MUELLER INDUSTRIES INC vs ArcelorMittal, two Steel stocks. A side-by-side on valuation, growth, margins, returns, and what each price is betting.
Mueller Industries fabricates copper and brass for plumbing and HVAC; ArcelorMittal rolls steel, two metal shapers with sharply different economics. Mueller is the standout on returns, 25.2% on equity and a 19.37% net margin, and converts a healthy 4.59% of its price to free cash; ArcelorMittal earns 5.74% and 5.29% but yields even more free cash, 10.52%, trading below book at 0.81. Mueller trades at 16.8 times earnings and 4.23 times book, ArcelorMittal at 14.5 and 0.81. The pair is a high-return niche fabricator against a deep-value commodity giant: Mueller earns premium returns on copper products with a clean balance sheet, ArcelorMittal offers assets on sale and gushing cash from the steel cycle, two very different value propositions in one sector.
Comparison updated 2026-07-11.
| Metric | MLI | MT |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $128.20 | $59.90 |
| Market cap | $14.2B | $45.7B |
| Sector | Steel | Steel |
| Stage | Cyclical | Cyclical |
| Implied growth (priced in) | +10.8% | +10.0% |
| P/E | 16.8 | 14.5 |
| P/B | 4.23 | 0.81 |
| P/S | 3.25 | 0.74 |
| EV/EBITDA | 11.3 | 6.1 |
| Revenue growth | +11.4% | -5.1% |
| Gross margin | — | 7.1% |
| Operating margin | 26.2% | 5.9% |
| Net margin | 19.4% | 5.3% |
| Return on equity | 25.2% | 5.7% |
| Return on assets | 21.5% | 3.3% |
| Return on invested capital | 25.0% | 5.8% |
| FCF yield | 4.6% | 10.5% |
| Dividend yield | 0.8% | — |
| Debt / equity | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Current ratio | 5.35 | 1.36 |
| Altman Z (solvency) | 9.44 | 2.23 |
| Piotroski F (quality) | 7 / 9 | 6 / 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.