Seek Returns

CW vs. MLI: Curtiss-Wright vs. Mueller Industries Stock Comparison

How do Curtiss-Wright (CW) 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

Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Mueller Industries (MLI) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but CW is classified in Aerospace & Defense while MLI is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Profile ItemCWMLI
NameCurtiss-Wright CorporationMueller Industries, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryAerospace & DefenseMachinery
GICS Sub-IndustryAerospace & DefenseIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization16.81 billion USD11.54 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980February 25, 1991
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

CW
MLI
GSPC
Loading price history…
Curtiss-Wright (CW) 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Mueller Industries (MLI). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Mueller Industries (MLI). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
MetricCWMLI
Total Return (1Y)-15.83%3.68%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)33.49%44.56%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)29.54%32.39%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

CW
MLI
GSPC
Loading price history…
Curtiss-Wright (CW) 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Mueller Industries (MLI). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
MetricCWMLI
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)38.26%34.44%
Beta (5Y)0.931.01
Max Drawdown (5Y)-45.25%-27.79%
Avg. Volume (3M)427.49K1.61M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
CW 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 Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
MetricCWMLI
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.53-0.02
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.71-0.02

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 21.82% 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.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

21.82%

Max
40.55%
CW
21.82%
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%
Loading chart…
Curtiss-Wright (CW) 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 Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 14.86% 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.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

14.86%

Max
27.47%
CW
14.86%
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%
Loading chart…
Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 19.87% 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.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

19.87%

Max
36.60%
CW
19.87%
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%
Loading chart…
Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
MetricCWMLI
ROE (TTM)21.82%26.26%
ROA (TTM)8.90%16.23%
Net Margin (TTM)14.86%17.27%
Operating Margin (TTM)19.87%19.53%
Gross Margin (TTM)38.07%27.25%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 12.08% 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.

Loading chart…
Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 21.99% 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.

Loading chart…
Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
MetricCWMLI
Revenue Growth (YoY)12.08%10.87%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)11.01%1.62%
EPS Growth (YoY)21.99%29.19%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)19.09%5.63%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

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

CW

Capital Goods industry group

1.42

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
CW
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
Loading chart…
Curtiss-Wright (CW) 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 Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 0.45 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

0.45

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
CW
0.45
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
Loading chart…
Curtiss-Wright (CW) 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 Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
MetricCWMLI
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.424.39
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.450.01
Net Debt / EBITDA1.00-1.31

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 1.24% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 0.23% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, MLI the richer one.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

0.23%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
CW
0.23%
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%
Loading chart…
Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 6.67% 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.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

6.67%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
CW
6.67%
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%
Loading chart…
Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
MetricCWMLI
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.23%1.24%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)6.67%16.67%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 13.58 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 30.92 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for MLI, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

30.92

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
CW
30.92
Median
25.41
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
Loading chart…
Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 2.31 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 4.50 sits in the pricier quartile — CW costs more per dollar of sales.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

4.50

Max
7.54
CW
4.50
Q3
3.76
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
Loading chart…
Curtiss-Wright (CW) 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 Curtiss-Wright (CW) at 6.64 carries a premium in the upper quartile — a clear price-to-book gap.

CW

Capital Goods industry group

6.64

Max
9.66
CW
6.64
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
Loading chart…
Curtiss-Wright (CW) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Curtiss-Wright (CW) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
MetricCWMLI
P/E Ratio (TTM)30.9213.58
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.502.31
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.640.33
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.86%4.65%