HXL vs LAD Comparison

Founded in 1948, Hexcel designs and manufactures a range of highly engineered composite fibers, fabrics, resins, and structures for use in the commercial aerospace, defense, and high-performance automotive markets. These are lighter than metal and perform under rigorous conditions in aircraft frames, wings, engines, and other components and subassemblies. The company's name derives from the six-sided honeycomb structures that lend many of its products their light weight and rigidity. Hexcel's biggest customers are Airbus (40% of 2024 sales) and Boeing (15% of 2024 sales; 25% before the pandemic) and their respective subcontractors.

Lithia Motors is a retailer of new and used vehicles and related services. The company offers over 50 brands of vehicles at nearly 500 stores globally across the US, Canada, and UK. The company has expanded largely through the acquisition of dealerships in smaller regional markets but now seeks to grow in any part of the US and we expect more deals over time in the US and, at times, abroad. Annual revenue in 2025 was $37.6 billion and we see over $50 billion possible in a few years. The US was 78.5% of 2025 revenue and the UK second at 18.4%, due to the 2024 Pendragon acquisition. In 2025, new vehicle sales were about 50% of total revenue. Lithia was founded in 1946, went public in 1996, and is the largest US auto dealer. It is based in Medford, Oregon.