This Blue-Collar Stock Has Outperformed Nvidia in the Last 5 Years.
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 8 hours ago
0mins
Should l Buy FIX?
Source: Barron's
Nvidia's Market Influence: Nvidia has been a significant player in the stock market, particularly in discussions surrounding AI chip manufacturing over the past five years.
Top Performer: Despite Nvidia's prominence, the best-performing stock in the S&P 500 is actually Comfort Systems, an HVAC and plumbing contractor, which has seen its shares increase by over 2,000%.
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Analyst Views on FIX
Wall Street analysts forecast FIX stock price to fall
5 Analyst Rating
5 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 1319.470
Low
1140
Averages
1163
High
1200
Current: 1319.470
Low
1140
Averages
1163
High
1200
About FIX
Comfort Systems USA, Inc. is a provider of commercial, industrial and institutional heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) and electrical contracting services. The Company operates through two segments: Mechanical and Electrical. The Mechanical segment includes HVAC, plumbing, piping, and controls, as well as off-site construction, monitoring and fire protection. It also installs connecting and distribution elements, such as piping and ducting. The Electrical segment includes installation and servicing of electrical systems. It builds, installs, maintains, repairs and replaces mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) systems throughout its 47 operating units with 178 locations in 136 cities across the nation. It is engaged in offering engineering, design-assist and turnkey, direct hire construction services of modular systems serving the advanced technology, power and industrial sectors. It also provides mechanical construction services to the commercial and industrial sectors.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Significant Earnings Growth: Comfort Systems' stock has surged 242% over the past year and nearly 1,000% over three years, reflecting its strong performance in the MEP contracting sector and attracting investor interest.
- Record Backlog: The company's backlog reached a record high of $9.4 billion last quarter, a 65% year-over-year increase, indicating a surge in demand from the technology sector for HVAC and electrical systems, driving sustained growth.
- Data Center Market Opportunity: Data centers supporting AI workloads have emerged as the biggest growth opportunity for Comfort Systems, with the technology segment accounting for 42% of revenue in the first nine months of 2025, up from 32% a year earlier.
- Increased Shareholder Returns: Management is rewarding shareholders through active buybacks and a 20% dividend increase, and despite a current P/E ratio of 58, Comfort Systems remains an attractive long-term investment.
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- Market Retreat Reasons: The stock market retreated due to heightened U.S.-Iran tensions and other significant headwinds, impacting investor sentiment and reflecting the market's sensitivity to geopolitical risks.
- GE Aero Leads New Buys: Despite the overall market decline, GE Aero emerged as a leader in new buys, indicating its relative resilience in the current environment and potentially attracting risk-averse investors.
- Comfort Systems Earnings Movement: Comfort Systems' earnings report drew market attention, showcasing its profitability in the current economic climate and possibly providing new investment opportunities for investors.
- Grail Earnings Impact: Grail's earnings report also became a market focal point, with strong performance likely to attract more investor interest in its future growth potential, even as the overall market faces pressure.
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Nvidia's Market Influence: Nvidia has been a significant player in the stock market, particularly in discussions surrounding AI chip manufacturing over the past five years.
Top Performer: Despite Nvidia's prominence, the best-performing stock in the S&P 500 is actually Comfort Systems, an HVAC and plumbing contractor, which has seen its shares increase by over 2,000%.
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- Significant Earnings Growth: Comfort Systems doubled its earnings per share (EPS) to $8.25 last quarter, with a 35% year-over-year revenue increase, indicating strong performance in the data center market that is expected to continue driving stock price appreciation.
- Record Backlog: The company's backlog reached a record high of $9.4 billion, up 65% year-over-year, reflecting a surge in demand for HVAC and electrical systems from the technology sector, providing robust support for future performance.
- Market Share Expansion: Data center business accounted for 42% of total revenue in the first nine months of 2025, up from 32% in the previous year, demonstrating Comfort Systems' significant position in the rapidly growing AI-supported market.
- Enhanced Shareholder Returns: Management is rewarding shareholders through active stock buybacks and dividend increases, including a 20% hike announced last quarter, further boosting investor confidence in the company's future performance.
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- Market Divergence: As of 2026, the S&P 500 is up less than 1%, while international markets (ACWX) have risen about 9%, highlighting a significant divergence that suggests investors should consider the benefits of global portfolio diversification.
- Sector Rotation Trends: Small caps are outperforming large caps, and value stocks are surpassing growth stocks, with emerging markets showing strong performance compared to developed markets, potentially offering new growth opportunities for investors.
- Defensive Investment Strategy: Utility stocks like Duke Energy have risen over 10% year-to-date, with a 3.3% dividend yield and an 18x forward P/E ratio, making them ideal for investors seeking safety amid market volatility while also participating in the AI revolution's power dynamics.
- Future Market Outlook: Although 2026 may face short-term volatility, historical data indicates that markets typically achieve a 100% probability of gains in the second year, with an average return of 27%, encouraging investors to seek growth opportunities in the current environment.
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- Stock Market Outlook: Stock futures are indicating a downward trend on Thursday.
- Investor Concerns: Investors are closely monitoring the rise in oil prices.
- Geopolitical Tensions: The increase in oil prices is linked to ongoing tensions with Iran.
- Market Reactions: The combination of these factors is influencing investor sentiment and market performance.
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