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DOW vs. RS: Dow vs. Reliance Stock Comparison

How do Dow (DOW) and Reliance (RS) 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

Dow (DOW) and Reliance (RS) both fall under the Materials industry group, but DOW is classified in Chemicals while RS is classified in Metals & Mining.

Company profile comparison for Dow (DOW) and Reliance (RS)
Profile ItemDOWRS
NameDow Inc.Reliance, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryChemicalsMetals & Mining
GICS Sub-IndustryCommodity ChemicalsSteel
Market Capitalization22.73 billion USD21.24 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 20, 2019September 16, 1994
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

DOW
RS
GSPC
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Dow (DOW) vs. Reliance (RS), 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 Dow (DOW) and Reliance (RS). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Dow (DOW) and Reliance (RS). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Dow (DOW) and Reliance (RS)
MetricDOWRS
Total Return (1Y)46.93%54.53%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-8.46%18.36%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-6.94%22.28%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

DOW
RS
GSPC
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Dow (DOW) vs. Reliance (RS), 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 Dow (DOW) and Reliance (RS). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Dow (DOW) and Reliance (RS)
MetricDOWRS
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)41.81%25.64%
Beta (5Y)0.440.97
Max Drawdown (5Y)-64.37%-22.32%
Avg. Volume (3M)8.52M311.43K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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DOW and RS 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 Dow (DOW) and Reliance (RS)
MetricDOWRS
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.021.96
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.622.92

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Dow (DOW) reports a negative ROE of -3.24%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile Reliance (RS) reports 14.75%, ranking against industry peers normally.

DOW

Materials industry group

-3.24%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
DOW
-3.24%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%

RS

Materials industry group

14.75%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
RS
14.75%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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Dow (DOW) vs. Reliance (RS): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Dow (DOW) reports a negative net margin of -2.11%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile Reliance (RS) reports 6.38%, ranking against industry peers normally.

DOW

Materials industry group

-2.11%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
DOW
-2.11%
Min
-20.40%

RS

Materials industry group

6.38%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
RS
6.38%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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Dow (DOW) vs. Reliance (RS): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Dow (DOW) at 6.78% and Reliance (RS) at 10.63% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

DOW

Materials industry group

6.78%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
DOW
6.78%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%

RS

Materials industry group

10.63%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
RS
10.63%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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Dow (DOW) vs. Reliance (RS): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Dow (DOW) and Reliance (RS)
MetricDOWRS
ROE (TTM)-3.24%14.75%
ROA (TTM)1.87%8.83%
Net Margin (TTM)-2.11%6.38%
Operating Margin (TTM)6.78%10.63%
Gross Margin (TTM)11.01%28.17%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Reliance (RS) at 3.32% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Dow (DOW) at -6.97% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Dow (DOW) vs. Reliance (RS): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Reliance (RS) at -10.15% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Dow (DOW) at -335.67% falls below its industry range, a notably weak earnings reading.

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Dow (DOW) vs. Reliance (RS): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Dow (DOW) and Reliance (RS)
MetricDOWRS
Revenue Growth (YoY)-6.97%3.32%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-11.11%-5.66%
EPS Growth (YoY)-335.67%-10.15%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)---22.40%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Dow (DOW) at 1.76 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Reliance (RS) at 4.12 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

DOW

Materials industry group

1.76

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
DOW
1.76
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16

RS

Materials industry group

4.12

Max
5.96
RS
4.12
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16
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Dow (DOW) vs. Reliance (RS): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Reliance (RS) at 0.25 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Dow (DOW) at 1.08 uses more debt funding than most peers.

DOW

Materials industry group

1.08

Max
1.98
DOW
1.08
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00

RS

Materials industry group

0.25

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
RS
0.25
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Dow (DOW) vs. Reliance (RS): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Dow (DOW) and Reliance (RS)
MetricDOWRS
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.764.12
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.080.25
Net Debt / EBITDA3.210.93

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Dow (DOW) at 4.38% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Reliance (RS) at 1.20% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, DOW the richer one.

DOW

Materials industry group

4.38%

Max
4.52%
DOW
4.38%
Q3
1.85%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

RS

Materials industry group

1.20%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
RS
1.20%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Dow (DOW) vs. Reliance (RS): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Dow (DOW) reports payout ratio above 100% at 700.00%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Reliance (RS) reports 23.08%, ranking against industry peers normally.

DOW

Materials industry group

700.00%

DOW
700.00%
Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

RS

Materials industry group

23.08%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
RS
23.08%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Dow (DOW) vs. Reliance (RS): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Dow (DOW) and Reliance (RS)
MetricDOWRS
Dividend Yield (TTM)4.38%1.20%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)700.00%23.08%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Reliance (RS) trades at 19.44 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Dow (DOW) has no P/E ratio this period.

DOW

Materials industry group

--

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
DOW
--

RS

Materials industry group

19.44

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
RS
19.44
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
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Dow (DOW) vs. Reliance (RS): DOW does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; RS is benchmarked against the Materials industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Dow (DOW) at 0.53 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Reliance (RS) at 1.22 prices around its industry’s middle — DOW costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

DOW

Materials industry group

0.53

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
DOW
0.53
Min
0.00

RS

Materials industry group

1.22

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
RS
1.22
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
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Dow (DOW) vs. Reliance (RS): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Dow (DOW) at 1.41 and Reliance (RS) at 2.75 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

DOW

Materials industry group

1.41

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
DOW
1.41
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17

RS

Materials industry group

2.75

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
RS
2.75
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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Dow (DOW) vs. Reliance (RS): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Dow (DOW) and Reliance (RS)
MetricDOWRS
P/E Ratio (TTM)--19.44
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.531.22
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.412.75
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.95%1.19%