WLK vs HII Comparison

Westlake is a forward-integrated commodity chemicals firm based in Houston. It began as a single low-density polyethylene plant and expanded its capabilities to include ethylene, vinyl chloride monomers, and polyvinyl chloride over the next two decades. The acquisition of Axiall in 2016 made it a North American leader in chlor-alkali and PVC. Today, Westlake has two defined segments: performance and essential materials, and housing and infrastructure products. The HIP segment began operating in 2022 following a series of acquisitions in the building products space. The firm aims to maximize the value of its chemical production by integrating with the HIP segment, realizing the higher margins of finished commercial goods.

Huntington Ingalls Industries is the largest independent military shipbuilder in the US, spun out from Northrop Grumman in 2011. It operates three segments, two of which are storied shipyards: Ingalls produces non-nuclear-powered ships, including amphibious landing ships and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, while Newport News produces nuclear-powered ships as the only producer of Gerald Ford-class aircraft carriers and a major subcontractor on Virginia- and Columbia-class nuclear submarines. HII shares production of destroyers and nuclear submarines with General Dynamics' Bath Iron Works and Electric Boat shipyards, respectively. The company's mission technologies segment produces uncrewed sea vessels and provides a range of IT and other services to US government agencies.