, Inc., MaxLinear or Inc. because you’re not sure how they measure up, it’s important to compare them on a few factors before making your decision.

Read on to learn how Arrow Electronics, Inc., MaxLinear and Inc. compare based on key financial metrics to determine which better meets your investment needs.

About Arrow Electronics, Inc., MaxLinear and Inc.

Arrow Electronics, Inc. sources and engineers technology for manufacturers, service providers, and users of enterprise computing solutions in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates in two segments, Global Components and Global Enterprise Computing Solutions. The Global Components segment markets and distributes electronic components, including semiconductor products and related services; interconnect, passive, and electromechanical products comprising capacitors, resistors, potentiometers, power supplies, relays, switches, and connectors; and computing and memory products, as well as other products and services. Its Global Enterprise Computing Solutions segment offers computing solutions, such as datacenter, cloud, security, and analytics solutions, as well as engineering and integration support, warehousing and logistics, marketing resources, and authorized hardware and software training services. The company serves original equipment manufacturers, value-added resellers, managed service providers, contract manufacturers, and other commercial customers. Arrow Electronics, Inc. was founded in 1935 and is based in Centennial, Colorado.

MaxLinear, Inc. provides communications systems-on-chip solutions in the United States, Asia, Europe, and internationally. Its products integrate various portions of a high-speed communication system, including radio frequency, high-performance analog, mixed-signal, digital signal processing, security engines, data compression and networking layers, and power management. Its products are used in various electronic devices, such as radio transceivers and modems for 4G/5G base-station and backhaul infrastructure; optical transceivers; wi-fi and wireline routers for home networking; broadband modems compliant with data over cable service interface specifications, passive optical fiber standards, and digital subscriber line, as well as power management and interface products. It serves electronics distributors, module makers, original equipment manufacturers, and original design manufacturers through a direct sales force, third-party sales representatives, and a network of distributors. The company has a strategic collaboration with Edgecore Networks Corporation for the development network infrastructure for enterprise and SMB applications. MaxLinear, Inc. has strategic partnership with GCT Semiconductor Holding, Inc. to develop 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) gateways and converged gateways for consumer and enterprise applications. The company was incorporated in 2003 and is headquartered in Carlsbad, California. The company was incorporated in 2003 and is headquartered in Carlsbad, California.

Latest Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components and Arrow Electronics, Inc., MaxLinear, Inc. Stock News

As of September 4, 2026, Arrow Electronics, Inc. had a $11.0 billion market capitalization, compared to the Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components median of $1.1 million. Arrow Electronics, Inc.’s stock is up 96% in 2026, up 5.9% in the previous five trading days and up 70.46% in the past year.

Currently, Arrow Electronics, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 13.8. Arrow Electronics, Inc.’s trailing 12-month revenue is $35.9 billion with a 2.3% net profit margin. Year-over-year quarterly sales growth most recently was 31.8%. Analysts expect adjusted earnings to reach $21.635 per share for the current fiscal year. Arrow Electronics, Inc. does not currently pay a dividend.

As of September 4, 2026, MaxLinear, Inc. had a $5.7 billion market cap, putting it in the 69th percentile of all stocks. MaxLinear, Inc.’s stock is up 260% in 2026, up 1.6% in the previous five trading days and up 303.47% in the past year.

Currently, MaxLinear, Inc. does not have a price-earnings ratio. MaxLinear, Inc.’s trailing 12-month revenue is $568.9 million with a -18.2% net profit margin. Year-over-year quarterly sales growth most recently was 55.1%. Analysts expect adjusted earnings to reach $1.750 per share for the current fiscal year. MaxLinear, Inc. does not currently pay a dividend.

How We Compare Arrow Electronics, Inc., MaxLinear and Inc. Stock Grades

Stock evaluation requires access to huge amounts of data and the knowledge and time to sift through it all, make sense of financial ratios, read income statements and analyze recent stock movements. AAII created A+ Investor, a robust data suite that condenses data research in an actionable and customizable way suitable for investors of all knowledge levels, to help investors streamline and work through such data.

AAII’s proprietary stock grades come with A+ Investor. These offer intuitive A‐F grades for each of five key investing factors: value, growth, momentum, earnings estimate revisions and quality. Here, we’ll take a closer look at Arrow Electronics, Inc., MaxLinear and Inc.’s stock grades to see how they measure up against one another.

Learn more about A+ Investor here!

Sign Up to Receive a Free Special Report Showing How A+ Grades Can Help You Make Smarter Investment Decisions

Arrow Electronics, Inc., MaxLinear and Inc.’s Quality Grades

Company	Ticker	Quality
Arrow Electronics, Inc.	ARW	C
MaxLinear, Inc.	MXL	B

Like the Value Grade, AAII’s A+ Investor Quality Grade comes from the percentile rank of key metrics. Specifically, the Quality Score is the percentile rank of the average of the percentile ranks of return on assets (ROA), return on invested capital (ROIC), gross profit relative to assets, buyback yield, change in total liabilities to assets, accruals, Z double prime bankruptcy risk (Z) score and the F-Score.

The score is variable, meaning it can consider all eight measures or, should any of the eight measures not be valid, the remaining measures that are valid. To be assigned a Quality Score, stocks must have a valid (non-null) measure and corresponding ranking for at least four of the eight quality measures.

The Quality Score is used to assess the underlying “quality” of a particular stock. A higher-quality stock possesses traits associated with upside potential and reduced downside risk. Backtesting of the Quality Grade shows that stocks with higher grades, on average, outperformed stocks with lower grades over the period of 1998 through 2019.

Stocks receive better grades (higher scores) for having higher scores for the quality subcomponents and worse grades (lower scores) for lower scores for the subcomponents.

Arrow Electronics, Inc. has a Quality Score of 46, which is Average. MaxLinear, Inc. has a Quality Score of 69, which is Strong.

The Quality Grade Winner: MaxLinear, Inc.

As you can clearly see from the Quality Grade breakdown above, MaxLinear, Inc. has a better overall quality grade than Arrow Electronics, Inc.. For investors who are looking for companies with higher quality than others in the same industry, MaxLinear, Inc. could be a good stock to add to their portfolios. However, it’s important for investors to analyze multiple factors based on a wide range of metrics before deciding whether to buy.

Arrow Electronics, Inc., MaxLinear and Inc.’s Momentum Grades

Company	Ticker	Momentum
Arrow Electronics, Inc.	ARW	B
MaxLinear, Inc.	MXL	A

Momentum grades help to uncover stocks experiencing anomalously high rates of return; research finds that stocks with high relative levels of momentum tend to outperform, whereas those with low levels of momentum tend to continue underperforming. Momentum is based on the price change of a stock over a specified period relative to all other stocks.

Typically, AAII looks at the weighted relative strength over the trailing four quarters. The weighted four-quarter relative strength rank is the relative price change for each of the past four quarters. The most recent quarterly price change is given a weight of 40% and each of the three previous quarters are given a weighting of 20%.

Arrow Electronics, Inc. has a Momentum Score of 79, which is Strong. MaxLinear, Inc. has a Momentum Score of 99, which is Very Strong.

The Momentum Grade Winner: MaxLinear, Inc.

As you can clearly see from the Momentum Grade breakdown above, MaxLinear, Inc. is considered to have stronger momentum compared to Arrow Electronics, Inc.. For those specifically looking for companies that have stronger momentum compared to other companies in the same industry, MaxLinear, Inc. could be a good stock to invest in. However, it’s important for investors to analyze multiple factors based on a wide range of metrics before deciding whether to buy.

Arrow Electronics, Inc., MaxLinear and Inc.’s Estimate Revisions Grades

Company	Ticker	Earnings Estimate
Arrow Electronics, Inc.	ARW	A
MaxLinear, Inc.	MXL	B

Earnings estimate revisions scores consider the magnitude of a company’s earnings surprise in its last two reported fiscal quarters. Often, positive surprises beget further positive surprises‐or at least continued sales growth (the exact opposite is generally true, too).

Estimate revisions offer an indication of what analysts are thinking about the short-term prospects of a firm. Estimate revisions are based on the statistical significance of a firm’s last two quarterly earnings surprises and the percentage change in its consensus estimate for the current fiscal year over the past month and past three months.

Arrow Electronics, Inc. has a Earnings Estimate Score of 91, which is Very Positive. MaxLinear, Inc. has a Earnings Estimate Score of 68, which is Positive.

The Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade Winner: Arrow Electronics, Inc.

As you can clearly see from the Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade breakdown above, Arrow Electronics, Inc. has a better Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade than MaxLinear, Inc.. For those who are specifically looking for companies with better short-term prospects when compared to other companies in the same industry, Arrow Electronics, Inc. could be a good stock to invest in. However, it’s important to analyze multiple factors based on a wide range of metrics before deciding whether to buy.

Other Arrow Electronics, Inc., MaxLinear and Inc. Grades

In addition to Quality, Estimate Revisions and Momentum, A+ Investor also provides grades for Value and Growth.

Growth investing builds on the idea that stocks of companies exhibiting strong, consistent and prolonged growth outperform those of slower-growth companies. AAII measures growth through consistency of annual sales growth, five-year sales growth rankings adjusted for extreme levels, and consistency of positive annual cash from operations.

Successful stock investing involves buying low and selling high, so stock valuation is an important consideration for stock selection. Buying stocks that are going to go up typically means buying stocks that are undervalued in the first place, although momentum investors may argue that point.

These 2 key factors, when combined with the above, provide a holistic view into a particular stock. Further, by joining A+ Investor you can see whether Arrow Electronics, Inc., MaxLinear and Inc. pass any of our 60+ stock screens that have outperformed the market since their creation.

So, Which Is the Better Investment, Arrow Electronics, Inc., MaxLinear or Inc. Stock?

Overall, Arrow Electronics, Inc. stock has a Momentum Score of 79, Estimate Revisions Score of 91 and Quality Score of 46.

MaxLinear, Inc. stock has a Momentum Score of 99, Estimate Revisions Score of 68 and Quality Score of 69.

Comparing Arrow Electronics, Inc., MaxLinear and Inc.’s grades, scores and metrics can act as a solid basis to determine whether they may be a good investment or not. You’ll also want to look at your portfolio’s asset allocation as well as your risk tolerance and financial goals to see if either of these stocks would make a good fit for you. AAII can help you figure out which investments align with your individual needs and preferences.

Investors are encouraged to do their own due diligence and research. In this way, individuals can effectively become managers of their own assets‐without having to rely on others for financial independence. You can count on AAII for timeless articles on financial planning and stock-picking, unbiased research and actionable analysis.

A+ Investor adds to our qualitative teaching with a powerful data suite to help you whittle down investment choices to find stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that meet your needs.

AAII Disclaimer

We make no representations or warranties that any investor will, or is likely to, achieve profits similar to those shown, because past, hypothetical or simulated performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Before making an investment decision, you should consider your circumstances and whether the information on our content is applicable to your situation. This information was prepared in good faith, and we accept no liability for any errors or omissions. The full disclaimer can be read here.