COMPARE · Reviewed August 3, 2026
AER vs WLFC
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. AER scored 60.1, WLFC scored 62.6 — WLFC leads.
Compare another set
Different reporting periods. WLFC's fundamentals are as of March 2026, but AER's are as of December 2025 — a 3-month gap. Growth, margin and valuation figures below therefore describe different windows and aren't strictly like-for-like.
AER
AerCap Holdings N.V.
60.1
$154.87 · $24.3B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
2.5
WLFC leads
WLFC
Willis Lease Finance Corporation
62.6
$73.38 · $1.8B
fundamentals as of
The model, pillar by pillar (0–100 each)
AER
stronger →← stronger
WLFC
64
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
44
46
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
88
73
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
63
AER is stronger on 2 of 3 pillars.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
AER
WLFC
$3.6bB
FCF
-$281mF
+6.5%C+
Rev
+26.2%A-
2.33D
D/E
2.99D
7.6xA
P/E
—
0.80A-
PEG
0.94B+
—
P/S
2.3xB
Winner per row is the stronger grade in our model; a tie or a missing value shows no highlight.
Valuation · DCF cross-check
AER
WLFC
50% below
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
—
~-16%/yr
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
—
+117%
1-yr DCF upside
—
+101%
5-yr DCF upside
—
+81%
10-yr DCF upside
—
The DCF is a cross-check on intrinsic value, separate from the quality-growth score above.
Model signals
AER
Why this score
- Buying back stock
- Raising its dividend
WLFC
Why this score
- Raising its dividend
The companies
AERAerCap Holdings N.V.
Why now
Rental & Leasing Services · market cap $24.3b. Trading near 52-week high of $156.33 — momentum setup, limited technical margin of safety. PEG 0.80 — paying under fair value for the growth rate. 10 sell-side analysts rate this a Strong Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $179.30 (implying +16% upside).
Moat
Net margin 44% is exceptional — pricing-power territory rare outside premium software, branded staples, and specialty pharma. ROE 20% sits above Buffett's preferred 15% threshold — the equity base is compounding at a rate the market struggles to discount accurately. FCF converts 96% of net income — earnings translate cleanly into cash, a sign that working capital and capex are well-disciplined.
Risk
D/E 2.33 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Trading within 1% of the 52-week high — limited technical margin of safety; a momentum reversal would test conviction.
WLFCWillis Lease Finance Corporation
Why now
Rental & Leasing Services · market cap $1.8b. 10% off the 52-week high of $81.54. Revenue growing +26% — in hypergrowth territory. PEG 0.94 — paying under fair value for the growth rate.
Moat
Net margin 16% beats the market median by a meaningful margin — the company is keeping more of every revenue dollar than the average S&P constituent. ROE 18% sits above Buffett's preferred 15% threshold — the equity base is compounding at a rate the market struggles to discount accurately.
Risk
D/E 2.99 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Free cash flow is negative (-$281m) — capital raises or debt issuance likely required; dilution / leverage risk.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
Generating verdict… typically 5–10 seconds
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.