Sifting through countless of stocks in the Machinery 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 Kadant Inc., Microvast Holdings 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 Kadant Inc., Microvast Holdings and Inc. compare based on key financial metrics to determine which better meets your investment needs.

About Kadant Inc., Microvast Holdings and Inc.

Kadant Inc. supplies technologies and engineered systems worldwide. It operates in three segments: Flow Control, Industrial Processing, and Material Handling. The Flow Control segment develops, manufactures, and markets fluid-handling systems and equipment, such as rotary joints, syphons, turbulator bars, expansion joints, and engineered steam and condensate systems; and doctoring, cleaning, and filtration systems and related consumables consisting of doctor systems and holders, doctor blades, cleaning shower and fabric-conditioning systems, forming systems and wear surfaces, and water-filtration systems. The Industrial Processing segment develops, manufactures, and markets ring and rotary debarkers, stranders, chippers, engineered knife systems, industrial automation and control, recycling and approach flow systems, and virgin pulping process equipment for use in the packaging, tissue, wood products, and alternative fuel industries. The Material Handling segment offers conveying and vibratory equipment, and baling products; and manufactures and sells biodegradable and absorbent granules for carriers in agricultural, home lawn and garden, professional lawn, turf, and ornamental applications, as well as for oil and grease absorption. The company markets and sells its products, services, and systems through direct sales, independent sales agents, and distributors. The company was formerly known as Thermo Fibertek, Inc. and changed its name to Kadant Inc. in July 2001. Kadant Inc. was incorporated in 1991 and is headquartered in Westford, Massachusetts.

Microvast Holdings, Inc. provides battery technologies for electric vehicles and energy storage solutions. The company offers a range of cell chemistries, such as lithium titanate oxide, lithium iron phosphate, electrolyte formulation, full concentration gradient cathode, polyaramid separator, and nickel manganese cobalt. It also designs, develops, and manufactures components of lithium-ion batteries, such as cathode, anode, electrolytes, and separator. In addition, the company offers battery solutions for commercial vehicles and energy storage systems. Its commercial vehicle markets cover buses, trains, mining trucks, marine and port vehicles, and automated guided and specialty vehicles, as well as light, medium, and heavy-duty trucks. It operates in China, rest of the Asia Pacific, Europe, and the United States. Microvast Holdings, Inc. was incorporated in 2006 and is based in Stafford, Texas.

Latest Machinery and Kadant Inc., Microvast Holdings, Inc. Stock News

As of January 30, 2026, Kadant Inc. had a $3.8 billion market capitalization, compared to the Machinery median of $3.3 million. Kadant Inc.’s stock is up 12.6% in 2026, down 0.7% in the previous five trading days and down 13.93% in the past year.

Currently, Kadant Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 37.1. Kadant Inc.’s trailing 12-month revenue is $1.0 billion with a 10.0% net profit margin. Year-over-year quarterly sales growth most recently was 0.0%. Analysts expect adjusted earnings to reach $9.185 per share for the current fiscal year. Kadant Inc. currently has a 0.4% dividend yield.

As of January 30, 2026, Microvast Holdings, Inc. had a $855.4 million market cap, putting it in the 44th percentile of all stocks. Microvast Holdings, Inc.’s stock is down 6.4% in 2026, down 13% in the previous five trading days and up 60.25% in the past year.

Currently, Microvast Holdings, Inc. does not have a price-earnings ratio. Microvast Holdings, Inc.’s trailing 12-month revenue is $444.5 million with a -28.8% net profit margin. Year-over-year quarterly sales growth most recently was 21.6%. Analysts expect adjusted earnings to reach $0.170 per share for the current fiscal year. Microvast Holdings, Inc. does not currently pay a dividend.

How We Compare Kadant Inc., Microvast Holdings 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 Kadant Inc., Microvast Holdings 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

Kadant Inc., Microvast Holdings and Inc. Growth Grades

Company	Ticker	Growth
Kadant Inc.	KAI	A
Microvast Holdings, Inc.	MVST	D

The foundation of growth investing is seeking out stocks of companies exhibiting strong, consistent and prolonged growth that is expected to continue into the future.

In order to compute the growth score and assign it a letter grade, the percentile ranks for each of three components‐consistency of annual sales growth, five-year sales growth rankings adjusted for extreme levels, and consistency of positive annual cash from operations‐must be determined. These three rank figures are added together, and the sum is ranked against the entire stock universe to arrive at a company’s Growth Score to create an equal distribution of grades.

The companies in the bottom 20% of the stock universe receive Growth Grades of F, considered to be very weak, while those in the top 20% receive A grades, which are considered very strong.

Kadant Inc. has a Growth Score of 87, which is Very Strong. Microvast Holdings, Inc. has a Growth Score of 32, which is Weak.

The Growth Grade Winner: Kadant Inc.

As you can clearly see from the Growth Grade breakdown above, Kadant Inc. has a more attractive growth grade than Microvast Holdings, Inc.. For investors who focus solely on how a company is growing relative to other companies in the same industry, Kadant Inc. could be a good stock to add to their portfolio. However, it’s important for investors to analyze multiple factors based on a wide range of metrics before deciding whether to buy.

Kadant Inc., Microvast Holdings and Inc.’s Quality Grades

Company	Ticker	Quality
Kadant Inc.	KAI	A
Microvast Holdings, Inc.	MVST	C

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.

Kadant Inc. has a Quality Score of 91, which is Very Strong. Microvast Holdings, Inc. has a Quality Score of 41, which is Average.

The Quality Grade Winner: Kadant Inc.

As you can clearly see from the Quality Grade breakdown above, Kadant Inc. has a better overall quality grade than Microvast Holdings, Inc.. For investors who are looking for companies with higher quality than others in the same industry, Kadant 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.

Kadant Inc., Microvast Holdings and Inc.’s Estimate Revisions Grades

Company	Ticker	Earnings Estimate
Kadant Inc.	KAI	B
Microvast Holdings, Inc.	MVST	D

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.

Kadant Inc. has a Earnings Estimate Score of 64, which is Positive. Microvast Holdings, Inc. has a Earnings Estimate Score of 23, which is Negative.

The Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade Winner: Kadant Inc.

As you can clearly see from the Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade breakdown above, Kadant Inc. has a better Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade than Microvast Holdings, Inc.. For those who are specifically looking for companies with better short-term prospects when compared to other companies in the same industry, Kadant 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 Kadant Inc., Microvast Holdings and Inc. Grades

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

Momentum grades help 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.

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 Kadant Inc., Microvast Holdings and Inc. pass any of our 60+ stock screens that have outperformed the market since their creation.

So, Which Is the Better Investment, Kadant Inc., Microvast Holdings or Inc. Stock?

Overall, Kadant Inc. stock has a Growth Score of 87, Estimate Revisions Score of 64 and Quality Score of 91.

Microvast Holdings, Inc. stock has a Growth Score of 32, Estimate Revisions Score of 23 and Quality Score of 41.

Comparing Kadant Inc., Microvast Holdings 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.