Halloween DealsAmazon USHalloween week deals: useful picks before month-endAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsSlow PC?RecommendedPC slow today? Run a repair scan before it gets worseResolve common Windows issues and optimize system performance.Scan NowHalloween DealsAmazon USOctober picks are moving - compare before checkoutAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.See Picks×
FREEDOM251

Freedom251 › Blog › backlog analysis

Granite Construction vs. Other U.S. Infrastructure Contractors: What Investors Should Compare

By Freedom251 Team · · 11 min read

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Granite Construction is not simply a road-building contractor. It combines civil-infrastructure construction with an aggregates and materials business, so investors should compare it with peers on business mix, contract quality, customer concentration, execution, cash conversion and balance-sheet risk—not on revenue or headline backlog alone. Granite’s fiscal-year 2025 filings provide the base year for this framework; the figures below are historical unless explicitly identified as management targets.

Start with the business model, not the backlog headline

Granite Construction Incorporated (NYSE: GVA) describes itself as a U.S. civil-infrastructure contractor and construction-materials producer. Its public projects include transportation, bridges, dams, utilities, power and water infrastructure. Private work includes commercial and industrial site preparation, mining, rail and energy-related infrastructure services.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The company also owns or leases aggregate reserves and operates materials-processing facilities. Those operations supply Granite’s projects and sell materials to third parties. That integration can affect gross margins, procurement, regional competitiveness and capital needs differently from contractors whose earnings are concentrated in construction services.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

For an investor, the first question is therefore: What economic businesses are being compared? A transportation-heavy contractor, a data-center and utility specialist, and a building contractor can all report “infrastructure” exposure while carrying different cycle, customer and execution risks.

#1 Best Overall
Sale
TOZO A1 Wireless Earbuds Bluetooth 5.3 Light Weight in Ear Headphones | IPX5 Waterproof,2 Mics for AI Calls,Immersive Premium Sound Bass Headset with Charging Case,32 EQ via App Black
  • [Ultra-Lightweight Ear Buds Designed for Small Ears] Each earbud weighs only 3.7g and features a compact, ergonomic in-ear design made especially for small ears. Secure, low-profile, and comfortable for workouts, all-day wear or overnight sleeping.The ultra-slim profile sits flush in your ear with no hard edges poking or rubbing, so you can even sleep on your side without discomfort.
  • [Immersive Stereo Sound with TOZO OrigX Technology] TOZO OrigX tuning delivers clear vocals, balanced mids, and natural stereo sound for music, podcasts, and videos.
  • [Long Battery Life for Daily Use] Get up to 7 hours of playtime on a single charge, with up to 32 hours total using the charging case—ideal for workdays, commuting, and extended listening sessions.
  • [Bluetooth 5.3 & Stable Connection] Bluetooth 5.3 provides fast pairing, stable wireless performance, and reduced dropouts as you move around home or office.
  • [Deep Bass with Clear Vocals] High-performance drivers produce punchy bass while keeping vocals clean and detailed for everyday listening.

Granite’s materials business changes the comparison

Granite reported $1.177 billion of Materials segment revenue in 2025. That is segment revenue, not consolidated revenue and not cash flow. Compare it with the materials or products exposure reported by a peer, rather than treating it as equivalent to a contractor’s entire backlog.

Materials ownership may provide supply security and a local competitive advantage, but it also brings reserve, permitting, environmental, plant-utilization and commodity-demand risks. Investors should examine whether a peer owns production assets, buys materials from third parties, or earns revenue mainly by installing infrastructure.

Segment labels are not interchangeable

Granite’s integrated civil-construction and materials model should not be mapped mechanically to another issuer’s segment names. Sterling Infrastructure, for example, reports E-Infrastructure, Transportation and Building Solutions. Those categories include different end markets and project economics from Granite’s reporting structure. Segment comparisons require reading each issuer’s definitions, eliminations and allocation policies before ranking margins or growth.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Use a common evidence set for every contractor

A useful comparison starts with the same fiscal period and the same definitions. The table below places the principal FY2025 figures in one view, while preserving what each number actually measures.

Issuer and measure Reported value Period and qualification
Granite committed and awarded projects $7.0 billion At December 31, 2025; a company-defined project-portfolio measure
Granite operating cash flow $468.916 million Fiscal year ended December 31, 2025; consolidated cash from operations
Granite Materials segment revenue $1.177 billion Fiscal year ended December 31, 2025; segment revenue
Granite Caltrans revenue $446.6 million, or 10.1% of total revenue Fiscal year ended December 31, 2025; customer concentration disclosure
Sterling Infrastructure revenue $2.49 billion Fiscal year ended December 31, 2025
Sterling signed backlog or remaining performance obligations $3.0 billion At December 31, 2025; signed work reported by Sterling
Sterling unsigned awards $300.7 million At December 31, 2025; reported separately from signed backlog
Tutor Perini backlog Approximately $20.6 billion At December 31, 2025; company-reported backlog with explicit realization and profitability cautions

These figures should not be added, ranked or treated as equivalent. Granite’s $7.0 billion figure is a committed-and-awarded-project measure; Sterling separates signed backlog from unsigned awards; Tutor Perini’s filing uses another backlog definition. The inclusion rules, contract stages and timing assumptions can differ materially.

How to analyze backlog and project portfolios

Backlog is useful only after you determine what has actually been contracted, what remains subject to conditions, and how much cost and margin risk is embedded in the work.

Separate signed work from unsigned awards

Sterling reported $3.0 billion of signed backlog plus $300.7 million of unsigned awards at year-end 2025. Keeping those amounts separate prevents a prospective award from being mistaken for an executed customer obligation. Apply the same discipline to Granite’s $7.0 billion committed-and-awarded projects: identify which contracts are fully executed, which are awarded but not yet under a final contract, and which stages the company includes.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #2
Sale
Smart Watch for Men Women Compatible with iPhone Samsung Android Phone 1.69 inch Full Touch Screen IP68 Waterproof Bluetooh Fitness Tracker Heart Rate/Sleep Monitor (Black)
  • 【IP68 Waterproof Multifunctinal Smart Watch】Torjalph fitness activity tracker smart watch is IP68 waterproof technology ,you can wear it when swimming,handwashing,it's rain-proof which means that you perform multiple exercise modes outside without worrying about sweat or rain corroding your fitness smart watch,and this watch equipped with a 230 mAh large capacity battery magnetic charging ,and this sports activity tracker watch can be used 5-7 days If fully charged.
  • 【Larger 1.83'' Full Screen Watch & Multi-dial Selection】1.83 inch full HD color touch screen smart watch for men / women provides excellent 240*284 resolution image quality ,This Bluetooth smart watch offers a better touch experience and remarkable immersion and ,more than 200 watch faces for you to choose from App"Da Fit ", you can change the dial style according to your mood to wear keeping the world on your wrist
  • 【Accurate Activity Tracker Smart Watch 】sports watch activity tracker uses sweat and dust resistant breathable silicone strap, our Fitness Tracker Smart Watch for Android iOS Phones supports 12 sports modes,walking,running,bicycle,swimming,badminton,basketball,football,rope skipping. This bluetooth calls smart watch for men women is lightweight and stylish, bringing more convenient and relaxing sports experience while also providing more protection.
  • 【Your 24 Hour Personal Daily Health Monitor】Fitness watch for women men full touch screen IP67 waterproof bluetooth smartwatch for Android iOS Phones with heart rate blood pressure monitor multifunction Andriod smart watch with steps counter sleep monitor sports fitness watch, monitoring blood oxygen saturation allows you to understand your physical condition in real time to track fitness progress ,to know your health status in time.
  • 【More Functions Bluetooth Call Smart Watch】This fitness activity smart watch full screen for iPhone and Android phones includes a bunch of new features including:The bluetooth smart watch can hang up the phone, receive and display WhatsAPP /Text /Facebook /Twitter /Messenger reminder.Support sedentary reminder, alarm clock, stopwatch, timer,weather information,music control, remote camera control compatible with Android 5.0 and above or iOS 9.0 and above smartphones.

Do not call backlog guaranteed revenue

Backlog can be delayed, resized, canceled, re-scoped or less profitable than expected. Tutor Perini’s FY2025 Form 10-K states: “The revenue currently projected in our backlog may not be fully realized and, if realized, may not result in profits or may be less profitable than expected.” That warning is about Tutor Perini’s own backlog, but it captures the general analytical problem: a portfolio number is not a forecast of revenue, earnings or cash.

Measure conversion, not just size

For each company, calculate how much beginning backlog converted into revenue, how much new work was added, and how much remains at year-end. Then compare project duration, cancellation provisions, public-versus-private customers and the proportion of work subject to final design, financing or permitting. A smaller portfolio with firm terms and good historical conversion may be economically stronger than a larger portfolio with uncertain timing.

Track claims and change orders

Granite says project progression, change orders and claims can affect revenue, margins and operating cash flow. Review whether changes are approved and billable, under negotiation, or disputed. A rising contract asset or receivable alongside reported earnings can signal that accounting recognition is running ahead of collections, although the interpretation depends on the contract and disclosures.

Compare end-market and segment exposure

Infrastructure contractors can benefit from public spending while remaining exposed to very different project cycles.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Transportation

Roads, bridges and transit projects often involve government clients, multi-year schedules, seasonal work and formal change-order procedures. Compare each issuer’s state and federal exposure, bidding discipline, and history of estimating final costs.

Water, power and utilities

Water and utility work can offer essential-service demand but may involve complex underground conditions, permitting and coordination with multiple agencies. Power and energy-related infrastructure can be tied to generation, transmission, industrial expansion or private development, each with different customer credit and timing risks.

Data centers, industrial and building work

Peers with data-center, industrial or building segments may show faster growth than a traditional transportation contractor, but their demand can be more concentrated among private developers and a smaller group of large customers. Compare contract structure, customer funding, cancellation rights and the company’s exposure to one development cycle.

Rank #3
New Bee Guitar Cable 10ft Electric Instrument Bass AMP Cord | 6.35mm Jack, Durable Design, Stage and Home Studio Use, Low Noise Shielded Electric Cord for Bass, Keyboard, Amp, Mixer
  • [Low Noise High Fidelity] New bee guitar cord with 22AWG oxygen-free-copper center conductors provides enhanced signal transfer, the PVC insulation material and the high-density stranded copper double shield provide noise rejection for quiet operation
  • [Ideal for Choice] New bee 1/4 straight and right angle metal connectors, ensures a secure connection in any instrument, pedal, or amp jack. L shape great fro on stage guitar stands
  • [Wide Compatible] Suitable for mixer, power amplifier, microphone, effector, decoder, equalizer, electoronic organ, electric guitar, electric bass and other electronic equipments. Widely used in the installation of smart home, karaoke speaker, professional stage audio, etc
  • [Easy Disassemble] Making incidental repairs quick and easy! Very nice, flexible cable
  • [Dont Hesite to Order] 24 hours customer services and professional technology team are standing by

Materials and self-supply

For Granite, aggregate reserves and processing facilities make materials volume, pricing and geographic logistics part of the investment case. Ask whether materials earnings rise and fall with Granite’s own construction volume, third-party demand or both. Also examine reserve lives, plant utilization, maintenance capital and environmental obligations.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Customer and geographic concentration deserve their own analysis

Granite reported $446.6 million of 2025 revenue from Caltrans contracts, equal to 10.1% of total revenue. That concentration does not by itself indicate a problem; Caltrans is a major public customer and the work may be spread across projects. It does mean investors should test how a change in one agency’s budget, procurement schedule, contract terms or payment practices could affect Granite.

Build a customer map for every peer:

  • Identify customers representing at least 10% of revenue or receivables.
  • Separate state and federal agencies from private owners and developers.
  • Map revenue and backlog by region, not only by national total.
  • Check whether one state, metropolitan area or end market dominates new awards.
  • Compare customer credit, retainage, payment timing and dispute history.

Geographic diversification can reduce dependence on one public budget, but it may also increase mobilization costs, labor complexity and exposure to unfamiliar permitting regimes. A contractor with a concentrated region may have better local materials access and relationships; the trade-off is less diversification.

Evaluate margins through execution risk

Reported margin is an outcome of project estimates, labor and materials costs, equipment utilization, claims, weather, schedule changes and overhead allocation. It is not a permanent characteristic of the company.

Use both consolidated and segment history

Compare several years of gross margin, operating margin and adjusted EBITDA margin by segment where disclosed. Look for consistency across completed projects, not just a single strong quarter. A materials segment may have different margin and capital requirements from civil construction, so consolidated margin alone can hide mix changes.

Free tools Windows power users keep installed

One-click scans. No signup required.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Reconcile adjusted metrics

Non-GAAP EBITDA or adjusted EBITDA can help compare operating performance, but only after reconciling exclusions. Remove neither recurring costs nor ordinary project charges simply because management labels them unusual. Use the issuer’s reconciliation to GAAP and apply a consistent treatment to peers.

Inspect estimate-at-completion changes

Large projects can produce abrupt margin swings when the estimated cost to complete changes. Review provisions, loss contracts, write-downs, claims recoveries and project close-outs. A margin increase driven by a favorable claim settlement is different from a durable improvement in productivity or pricing.

Rank #4
BSIMB 15.6" Digital Family Calendar & Chore Chart, No Subscription Fees
  • Digital Family Calendar: BSIMB digital calendar wall touch screen puts an end to your chaotic life. Designed for busy families, the digital calendar keeps you organised and in step with your family. Assign different colours and tasks to each family member to make family scheduling easier and more intuitive.
  • Easy Setup and Auto-Sync: Plug in, connect to WLAN and auto-syn your electric calendar in minutes. Digital wall calendar compatible with Google calendar, iCloud calendar, Outlook calendar, Cozi calendar and Yahoo calendar. Add events directly on the device or through the ecalendar app. Electronic calendar stays current whether you're at work or traveling—no manual updates needed.
  • All-In-One Home Assistant: Smart calendar builds habits and encourage independence with personalised chores. Display daily meal plan to reduce the daily ‘What's for dinner?’ stress. To-do lists keep track of everything you want. Turning chores into valuable achievements with stars and rewards, making life easier and more enjoyable.
  • Manage Anytime Anywhere: BSIMB electronic calendar for family stay connected with the powerful ecalendar app. Access and manage your digital wall calendar anytime, anywhere with free features like stars & rewards, photo screensaver, chore charts, meals plans, to-do lists etc. Electronic planner paid features like Magic Import tailor advanced tools for users with special needs.
  • Stay in Touch with Loved Ones: Share photos or videos from your phone to electronic wall calendar with app, instantly update your life moment, and keep in touch with your family, especially those who are far away; you can also surprise your smart calendar digital wall by sending him a wish card; it's also great for keeping tech-illiterate elders in touch with the youngsters.

Cash flow is the reality check

Granite reported $468.916 million of operating cash flow in 2025. Compare that figure with Granite’s own net income, capital spending, acquisitions and working-capital movements—not with another company’s backlog or segment revenue.

Why construction cash flow is uneven

Cash collection follows contract billing, retainage, customer approvals and project milestones rather than a smooth monthly pattern. Granite identifies project progression, change orders, claims and contract payment terms as factors that can make operating cash flow vary between periods.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

What to calculate

  • Operating cash flow divided by revenue for the same fiscal year.
  • Operating cash flow less capital expenditures, using a clearly defined free-cash-flow formula.
  • Receivables, contract assets, contract liabilities and retainage as percentages of revenue.
  • Cash conversion over a multi-year period, rather than one unusually favorable or unfavorable year.
  • Cash used for acquisitions, equipment and materials facilities before assessing shareholder distributions.

A contractor can report accounting profit while cash is tied up in receivables or unapproved change orders. Conversely, a period of strong collections can temporarily lift cash flow without indicating a permanent margin improvement.

Balance sheet and capital allocation

Compare debt, cash, lease liabilities, surety capacity, revolver availability and covenant headroom on the same date. Use each issuer’s audited balance sheet and calculate net debt consistently; do not mix quarter-end debt for one company with year-end debt for another.

Infrastructure contractors often need equipment, plants, land or aggregate reserves. Capital intensity can rise when a company expands its materials footprint or pursues a large acquisition. Review:

  • Maintenance versus growth capital expenditures.
  • Acquisition prices and the resulting goodwill or intangible assets.
  • Working-capital funding during rapid backlog growth.
  • Surety bonds and letters of credit that consume capacity without appearing as conventional debt.
  • Share repurchases, dividends and debt reduction relative to operating cash flow.

Granite’s management said in its 2025 annual-report shareholder letter: “With record CAP, a transformed Materials business, and a strong balance sheet, we believe Granite is well-positioned to continue executing toward our long-term financial targets.” Treat that as management’s view, then test it against leverage, liquidity, cash conversion and project performance.

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Granite’s stated 2027 targets

Granite’s 2025 annual report presents the following targets for 2027:

Target Management’s stated range How to interpret it
Organic revenue compound annual growth, 2024–2027 6%–8% Forward-looking management target, not an established result
Adjusted EBITDA margin 12.5%–14.5% Forward-looking non-GAAP target; reconciliation to the most comparable GAAP measure was not possible without unreasonable effort because components are uncertain
Operating cash-flow margin 9.5%–11.5% Forward-looking target that depends on project timing, collections, claims, change orders and working capital

Use these targets as a testable scenario, not as a forecast you can substitute for results. Compare the implied growth and margin path with historical execution, materials capacity, awarded work, labor availability and acquisition effects. Update the assessment when Granite reports later quarterly results.

Valuation: what a proper peer table needs

No current valuation multiples are established by the FY2025 evidence summarized here. A publishable valuation comparison requires market prices, shares outstanding and balance-sheet data from one stated date.

Choose the denominator carefully

Possible measures include price-to-earnings, enterprise value-to-EBITDA, enterprise value-to-revenue and enterprise value-to-free cash flow. Each has limitations:

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
  • Price-to-earnings is sensitive to project charges, tax rates and one-time gains.
  • Enterprise value-to-EBITDA can obscure capital needs for equipment and materials facilities.
  • Enterprise value-to-revenue ignores major differences in margin and contract risk.
  • Enterprise value-to-free cash flow is useful only when the cash-flow definition and project cycle are comparable.

Normalize the period, reconcile adjusted EBITDA to GAAP, use the same net-debt definition and separate continuing operations from acquisitions or disposals. Do not rank Granite, Sterling or Tutor Perini on a multiple calculated from different dates or incompatible adjustments.

A practical comparison workflow for investors

  1. Set the date. Use the latest quarterly or annual filings available for every company and record the market-price date separately.
  2. Normalize segments. Reclassify each issuer’s reported businesses into comparable buckets such as transportation, water, power, industrial, building, materials and services.
  3. Reconcile project measures. Label signed backlog, remaining performance obligations, committed projects and unsigned awards separately.
  4. Measure customer exposure. List material customers, agencies and regions, including Granite’s Caltrans concentration.
  5. Review execution history. Examine margin revisions, loss contracts, claims, change orders, project close-outs and cash conversion.
  6. Build a balance-sheet bridge. Start with cash and debt, then include leases, acquisitions, capital spending and surety-related commitments where disclosed.
  7. Test management targets. Compare Granite’s 2027 targets with the historical revenue, EBITDA and operating-cash-flow trajectory; apply the same skepticism to peer guidance.
  8. Calculate valuation consistently. Use one market date, one share-count convention and one treatment of non-GAAP adjustments.
  9. Run downside cases. Model delayed awards, lower utilization, cost overruns, slower collections and a major customer or regional budget reduction.

Key risks that can invalidate a simple ranking

  • Definition risk: “Backlog” and project-portfolio figures may include different contract stages and obligations.
  • Realization risk: Delays, cancellations, scope changes and financing or permitting issues can reduce expected revenue.
  • Margin risk: Labor inflation, material prices, productivity shortfalls and cost-to-complete revisions can erase expected profit.
  • Claims risk: Disputed or delayed claims may affect both reported earnings and cash timing.
  • Customer concentration: Granite’s Caltrans exposure illustrates why a large public customer deserves specific analysis.
  • Working-capital risk: Rapid growth can consume cash through receivables, retainage and contract assets.
  • Capital-intensity risk: Plants, reserves, equipment and acquisitions require cash before their returns are visible.
  • Peer-selection risk: Sterling has a different segment profile, and Tutor Perini is most useful here as a backlog-risk example rather than a one-to-one comparable.

What to update before calling the comparison current

FY2025 annual-report figures are historical. Granite’s investor-relations page showed second-quarter 2026 earnings materials available on October 13, 2026. Before describing operating performance as current, retrieve that release and filing, then obtain corresponding filings for each peer.

Refresh revenue, margins, operating cash flow, debt, cash, backlog, unsigned awards, customer concentration and share counts. Reconcile acquisitions and disposals, segment changes, backlog definitions and adjusted metrics. A same-date valuation table should be built only after those steps.

Bottom line for the comparison

Granite is best evaluated as an integrated civil-construction and materials company, not as a generic backlog story. Its FY2025 portfolio measure, operating cash flow, Materials revenue and Caltrans exposure each answer a different question. Sterling demonstrates why signed backlog and unsigned awards should be separated; Tutor Perini demonstrates why even a very large backlog carries realization and profitability risk. Investors who align business mix, contract definitions, execution history, cash flow, balance sheet and valuation dates will obtain a more meaningful comparison than any ranking based on revenue or backlog alone.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

backlog analysisconstruction stocksGranite Constructioninfrastructure contractorsinfrastructure investinginvestor research

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?Free scan - under a minute
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownFree scan - exact matches

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.