GENUINE PARTS CO vs RELIANCE, INC., two Distribution stocks. A side-by-side on valuation, growth, margins, returns, and what each price is betting.
Genuine Parts distributes auto and industrial parts, Reliance metals, and the two earn comparable returns through different models. Genuine Parts's 20.79% return on equity beats Reliance's 11.28%, though on a thinner margin, 3.78% against 5.42%. Genuine Parts is the income name, yielding 3.55% against Reliance's 1.24%, but carries more debt, 1.03 turns against 0.24. Reliance trades dearer, 25.1 times earnings against 17.2, and converts similar free cash. The pair contrasts a dividend-rich auto-parts distributor with a metals service-center operator: Genuine Parts offers higher returns and a bigger yield but more leverage, Reliance a cleaner balance sheet and a steadier asset base, weighing income against balance-sheet safety.
Comparison updated 2026-07-11.
| Metric | GPC | RS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $116.01 | $385.59 |
| Market cap | $16.0B | $20.0B |
| Sector | Distribution | Distribution |
| Stage | Mature | Mature |
| Implied growth (priced in) | -1.0% | +10.5% |
| P/E | 17.2 | 25.1 |
| P/B | 3.56 | 2.81 |
| P/S | 0.65 | 1.35 |
| EV/EBITDA | 37.3 | 15.5 |
| Revenue growth | +4.8% | +8.7% |
| Gross margin | 37.3% | — |
| Operating margin | — | 9.1% |
| Net margin | 3.8% | 5.4% |
| Return on equity | 20.8% | 11.3% |
| Return on assets | 4.5% | 7.4% |
| Return on invested capital | — | 9.5% |
| FCF yield | 3.4% | 3.0% |
| Dividend yield | 3.5% | 1.2% |
| Debt / equity | 1.03 | 0.24 |
| Current ratio | 1.09 | 4.39 |
| Altman Z (solvency) | 7.54 | 6.08 |
| Piotroski F (quality) | 6 / 9 | 5 / 9 |
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The stronger value is highlighted per metric where one is strictly better on that single number; it is not an overall verdict on either company. For informational and research purposes only. Not investment advice. Not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. boothcheck is not a registered investment adviser. Past performance does not guarantee future results.