EMCOR vs. IES Holdings: Does a $691 Million Deal Change the Better Buy?

Data-center construction is lifting earnings for EMCOR Group, Inc. (NYSE:EME) and IES Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:IESC). Yet the faster-growing company also just changed its business and financing profile. That makes this a choice between proven execution at a lower earnings multiple and a smaller contractor expanding aggressively into customers' broader construction budgets. At October 5 prices, consensus forward earnings multiples were about 22 times for EMCOR and 27 times for IES. Those estimates deserve particular care for IES: its DBM Global acquisition closed that morning, and a quoted multiple cannot be assumed to incorporate every acquisition effect.EMCOR vs. IES Holdings: Does a $691 Million Deal Change the Better Buy?