CMI vs. MLI: Cummins vs. Mueller Industries Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Cummins (CMI) 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

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

Company profile comparison for Cummins (CMI) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Profile Item	CMI	MLI
Name	Cummins 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	61.69 billion USD	11.54 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	February 21, 1973	February 25, 1991
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CMI

MLI

GSPC

Cummins (CMI) 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 Cummins (CMI) and Mueller Industries (MLI). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Cummins (CMI) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	CMI	MLI
Total Return (1Y)	-0.52%	3.68%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	31.79%	44.56%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	17.12%	32.39%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CMI

MLI

GSPC

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Cummins (CMI) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	CMI	MLI
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	36.83%	34.44%
Beta (5Y)	1.26	1.01
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-38.12%	-27.79%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.14M	1.61M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

CMI 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 Cummins (CMI) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	CMI	MLI
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	-0.13	-0.02
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	-0.18	-0.02

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Cummins (CMI) at 25.05% 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.

CMI

Capital Goods industry group

25.05%

Max: 40.55%
CMI: 25.05%
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%

Cummins (CMI) 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 Cummins (CMI) at 9.26%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

CMI

Capital Goods industry group

9.26%

Max: 27.47%
Q3: 12.10%
CMI: 9.26%
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%

Cummins (CMI) 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 Cummins (CMI) at 13.95%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

CMI

Capital Goods industry group

13.95%

Max: 36.60%
Q3: 18.33%
CMI: 13.95%
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%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Cummins (CMI) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	CMI	MLI
ROE (TTM)	25.05%	26.26%
ROA (TTM)	7.60%	16.23%
Net Margin (TTM)	9.26%	17.27%
Operating Margin (TTM)	13.95%	19.53%
Gross Margin (TTM)	26.32%	27.25%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 10.87% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Cummins (CMI) at -1.27% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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

EPS Growth

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 29.19% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Cummins (CMI) at -27.74% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Cummins (CMI) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	CMI	MLI
Revenue Growth (YoY)	-1.27%	10.87%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	6.25%	1.62%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-27.74%	29.19%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	10.68%	5.63%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Cummins (CMI) at 1.74 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.

CMI

Capital Goods industry group

1.74

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
CMI: 1.74
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

Cummins (CMI) 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 industry quartile, while Cummins (CMI) at 0.52 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

CMI

Capital Goods industry group

0.52

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
CMI: 0.52
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

Cummins (CMI) 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 Cummins (CMI) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	CMI	MLI
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.74	4.39
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.52	0.01
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.62	-1.31

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Cummins (CMI) at 1.83% and Mueller Industries (MLI) at 1.24% offer top-quartile dividend income relative to share price within their industries.

CMI

Capital Goods industry group

1.83%

Max: 2.66%
CMI: 1.83%
Q3: 1.14%
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%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 16.67% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Cummins (CMI) at 34.21% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

CMI

Capital Goods industry group

34.21%

Max: 67.39%
CMI: 34.21%
Q3: 28.02%
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%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Cummins (CMI) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	CMI	MLI
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.83%	1.24%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	34.21%	16.67%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Cummins (CMI) at 18.78 and Mueller Industries (MLI) at 13.58 sit in the cheaper earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, with the market paying less for a dollar of trailing earnings than it pays for typical peers.

CMI

Capital Goods industry group

18.78

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
CMI: 18.78
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

Cummins (CMI) 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 Cummins (CMI) at 1.72 and Mueller Industries (MLI) at 2.31 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

CMI

Capital Goods industry group

1.72

Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
CMI: 1.72
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

Cummins (CMI) 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 against book while Cummins (CMI) at 4.63 is valued near its industry’s middle — MLI is cheaper on assets, though weigh it against ROE and asset quality.

CMI

Capital Goods industry group

4.63

Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
CMI: 4.63
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

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Cummins (CMI) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Metric	CMI	MLI
P/E Ratio (TTM)	18.78	13.58
P/S Ratio (TTM)	1.72	2.31
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	4.63	0.33
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	4.06%	4.65%