AIT vs. MLI: Applied Industrial vs. Mueller Industries Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Applied Industrial (AIT) and Mueller Industries (MLI) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Applied Industrial (AIT) and Mueller Industries (MLI) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but AIT is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors while MLI is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Profile Item	AIT	MLI
Name	Applied Industrial Technologies Inc.	Mueller Industries, Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Trading Companies & Distributors	Machinery
GICS Sub-Industry	Trading Companies & Distributors	Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization	10.35 billion USD	11.54 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	March 17, 1980	February 25, 1991
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AIT

MLI

GSPC

Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Mueller Industries (MLI). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Mueller Industries (MLI). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	AIT	MLI
Total Return (1Y)	15.62%	3.68%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	24.49%	44.56%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	24.56%	32.39%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AIT

MLI

GSPC

Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Mueller Industries (MLI). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	AIT	MLI
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	28.72%	34.44%
Beta (5Y)	0.86	1.01
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-26.42%	-27.79%
Avg. Volume (3M)	295.41K	1.61M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

AIT and MLI are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	AIT	MLI
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.39	-0.02
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.53	-0.02

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Applied Industrial (AIT) at 22.51% and Mueller Industries (MLI) at 26.26% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

22.51%

Max: 40.55%
AIT: 22.51%
Q3: 19.29%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

MLI

Capital Goods industry group

26.26%

Max: 40.55%
MLI: 26.26%
Q3: 19.29%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 17.27% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Applied Industrial (AIT) at 8.39%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

8.39%

Max: 27.47%
Q3: 12.10%
AIT: 8.39%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

MLI

Capital Goods industry group

17.27%

Max: 27.47%
MLI: 17.27%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 19.53% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Applied Industrial (AIT) at 11.12%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

11.12%

Max: 36.60%
Q3: 18.33%
AIT: 11.12%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

MLI

Capital Goods industry group

19.53%

Max: 36.60%
MLI: 19.53%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	AIT	MLI
ROE (TTM)	22.51%	26.26%
ROA (TTM)	11.43%	16.23%
Net Margin (TTM)	8.39%	17.27%
Operating Margin (TTM)	11.12%	19.53%
Gross Margin (TTM)	30.40%	27.25%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Applied Industrial (AIT) at 8.84% and Mueller Industries (MLI) at 10.87% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Mueller Industries (MLI) reports EPS growth of 29.19%, ranked against its industry; Applied Industrial (AIT) has no EPS growth figure this period.

Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	AIT	MLI
Revenue Growth (YoY)	8.84%	10.87%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	4.02%	1.62%
EPS Growth (YoY)	--	29.19%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	7.40%	5.63%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Applied Industrial (AIT) at 2.89 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Mueller Industries (MLI) at 4.39 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

2.89

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
AIT: 2.89
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

MLI

Capital Goods industry group

4.39

Max: 5.22
MLI: 4.39
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Applied Industrial (AIT) at 0.15 and Mueller Industries (MLI) at 0.01 keep leverage in the lower quartile of their industries, with less balance-sheet debt relative to equity than most peers.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

0.15

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
AIT: 0.15
Min: 0.00

MLI

Capital Goods industry group

0.01

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
MLI: 0.01
Min: 0.00

Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	AIT	MLI
Current Ratio (MRQ)	2.89	4.39
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.15	0.01
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.27	-1.31

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 1.24% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Applied Industrial (AIT) at 0.71% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, MLI the richer one.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

0.71%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
AIT: 0.71%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

MLI

Capital Goods industry group

1.24%

Max: 2.66%
MLI: 1.24%
Q3: 1.14%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Applied Industrial (AIT) at 17.63% and Mueller Industries (MLI) at 16.67% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

17.63%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
AIT: 17.63%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

MLI

Capital Goods industry group

16.67%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
MLI: 16.67%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	AIT	MLI
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.71%	1.24%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	17.63%	16.67%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 13.58 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Applied Industrial (AIT) at 25.10 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for MLI, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

25.10

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
AIT: 25.10
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

MLI

Capital Goods industry group

13.58

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
MLI: 13.58
Min: 3.03

Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Applied Industrial (AIT) at 2.05 and Mueller Industries (MLI) at 2.31 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

2.05

Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
AIT: 2.05
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

MLI

Capital Goods industry group

2.31

Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
MLI: 2.31
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 0.33 looks cheap against book in the lower P/B ratio quartile, while Applied Industrial (AIT) at 5.50 carries a premium in the upper quartile — a clear price-to-book gap.

AIT

Capital Goods industry group

5.50

Max: 9.66
AIT: 5.50
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

MLI

Capital Goods industry group

0.33

Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
MLI: 0.33
Min: -1.08

Applied Industrial (AIT) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Applied Industrial (AIT) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	AIT	MLI
P/E Ratio (TTM)	25.10	13.58
P/S Ratio (TTM)	2.05	2.31
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	5.50	0.33
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	3.24%	4.65%