For most investors, how much a stock's price changes over time is important. Not only can it impact your investment portfolio, but it can also help you compare investment results across sectors and industries.
FOMO, or the fear of missing out, also plays a role in investing, particularly with tech giants and 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
Anyone can invest, but building a successful investment portfolio requires research, patience, and a little bit of risk. So, if you had invested in Howmet, ten years ago, you're likely feeling pretty good about your investment today.
According to our calculations, a $1000 investment made in August 2016 would be worth $9,477.27, or a gain of 847.73%, as of August 17, 2026, and this return excludes dividends but includes price increases.
In comparison, the S&P 500's gained 256.48% and the price of gold went up 212.44% over the same time frame.
Going forward, analysts are expecting more upside for HWM.
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. Benefits from acquired assets are driving the company's performance of late. However, it has been dealing with increasing operating costs, which might hurt its margins and profitability. Given the company's significant international exposure, foreign currency headwinds are an added concern.
The stock has jumped 6.15% over the past four weeks. Additionally, no earnings estimate has gone lower in the past two months, compared to 5 higher, for fiscal 2026; the consensus estimate has moved up as well.
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Howmet Aerospace Inc. (HWM): Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).