Last updated:
LIVE
CLS
Celestica Inc. · Electronics Manufacturing Services
$295.80
-3.10% this month
VERSUS
COMPARE
VRT
Vertiv Holdings Co · Data Center Infrastructure
$254.46
-12.37% this month
Scoreboard verdict
Across AI score, momentum, valuation, upside, operating margin
CLS
3
VRT
2
Comparison scoreboard
CLS LEADS 3/5AI Score
CLS ✓77.3
VRT 73.7
1Y Return
CLS +56.58%
VRT ✓+102.22%
Fwd P/E
CLS ✓15.13
VRT 27.98
Target Up.
CLS ✓+59.99%
VRT +32.84%
Op. Margin
CLS 9.82%
VRT ✓20.36%
Metrics last refreshed: 8/24/2026
Quick take
CLS vs VRT Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
Celestica offers manufacturing-driven exposure to AI infrastructure through its hardware and supply chain services, while Vertiv provides more direct exposure to data center power and cooling systems.
Investors weighing Celestica against Vertiv are choosing between a diversified contract manufacturer riding data center demand and a more focused, higher-multiple infrastructure equipment provider.
Live analysis · updated 8/24/2026
CLS holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. VRT has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+102.22% vs +56.58%), though CLS has the better forward P/E setup (15.13x vs 27.98x for VRT). On fundamentals, CLS is growing revenue faster (62.40%), while VRT maintains the higher operating margin (20.36%) — a classic growth-versus-profitability split. Analyst consensus implies meaningfully more upside for CLS (+59.99%) than for VRT (+32.84%).
Want a full valuation workup? 16-section report — AI Score, Monte Carlo forecast, bull/bear case, DCF, and more.
Normalized 1Y performance
CLS
VRT
Recent returns
CLS
VRT
Analyst price targets & sentiment
CLS · 17 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Strong Buy (1.4/5.0)
Price target range
analyst low$410.00
analyst high$550.00
analyst mean$473.26
current price$295.80
+60.0% upside to analyst mean
VRT · 26 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Strong Buy (1.4/5.0)
Price target range
analyst low$236.00
analyst high$427.00
analyst mean$338.15
current price$254.46
+32.8% upside to analyst mean
Who should consider this stock?
CLS may suit investors who:
- Want diversified exposure to AI and data center hardware demand
- Prefer a manufacturing business with a broader customer and end-market base
- Are comfortable with contract manufacturing margin profiles
- See potential in continued mix shift toward higher-value technology programs
VRT may suit investors who:
- Want more direct exposure to data center power and cooling infrastructure
- Believe AI-driven data center buildouts will sustain strong order growth
- Are comfortable paying a premium valuation for growth exposure
- Value a global service and installed-base relationship model
Performance & AI score
| Metric | CLS | VRT |
|---|---|---|
| AI score | 77.3 | 73.7 |
| AI rank | #17 | #21 |
| Latest close | $295.80 | $254.46 |
| 1M return | -3.10% | -12.37% |
| 6M return | +1.06% | +4.44% |
| 1Y return | +56.58% | +102.22% |
$10,000 invested — hypothetical growth (dividends reinvested)
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | CLS | VRT |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $15.33K (+53.3%) started 2025-08-25 | $20.4K (+104.0%) started 2025-08-25 |
| 5Y ago | $325.42K (+3154.2%) started 2021-08-24 | $93.34K (+833.4%) started 2021-08-24 |
| 10Y ago | $278.27K (+2682.7%) started 2016-08-24 | $257.41K (+2474.1%) started 2018-08-02 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
Valuation & upside potential
| Metric | CLS | VRT |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $37.3B | $98B |
| Trailing P/E | 36.25 | 57.46 |
| Forward P/E | 15.13 | 27.98 |
| Price/Sales | 2.39 | 8.54 |
| EV/Revenue | 2.21 | 8.80 |
| Analyst target | $473.26 | $338.15 |
| Target upside | +59.99% | +32.84% |
Growth, profitability & risk
| Metric | CLS | VRT |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 62.40% | 24.10% |
| Earnings growth | 74.20% | 53.00% |
| EPS growth | +74.20% | +53.00% |
| FCF margin | +4.68% | +23.49% |
| Operating margin | 9.82% | 20.36% |
| Profit margin | 7.16% | 15.09% |
| ROIC proxy | 52.69% | 43.94% |
| Return on equity | 52.69% | 43.94% |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.10% |
| Beta | 1.52 | 2.08 |
| Debt/equity | 39.57 | 70.17 |
| Current ratio | 1.23 | 1.38 |
| Quick ratio | 0.63 | 0.95 |
Drawdown & downside risk
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
1Y risk snapshot
CLS max drawdown37.38%
VRT max drawdown40.70%
CLS max wkly drop22.90%
VRT max wkly drop25.94%
5Y risk snapshot
CLS max drawdown53.96%
VRT max drawdown71.24%
CLS max wkly drop24.33%
VRT max wkly drop43.58%
10Y risk snapshot
CLS max drawdown80.60%
VRT max drawdown71.24%
CLS max wkly drop44.18%
VRT max wkly drop47.70%
Performance metrics by period
| Period | Metric | CLS | VRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | +53.34% | +103.76% |
| CAGR | +53.56% | +104.25% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.89 | 1.35 | |
| Max drawdown | 37.38% | 40.70% | |
| Max daily drop | 14.37% | 17.26% | |
| Max wkly drop | 22.90% | 25.94% | |
| 5Y | Growth | +3154.18% | +829.04% |
| CAGR | +100.69% | +56.18% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.40 | 0.96 | |
| Max drawdown | 53.96% | 71.24% | |
| Max daily drop | 28.21% | 36.74% | |
| Max wkly drop | 24.33% | 43.58% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +2682.74% | +2460.64% |
| CAGR | +39.47% | +49.53% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.82 | 0.93 | |
| Max drawdown | 80.60% | 71.24% | |
| Max daily drop | 28.21% | 36.74% | |
| Max wkly drop | 44.18% | 47.70% |
Business comparison
| Category | CLS | VRT |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Celestica Inc. | Vertiv Holdings Co |
| Sector | Electronics Manufacturing Services | Data Center Infrastructure |
| Industry | N/A | N/A |
| Core business | Celestica provides electronics manufacturing, design, and supply chain services, with a growing segment serving hyperscale data center and networking customers building AI infrastructure. | Vertiv designs and manufactures power, cooling, and infrastructure management products used in data centers, communication networks, and industrial environments. |
| Investor focus | Watch growth in the Advanced Technology Solutions segment, hyperscaler customer concentration, and margin trends. | Watch order backlog growth, data center cooling demand tied to AI buildouts, and supply chain execution. |
CLS strengths
- Growing exposure to hyperscale data center and AI-related hardware demand
- Diversified manufacturing base across communications and enterprise end markets
- Track record of improving margins through mix shift toward higher-value programs
VRT strengths
- Direct exposure to rising power and cooling needs from AI data center buildouts
- Broad global service and installed-base relationships with data center operators
- Product portfolio spanning thermal management, power, and monitoring systems
Risks to watch — CLS
- Customer concentration risk with a small number of large hyperscale clients
- Contract manufacturing margins remain thinner than pure-play technology vendors
- Demand cyclicality tied to capital spending plans of large technology customers
Risks to watch — VRT
- Valuation reflects high growth expectations tied to AI infrastructure spending
- Execution risk in scaling manufacturing capacity to meet demand
- Exposure to cyclicality in enterprise and colocation data center capital spending
Frequently asked questions
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