CAT vs. MLI: Caterpillar vs. Mueller Industries Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Caterpillar (CAT) 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

Caterpillar (CAT) and Mueller Industries (MLI) both belong to the Machinery industry, though CAT is classified under Construction Machinery & Heavy Transportation Equipment while MLI falls under Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components.

Company profile comparison for Caterpillar (CAT) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Profile Item	CAT	MLI
Name	Caterpillar Inc.	Mueller Industries, Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Machinery	Machinery
GICS Sub-Industry	Construction Machinery & Heavy Transportation Equipment	Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization	255.63 billion USD	11.54 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	January 2, 1962	February 25, 1991
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CAT

MLI

GSPC

Caterpillar (CAT) 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 Caterpillar (CAT) and Mueller Industries (MLI). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	CAT	MLI
Total Return (1Y)	6.75%	3.68%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	38.34%	44.56%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	25.28%	32.39%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CAT

MLI

GSPC

Caterpillar (CAT) 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 Caterpillar (CAT) and Mueller Industries (MLI). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	CAT	MLI
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	41.33%	34.44%
Beta (5Y)	1.65	1.01
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-47.79%	-27.79%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.82M	1.61M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

CAT 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 Caterpillar (CAT) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	CAT	MLI
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.06	-0.02
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.08	-0.02

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Caterpillar (CAT) at 56.14% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Mueller Industries (MLI) at 26.26% also sits in the top quartile.

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

56.14%

CAT: 56.14%
Max: 40.55%
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%

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

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Caterpillar (CAT) at 15.21% and Mueller Industries (MLI) at 17.27% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

15.21%

Max: 27.47%
CAT: 15.21%
Q3: 12.10%
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%

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

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 20.19% and Mueller Industries (MLI) at 19.53% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

20.19%

Max: 36.60%
CAT: 20.19%
Q3: 18.33%
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%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	CAT	MLI
ROE (TTM)	56.14%	26.26%
ROA (TTM)	9.09%	16.23%
Net Margin (TTM)	15.21%	17.27%
Operating Margin (TTM)	20.19%	19.53%
Gross Margin (TTM)	29.54%	27.25%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 4.29% 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.

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at -14.69% and Mueller Industries (MLI) at 29.19% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Caterpillar (CAT) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	CAT	MLI
Revenue Growth (YoY)	4.29%	10.87%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	4.38%	1.62%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-14.69%	29.19%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	14.17%	5.63%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 4.39 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Caterpillar (CAT) at 1.42 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

1.42

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
CAT: 1.42
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

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

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 0.01 keeps leverage in the lower quartile, while Caterpillar (CAT) at 2.10 sits in the higher-leverage quartile.

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

2.10

Max: 2.33
CAT: 2.10
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
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

Caterpillar (CAT) 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 Caterpillar (CAT) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	CAT	MLI
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.42	4.39
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	2.10	0.01
Net Debt / EBITDA	2.25	-1.31

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 1.24% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Caterpillar (CAT) at 1.13% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, MLI the richer one.

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

1.13%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
CAT: 1.13%
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%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Caterpillar (CAT) at 24.18% 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.

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

24.18%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
CAT: 24.18%
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%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	CAT	MLI
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.13%	1.24%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	24.18%	16.67%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 13.58 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Caterpillar (CAT) at 21.92 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for MLI, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

21.92

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
CAT: 21.92
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

Caterpillar (CAT) 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 Caterpillar (CAT) at 3.29 and Mueller Industries (MLI) at 2.31 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

3.29

Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
CAT: 3.29
Median: 2.15
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

Caterpillar (CAT) 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 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile relative to book while Caterpillar (CAT) at 11.90 prices above its industry range — a wide valuation gap against assets.

CAT

Capital Goods industry group

11.90

CAT: 11.90
Max: 9.66
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

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Caterpillar (CAT) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	CAT	MLI
P/E Ratio (TTM)	21.92	13.58
P/S Ratio (TTM)	3.29	2.31
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	11.90	0.33
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	1.55%	4.65%