How much a stock's price changes over time is a significant driver for most investors. Not only can price performance impact your portfolio, but it can help you compare investment results across sectors and industries as well.

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 Powell Industries (POWL Quick QuotePOWL - Free Report) ten years ago? It may not have been easy to hold on to POWL for all that time, but if you did, how much would your investment be worth today?

Powell Industries' Business In-Depth

With that in mind, let's take a look at Powell Industries' main business drivers.

Headquartered in Houston, TX, Powell engages in manufacturing and supplying custom-engineered equipment and systems that are used for distributing, controlling and monitoring the flow of electrical energy. Founded in 1947, the company has 3,143 employees (as of Sept. 30, 2025).The company primarily sells products like integrated power control room substations, electrical houses, medium-voltage circuit breakers, monitoring and control communications systems, switches, motor control centers, bus duct systems, arc-resistant distribution switchgears and control gears. Some of these are used to offer protection to transformers, motors and other electrically powered equipment.

Powell’s products are marketed to customers across several countries via robust network of distributors, independent representatives and its own sales force. The company operates across the United States, Canada, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Mexico and South America.

The company serves several markets including the oil and gas, petrochemical, electric utility, and commercial and other industrial markets. Apart from these markets, it sells products and services to light rail traction power market and other markets that include universities and government entities.

In the oil and gas markets, Powell serves the upstream, midstream and downstream end markets, liquefied natural gas facilities as well as terminals, pipelines and refineries. Also, the company has expanded into hydrogen production, carbon capture, and alternative fuels markets, including biofuels and sustainable aviation fuel, to cater to the increasing demand for clean energy.

Within the petrochemical market, it serves customers that are engaged in the production of petrochemical, or oil- or gas-to-chemical products. In the electric utility sector, it serves both the power generation and distribution end markets. In the commercial and other industrial markets, Powell’s customers primarily operate in data centers, commercial construction, pulp and paper, metals and mining and other industrial applications.

In fiscal 2025, the oil and gas market contributed 37% of Powell’s total revenues. While the petrochemical market contributed 14% of total revenues, the same from the electric utility market amounted to 25%. The commercial and other industrial, light rail traction and all other markets contributed 16%, 4% and 4% respectively to total revenues.

Bottom Line

Putting together a successful investment portfolio takes a combination of research, patience, and a little bit of risk. For Powell Industries, if you bought shares a decade ago, you're likely feeling really good about your investment today.

A $1000 investment made in April 2016 would be worth $23,020.86, or a 2,202.09% gain, as of April 17, 2026, according to our calculations. Investors should note that this return excludes dividends but includes price increases.

The S&P 500 rose 238.40% and the price of gold increased 273.20% over the same time frame in comparison.

Looking ahead, analysts are expecting more upside for POWL.

Powell's business momentum can be largely attributed to its strong foothold and strength in two key markets, which are electric utility and commercial & other industrial. A strong pipeline of projects within the LNG market and its growing presence across the data center and electric utility sectors, along with a solid backlog, are key catalysts behind the company's growth. Powell's diversification efforts beyond its core oil, gas and petrochemical markets have boosted its market share across other markets as well. Its Houston factory expansion will boost capacity, help clear its backlog, and support modest growth ahead. However, rising expenses, supply-chain issues and other factors are keeping the bottom line under pressure. Stiff competition from major players could hamper its ability to maintain its market share.

Over the past four weeks, shares have rallied 32.93%, and there have been 1 higher earnings estimate revisions in the past two months for fiscal 2026 compared to none lower. The consensus estimate has moved up as well.