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MLI vs. SWK: Mueller Industries vs. Stanley Black & Decker Stock Comparison

How do Mueller Industries (MLI) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
Profile ItemMLISWK
NameMueller Industries, Inc.Stanley Black & Decker Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryMachineryMachinery
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & ComponentsIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization11.54 billion USD17.08 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 25, 1991March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MLI
SWK
GSPC
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK), 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricMLISWK
Total Return (1Y)3.68%83.07%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)44.56%17.07%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)32.39%-5.19%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

MLI
SWK
GSPC
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK), 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricMLISWK
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)34.44%38.68%
Beta (5Y)1.011.10
Max Drawdown (5Y)-27.79%-68.03%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.61M1.67M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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MLI and SWK 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricMLISWK
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.022.04
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.023.57

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 26.26% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 9.44% 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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

9.44%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
SWK
9.44%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 5.53%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

5.53%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
SWK
5.53%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 8.71%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

8.71%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
SWK
8.71%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricMLISWK
ROE (TTM)26.26%9.44%
ROA (TTM)16.23%3.48%
Net Margin (TTM)17.27%5.53%
Operating Margin (TTM)19.53%8.71%
Gross Margin (TTM)27.25%32.16%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 10.87% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at -1.53% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 35.90% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Mueller Industries (MLI) at 29.19% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for SWK.

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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricMLISWK
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.87%-1.53%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)1.62%-3.71%
EPS Growth (YoY)29.19%35.90%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)5.63%-26.81%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 4.39 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 1.42 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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

1.42

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
SWK
1.42
Min
0.36
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 0.58 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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

0.58

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
SWK
0.58
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricMLISWK
Current Ratio (MRQ)4.391.42
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.010.58
Net Debt / EBITDA-1.312.69

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 1.24% earns its spot in the top quartile of its industry’s yields; Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 2.89% is past the top of its own peer range — territory where a dividend-safety check matters more than the headline number.

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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

2.89%

SWK
2.89%
Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 59.68% 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%

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

59.68%

Max
67.39%
SWK
59.68%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricMLISWK
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.24%2.89%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)16.67%59.68%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 13.58 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 20.58 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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

20.58

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
SWK
20.58
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 1.12 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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

1.12

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
SWK
1.12
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): 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 Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) at 1.93 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

SWK

Capital Goods industry group

1.93

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
SWK
1.93
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)
MetricMLISWK
P/E Ratio (TTM)13.5820.58
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.311.12
P/B Ratio (MRQ)0.331.93
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.65%11.37%