HENRY SCHEIN, INC. vs RELIANCE, INC., two Distribution stocks. A side-by-side on valuation, growth, margins, returns, and what each price is betting.
Henry Schein and Reliance both run thin-margin distribution, Schein in dental and medical supply at 2.95% net, Reliance in metals at 5.42%, and Reliance earns the slightly higher return on equity, 11.28% against 10.08%. Schein trades at 25.7 times earnings against Reliance's 25.1, nearly matched, though Schein converts more free cash, 4.51% against 3.05%. Reliance pays a dividend, Schein does not. Both carry light debt. The pair prices a healthcare distributor against a metals one, both middlemen earning low-double-digit returns: Reliance a touch more profitable with an income component, Schein slightly better at converting cash, and the two are close enough that sector preference, healthcare stability or metals cyclicality, likely decides it.
Comparison updated 2026-07-11.
| Metric | HSIC | RS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $84.37 | $380.17 |
| Market cap | $9.8B | $19.8B |
| Sector | Distribution | Distribution |
| Stage | Mature | Mature |
| Implied growth (priced in) | +5.1% | +10.5% |
| P/E | 25.5 | 24.8 |
| P/B | 2.50 | 2.77 |
| P/S | 0.73 | 1.33 |
| EV/EBITDA | 10.9 | 15.3 |
| Revenue growth | +5.6% | +8.7% |
| Gross margin | 31.8% | — |
| Operating margin | 5.4% | 9.1% |
| Net margin | 3.0% | 5.4% |
| Return on equity | 10.1% | 11.3% |
| Return on assets | 3.5% | 7.4% |
| Return on invested capital | 10.5% | 9.5% |
| FCF yield | 4.5% | 3.1% |
| Dividend yield | — | 1.3% |
| Debt / equity | 0.27 | 0.24 |
| Current ratio | 1.36 | 4.39 |
| Altman Z (solvency) | 2.68 | 6.04 |
| Piotroski F (quality) | 4 / 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.