RELIANCE, INC. vs TE CONNECTIVITY PLC, two Distribution stocks. A side-by-side on valuation, growth, margins, returns, and what each price is betting.
Reliance distributes metals at a 5.42% margin; TE Connectivity manufactures connectors at 15.54%, and TE earns roughly double the return on equity, 21.96% against 11.28%. TE trades cheaper, 20.2 times earnings against Reliance's 25.1, and converts more free cash, 5.81% against 3.05%. Reliance pays a slightly lighter dividend and carries less debt. The pair separates a commodity distributor from a quality manufacturer: Reliance earns solid middleman returns reselling steel and aluminum, TE earns higher returns making proprietary components, and with better margins and a lower multiple, TE is the stronger business, though Reliance's asset-backed metals model offers a different kind of cyclical value.
Comparison updated 2026-07-11.
| Metric | RS | TEL |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $380.17 | $200.28 |
| Market cap | $19.8B | $59.1B |
| Sector | Distribution | Distribution |
| Stage | Mature | Growth |
| Implied growth (priced in) | +10.5% | +18.7% |
| P/E | 24.8 | 20.4 |
| P/B | 2.77 | 4.46 |
| P/S | 1.33 | 3.16 |
| EV/EBITDA | 15.3 | 15.4 |
| Revenue growth | +8.7% | +16.7% |
| Gross margin | — | 36.8% |
| Operating margin | 9.1% | 20.1% |
| Net margin | 5.4% | 15.5% |
| Return on equity | 11.3% | 22.0% |
| Return on assets | 7.4% | 11.3% |
| Return on invested capital | 9.5% | 17.7% |
| FCF yield | 3.1% | 5.7% |
| Dividend yield | 1.3% | 1.4% |
| Debt / equity | 0.24 | 0.43 |
| Current ratio | 4.39 | 1.89 |
| Altman Z (solvency) | 6.04 | 4.67 |
| Piotroski F (quality) | 5 / 9 | 6 / 9 |
Each week boothcheck ranks the stocks whose prices are betting on the most. Read the most stretched bets archive →
boothcheck is also on Android. Get the app on Google Play →
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.