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BALL vs. STLD: Ball vs. Steel Dynamics Stock Comparison

How do Ball (BALL) and Steel Dynamics (STLD) 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

Ball (BALL) and Steel Dynamics (STLD) both fall under the Materials industry group, but BALL is classified in Containers & Packaging while STLD is classified in Metals & Mining.

Company profile comparison for Ball (BALL) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
Profile ItemBALLSTLD
NameBall CorporationSteel Dynamics, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryContainers & PackagingMetals & Mining
GICS Sub-IndustryMetal, Glass & Plastic ContainersSteel
Market Capitalization17.16 billion USD31.70 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973November 22, 1996
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BALL
STLD
GSPC
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Ball (BALL) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD), 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 Ball (BALL) and Steel Dynamics (STLD). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Ball (BALL) and Steel Dynamics (STLD). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Ball (BALL) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricBALLSTLD
Total Return (1Y)38.59%52.02%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)12.78%29.83%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-4.75%30.20%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BALL
STLD
GSPC
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Ball (BALL) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD), 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 Ball (BALL) and Steel Dynamics (STLD). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Ball (BALL) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricBALLSTLD
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.54%36.62%
Beta (5Y)0.941.46
Max Drawdown (5Y)-54.87%-32.20%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.12M1.06M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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BALL and STLD 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 Ball (BALL) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricBALLSTLD
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.251.30
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.021.92

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 20.81% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Ball (BALL) at 9.49% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for STLD.

BALL

Materials industry group

9.49%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
BALL
9.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%

STLD

Materials industry group

20.81%

Max
52.88%
STLD
20.81%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 3.52% and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 8.82% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

BALL

Materials industry group

3.52%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
BALL
3.52%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%

STLD

Materials industry group

8.82%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
STLD
8.82%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 9.67% and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 15.46% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

BALL

Materials industry group

9.67%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
BALL
9.67%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%

STLD

Materials industry group

15.46%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
STLD
15.46%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Ball (BALL) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricBALLSTLD
ROE (TTM)9.49%20.81%
ROA (TTM)4.65%9.45%
Net Margin (TTM)3.52%8.82%
Operating Margin (TTM)9.67%15.46%
Gross Margin (TTM)17.84%15.90%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Ball (BALL) at 11.58% and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 3.63% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Ball (BALL) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Steel Dynamics (STLD) at -18.80% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Ball (BALL) at -74.62% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Ball (BALL) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Ball (BALL) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricBALLSTLD
Revenue Growth (YoY)11.58%3.63%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.53%-6.53%
EPS Growth (YoY)-74.62%-18.80%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)13.62%-27.45%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 3.15 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Ball (BALL) at 1.04 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for BALL.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.04

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
BALL
1.04
Min
0.16

STLD

Materials industry group

3.15

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
STLD
3.15
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16
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Ball (BALL) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 0.45 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Ball (BALL) at 1.33 uses more debt funding than most peers.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.33

Max
1.98
BALL
1.33
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00

STLD

Materials industry group

0.45

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
STLD
0.45
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Ball (BALL) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Ball (BALL) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricBALLSTLD
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.043.15
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.330.45
Net Debt / EBITDA3.451.09

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 1.20% and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 0.94% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.20%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
BALL
1.20%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

STLD

Materials industry group

0.94%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
STLD
0.94%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 40.20% and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 15.44% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

BALL

Materials industry group

40.20%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
BALL
40.20%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

STLD

Materials industry group

15.44%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
STLD
15.44%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Ball (BALL) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricBALLSTLD
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.20%0.94%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)40.20%15.44%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 16.46 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Ball (BALL) at 33.13 sits in the richer quartile — BALL needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

BALL

Materials industry group

33.13

Max
59.00
BALL
33.13
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93

STLD

Materials industry group

16.46

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
STLD
16.46
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
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Ball (BALL) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Ball (BALL) at 1.13 and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 1.43 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.13

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
BALL
1.13
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00

STLD

Materials industry group

1.43

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
STLD
1.43
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
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Ball (BALL) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Ball (BALL) at 3.02 and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 3.23 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

BALL

Materials industry group

3.02

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
BALL
3.02
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17

STLD

Materials industry group

3.23

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
STLD
3.23
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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Ball (BALL) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Ball (BALL) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricBALLSTLD
P/E Ratio (TTM)33.1316.46
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.131.43
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.023.23
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.54%1.36%