MLI vs. SUNB: Mueller Industries vs. Sunbelt Rentals Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Mueller Industries (MLI) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) 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 Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but MLI is classified in Machinery while SUNB is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors.

Mueller Industries (MLI) has been public since February 25, 1991, giving it decades of market history across multiple cycles, while Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) listed only on March 2, 2026 and lacks comparable through-cycle data.

Company profile comparison for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB)
Profile Item	MLI	SUNB
Name	Mueller Industries, Inc.	Sunbelt Rentals Holdings, Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Machinery	Trading Companies & Distributors
GICS Sub-Industry	Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components	Trading Companies & Distributors
Market Capitalization	11.54 billion USD	31.57 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	February 25, 1991	March 2, 2026
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MLI

SUNB

GSPC

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB), 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 Mueller Industries (MLI) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB)
Metric	MLI	SUNB
Total Return (1Y)	3.68%	--
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	44.56%	--
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	32.39%	--

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

MLI

SUNB

GSPC

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB)
Metric	MLI	SUNB
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	34.44%	45.72%
Beta (5Y)	1.01	1.10
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-27.79%	-22.53%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.61M	4.96M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Both MLI and SUNB need 1-year volatility and 1-year return to plot risk-return positioning.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB)
Metric	MLI	SUNB
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	-0.02	--
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	-0.02	--

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 26.26% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 18.37% 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%

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

18.37%

Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
SUNB: 18.37%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): 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 Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 12.12% 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%

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

12.12%

Max: 27.47%
SUNB: 12.12%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

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

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 19.53% and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 22.38% 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%

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

22.38%

Max: 36.60%
SUNB: 22.38%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB)
Metric	MLI	SUNB
ROE (TTM)	26.26%	18.37%
ROA (TTM)	16.23%	6.71%
Net Margin (TTM)	17.27%	12.12%
Operating Margin (TTM)	19.53%	22.38%
Gross Margin (TTM)	27.25%	38.78%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 10.87% and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 3.36% 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. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 29.19% and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at -8.91% 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. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB)
Metric	MLI	SUNB
Revenue Growth (YoY)	10.87%	3.36%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	1.62%	4.88%
EPS Growth (YoY)	29.19%	-8.91%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	5.63%	-4.89%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 4.39 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 0.95 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.

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

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

0.95

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
SUNB: 0.95
Min: 0.36

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): 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 Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 1.53 sits in the higher-leverage quartile.

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

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

1.53

Max: 2.33
SUNB: 1.53
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): 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 Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB)
Metric	MLI	SUNB
Current Ratio (MRQ)	4.39	0.95
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.01	1.53
Net Debt / EBITDA	-1.31	3.93

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 1.24% and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 1.87% offer top-quartile dividend income relative to share price within their industries.

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%

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

1.87%

Max: 2.66%
SUNB: 1.87%
Q3: 1.14%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 16.67% and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 22.63% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

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%

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

22.63%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
SUNB: 22.63%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB)
Metric	MLI	SUNB
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.24%	1.87%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	16.67%	22.63%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 13.58 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 23.28 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

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

23.28

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
SUNB: 23.28
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 2.31 and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 2.75 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

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

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

2.75

Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
SUNB: 2.75
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB): 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 Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB) at 4.24 is valued near its industry’s middle — MLI is cheaper on assets, though weigh it against ROE and asset quality.

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

SUNB

Capital Goods industry group

4.24

Max: 9.66
Q3: 5.00
SUNB: 4.24
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Sunbelt Rentals (SUNB)
Metric	MLI	SUNB
P/E Ratio (TTM)	13.58	23.28
P/S Ratio (TTM)	2.31	2.75
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	0.33	4.24
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	4.65%	5.47%