How much a stock's price changes over time is important for most investors, since price performance can both impact your investment portfolio and help you compare investment results across sectors and industries.
The fear of missing out, or FOMO, also plays a factor in investing, especially with particular tech giants, as well as popular consumer-facing stocks.
What if you'd invested in Howmet (HWM) ten years ago? It may not have been easy to hold on to HWM for all that time, but if you did, how much would your investment be worth today?
Howmet's Business In-Depth
With that in mind, let's take a look at Howmet's main business drivers.
Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, Howmet Aerospace Inc. provides engineered solutions for customers in the transportation and aerospace (both defense and commercial) industries. Notably, it offers forged wheels for commercial use in the transportation industry. It also provides aerospace fastening systems, components used in jet engines and structural parts made of titanium used in defense and aerospace applications.
On a geographical basis, the company has operations in the United States, Canada, Australia, China, Japan, France, Germany, Mexico, the U.K. and other markets. In 2025, a significant portion of its total revenues were generated from its operations outside the United States. Exiting 2025, the company has an employee base of 25,430 people.
The company's operations are classified into four reportable business segments: Engine Products, Fastening Systems, Engineered Structures, and Forged Wheels.
Engine Products (49.3% of 2025 net revenues) manufactures and sells investment castings — including seamless rolled rings and airfoils — as well as structural and rotating parts. Its investment castings are used in industrial gas turbines and aircraft engines. The segment serves customers in the industrial gas turbine, defense aerospace and commercial aerospace markets.
Fastening Systems (20.3%) manufactures and markets fasteners (for industrial and aerospace applications), fluid fittings, bearings, latches, and installation systems. It has a healthy customer base in military aerospace, commercial aerospace, material handling, renewable and commercial transportation markets.
Engineered Structures (13.2%) manufactures and markets mill products and titanium ingots for use in the defense and aerospace markets. It also makes titanium forgings, extrusions forming, aluminum forgings, aluminum machined components and other products. It serves end markets, including defense (sea and land) and aerospace (commercial and defense).
Forged Wheels (17.2%) manufactures and markets forged aluminum trailer, truck and bus wheels as well as related products. Products are primarily used in the commercial transportation market across the globe. Wheels are sold under the Alcoa Wheels brand and surface treatment is provided under the Dura-Bright brand.
Bottom Line
While anyone can invest, building a lucrative investment portfolio takes research, patience, and a little bit of risk. If you had invested in Howmet ten years ago, you're probably feeling pretty good about your investment today.
According to our calculations, a $1000 investment made in March 2016 would be worth $8,711.39, or a gain of 771.14%, as of March 9, 2026, and this return excludes dividends but includes price increases.
In comparison, the S&P 500's gained 237.00% and the price of gold went up 290.88% over the same time frame.
Analysts are forecasting more upside for HWM too.
Howmet is benefiting from solid momentum in the commercial aerospace market, driven by robust build rates and wide-body aircraft recovery. The company is also witnessing strength in its defense aerospace business on the back of rising U.S. & international defense budgets. Robust orders for engine spares for the F-35 program and other legacy fighters augur well for its defense aerospace unit. Given the strength in most of its served markets, Howmet has built a sound liquidity position that supports its shareholder-friendly policies. However, it has been dealing with increasing operating costs, which might hurt its margins and profitability. Higher employment costs lead to rising selling, general, administrative and other expenses. Given the company's significant international exposure, foreign currency headwinds are an added concern.
Shares have gained 12.09% over the past four weeks and there have been 7 higher earnings estimate revisions for fiscal 2026 compared to none lower. The consensus estimate has moved up as well.
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Howmet Aerospace Inc. (HWM): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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