MLI vs. NDSN: Mueller Industries vs. Nordson Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Mueller Industries (MLI) and Nordson (NDSN) 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

Mueller Industries (MLI) and Nordson (NDSN) are both classified in the Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components sub-industry within the broader Machinery industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Nordson (NDSN)
Profile Item	MLI	NDSN
Name	Mueller Industries, Inc.	Nordson Corporation
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Machinery	Machinery
GICS Sub-Industry	Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components	Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization	11.54 billion USD	17.26 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	Nasdaq
Listing Date	February 25, 1991	March 18, 1980
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MLI

NDSN

GSPC

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Nordson (NDSN), 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 Mueller Industries (MLI) and Nordson (NDSN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	MLI	NDSN
Total Return (1Y)	3.68%	40.90%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	44.56%	14.93%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	32.39%	5.48%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

MLI

NDSN

GSPC

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Nordson (NDSN), 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 Mueller Industries (MLI) and Nordson (NDSN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	MLI	NDSN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	34.44%	23.53%
Beta (5Y)	1.01	0.98
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-27.79%	-39.15%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.61M	381.48K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

MLI and NDSN 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 Mueller Industries (MLI) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	MLI	NDSN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	-0.02	1.56
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	-0.02	2.43

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 26.26% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Nordson (NDSN) at 17.76% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for MLI.

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%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

17.76%

Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
NDSN: 17.76%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

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

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 17.27% and Nordson (NDSN) at 18.63% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

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%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

18.63%

Max: 27.47%
NDSN: 18.63%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

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

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 19.53% and Nordson (NDSN) at 27.40% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

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%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

27.40%

Max: 36.60%
NDSN: 27.40%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	MLI	NDSN
ROE (TTM)	26.26%	17.76%
ROA (TTM)	16.23%	8.47%
Net Margin (TTM)	17.27%	18.63%
Operating Margin (TTM)	19.53%	27.40%
Gross Margin (TTM)	27.25%	55.39%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 10.87% and Nordson (NDSN) at 3.78% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

EPS Growth

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 29.19% and Nordson (NDSN) at 4.93% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	MLI	NDSN
Revenue Growth (YoY)	10.87%	3.78%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	1.62%	2.53%
EPS Growth (YoY)	29.19%	4.93%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	5.63%	-1.15%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Nordson (NDSN) at 1.82 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.

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

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

1.82

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
NDSN: 1.82
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Nordson (NDSN): 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 Nordson (NDSN) at 0.56 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

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

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

0.56

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
NDSN: 0.56
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Nordson (NDSN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	MLI	NDSN
Current Ratio (MRQ)	4.39	1.82
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.01	0.56
Net Debt / EBITDA	-1.31	1.78

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 1.24% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Nordson (NDSN) at 1.06% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, MLI the richer one.

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%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

1.06%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
NDSN: 1.06%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Nordson (NDSN): 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 Nordson (NDSN) at 33.20% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

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%

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

33.20%

Max: 67.39%
NDSN: 33.20%
Q3: 28.02%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	MLI	NDSN
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.24%	1.06%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	16.67%	33.20%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 13.58 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Nordson (NDSN) at 31.36 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for MLI, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

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

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

31.36

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
NDSN: 31.36
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Nordson (NDSN): 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 Nordson (NDSN) at 5.79 sits in the pricier quartile — NDSN costs more per dollar of sales.

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

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

5.79

Max: 7.54
NDSN: 5.79
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Nordson (NDSN): 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 Nordson (NDSN) at 5.28 carries a premium in the upper quartile — a clear price-to-book gap.

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

NDSN

Capital Goods industry group

5.28

Max: 9.66
NDSN: 5.28
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Nordson (NDSN)
Metric	MLI	NDSN
P/E Ratio (TTM)	13.58	31.36
P/S Ratio (TTM)	2.31	5.79
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	0.33	5.28
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	4.65%	3.56%