J vs STRL: Jacobs Solutions and Sterling Construction Company compared
The short version
From the latest prices and each company's SEC filings. Who's ahead on each measure, not which to buy.
- Jacobs Solutions is the larger company, worth $17.3B, about 1.3 times Sterling Construction Company.
- Sterling Construction Company grew revenue faster over the last year (+90.1% vs +34.5%).
- Sterling Construction Company keeps more of each dollar of revenue as operating profit (17.5% vs 4.6%).
- On earnings, Sterling Construction Company is the cheaper stock (39.0x vs 43.2x).
- Sterling Construction Company's price assumes faster free cash flow growth: about 13% a year, against 10% for Jacobs Solutions (reverse DCF).
Side by side
The stronger figure is shaded where higher (or, for valuation multiples, lower) reads as better. How the implied growth works.
| Measure | J | STRL |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $17.3B | $13.4B |
| Share price | $139.15 | $513.00 |
| Revenue (last fiscal year) | $12.0B | $2.5B |
| Free cash flow (last fiscal year) | $607M | $363M |
| Revenue growth, last year | +34.5% | +90.1% |
| Revenue growth per year, last 5 fiscal years | -3.9% | +15.2% |
| Operating margin | 4.6% | 17.5% |
| Net margin | 2.4% | 12.6% |
| Return on equity | 10.4% | 31.8% |
| P/E (trailing) | 43.2x | 39.0x |
| Price / free cash flow | 28.5x | 37.0x |
| EV / EBITDA | 26.6x | 43.7x |
| FCF growth the price implies | 9.6% | 13.0% |
| Dividend yield | 0.89% | — |
| Debt / equity | 2.60x | 1.33x |
| Fundamental grade | D | C |
| Superinvestors holding it | 4 | 4 |
| Insider purchases, last 12 months | 7 | 0 |
Results from SEC filings
Revenue and free cash flow by fiscal year, from each company's 10-K filings.
Jacobs Solutions
| Year | Revenue | Free cash flow | Op. margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $14.1B | $633M | 4.9% |
| 2022 | $9.8B | $347M | 5.5% |
| 2023 | $10.9B | $837M | 6.2% |
| 2024 | $11.5B | $934M | 6.0% |
| 2025 | $12.0B | $607M | 7.2% |
Sterling Construction Company
| Year | Revenue | Free cash flow | Op. margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $1.4B | $112M | 7.6% |
| 2022 | $1.8B | $158M | 9.0% |
| 2023 | $2.0B | $414M | 10.4% |
| 2024 | $2.1B | $416M | 12.5% |
| 2025 | $2.5B | $363M | 16.3% |
Where the revenue comes from
Jacobs Solutions · by segments, 2025
Infrastructure & Advanced Facilities$10.8B89%
PA Consulting$1.3B11%
Sterling Construction Company · by segments, 2025
E-Infrastructure Solutions$1.5B59%
Transportation Solutions$641M26%
Building Solutions$383M15%
Compare them in fullFifteen years of statements, quarterly results, DCF and IRR models, and any number of peers side by side.
Open J in InvestinglyQuestions
Which is bigger, Jacobs Solutions or Sterling Construction Company?
Jacobs Solutions (J), at $17.3B against $13.4B.
Is J or STRL cheaper?
By trailing P/E, Sterling Construction Company (39.0x) is cheaper than Jacobs Solutions (43.2x). A lower multiple can also mean the market expects less growth.
Which grows faster, J or STRL?
Sterling Construction Company: revenue grew +90.1% over the last year, against +34.5%.
Prices and ratios as of the last daily update; statements from SEC filings. Information only, not investment advice.