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DE vs. MLI: Deere vs. Mueller Industries Stock Comparison

How do Deere (DE) 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

Deere (DE) and Mueller Industries (MLI) both belong to the Machinery industry, though DE is classified under Agricultural & Farm Machinery while MLI falls under Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components.

Company profile comparison for Deere (DE) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
Profile ItemDEMLI
NameDeere & CompanyMueller Industries, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryMachineryMachinery
GICS Sub-IndustryAgricultural & Farm MachineryIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization181.09 billion USD11.54 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJune 1, 1972February 25, 1991
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

DE
MLI
GSPC
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Deere (DE) 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 Deere (DE) and Mueller Industries (MLI). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Deere (DE) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
MetricDEMLI
Total Return (1Y)49.27%3.68%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)24.81%44.56%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)15.67%32.39%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Deere (DE) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
MetricDEMLI
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)33.18%34.44%
Beta (5Y)0.881.01
Max Drawdown (5Y)-33.81%-27.79%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.23M1.61M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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DE 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 Deere (DE) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
MetricDEMLI
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.36-0.02
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.26-0.02

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 26.26% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Deere (DE) at 18.24% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for MLI.

DE

Capital Goods industry group

18.24%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
DE
18.24%
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%
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Deere (DE) 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 Deere (DE) at 10.17%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

DE

Capital Goods industry group

10.17%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
DE
10.17%
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%
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Deere (DE) 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 Deere (DE) at 13.37%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

DE

Capital Goods industry group

13.37%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
DE
13.37%
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%
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Deere (DE) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Deere (DE) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
MetricDEMLI
ROE (TTM)18.24%26.26%
ROA (TTM)3.76%16.23%
Net Margin (TTM)10.17%17.27%
Operating Margin (TTM)13.37%19.53%
Gross Margin (TTM)25.18%27.25%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 10.87% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Deere (DE) at -11.59% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Deere (DE) 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 Deere (DE) at -27.79% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Deere (DE) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
MetricDEMLI
Revenue Growth (YoY)-11.59%10.87%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-4.50%1.62%
EPS Growth (YoY)-27.79%29.19%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-7.37%5.63%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Deere (DE) at 2.13 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.

DE

Capital Goods industry group

2.13

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
DE
2.13
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
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Deere (DE) 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 Deere (DE) at 2.30 sits in the higher-leverage quartile.

DE

Capital Goods industry group

2.30

Max
2.33
DE
2.30
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
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Deere (DE) 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 Deere (DE) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
MetricDEMLI
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.134.39
Debt / Equity (MRQ)2.300.01
Net Debt / EBITDA6.70-1.31

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 1.24% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Deere (DE) at 0.98% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, MLI the richer one.

DE

Capital Goods industry group

0.98%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
DE
0.98%
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%
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Deere (DE) 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 Deere (DE) at 36.02% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

DE

Capital Goods industry group

36.02%

Max
67.39%
DE
36.02%
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%
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Deere (DE) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Deere (DE) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
MetricDEMLI
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.98%1.24%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)36.02%16.67%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 13.58 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Deere (DE) at 37.33 sits in the richer quartile — a clear split in what investors pay for each dollar of trailing earnings.

DE

Capital Goods industry group

37.33

Max
59.38
DE
37.33
Q3
35.92
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
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Deere (DE) 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 Deere (DE) at 3.78 sits in the pricier quartile — DE costs more per dollar of sales.

DE

Capital Goods industry group

3.78

Max
7.54
DE
3.78
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
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Deere (DE) 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 Deere (DE) at 6.47 carries a premium in the upper quartile — a clear price-to-book gap.

DE

Capital Goods industry group

6.47

Max
9.66
DE
6.47
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
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Deere (DE) vs. Mueller Industries (MLI): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Deere (DE) and Mueller Industries (MLI)
MetricDEMLI
P/E Ratio (TTM)37.3313.58
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.782.31
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.470.33
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.49%4.65%