MLI vs. SYM: Mueller Industries vs. Symbotic Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

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

Mueller Industries (MLI) has more than two decades of public-market history since February 25, 1991, whereas Symbotic (SYM) listed on March 9, 2021 and has a much shorter record to draw on.

Company profile comparison for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Symbotic (SYM)
Profile Item	MLI	SYM
Name	Mueller Industries, Inc.	Symbotic Inc. Class A Common Stock
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	22.29 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	Nasdaq
Listing Date	February 25, 1991	March 9, 2021
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MLI

SYM

GSPC

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Symbotic (SYM), 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 Symbotic (SYM). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Symbotic (SYM)
Metric	MLI	SYM
Total Return (1Y)	3.68%	-44.66%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	44.56%	6.78%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	32.39%	30.90%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

MLI

SYM

GSPC

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

Risk Metrics

Symbotic (SYM) carries a highly aggressive beta of 2.05, indicating much higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, whereas Mueller Industries (MLI) is closer to market-like at 1.01 — a noticeable difference in market-sensitivity profile.

Risk profile metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Symbotic (SYM)
Metric	MLI	SYM
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	34.44%	78.15%
Beta (5Y)	1.01	2.05
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-27.79%	-72.46%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.61M	1.61M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

MLI and SYM 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 Symbotic (SYM)
Metric	MLI	SYM
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	-0.02	-0.63
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	-0.02	-0.93

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 26.26% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Symbotic (SYM) at 4.39% 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%

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

4.39%

Max: 40.55%
Q3: 19.29%
Median: 12.12%
SYM: 4.39%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

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

Net Margin (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 17.27% keeps a top-quartile share of each sales dollar as profit, while Symbotic (SYM) at 0.31% keeps a bottom-quartile 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%

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

0.31%

Max: 27.47%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
SYM: 0.31%
Min: -12.89%

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

Operating Margin (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 19.53% carries a top-quartile operating margin, while Symbotic (SYM) at 4.59% operates in the bottom quartile.

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%

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

4.59%

Max: 36.60%
Q3: 18.33%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
SYM: 4.59%
Min: -12.63%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Symbotic (SYM)
Metric	MLI	SYM
ROE (TTM)	26.26%	4.39%
ROA (TTM)	16.23%	0.32%
Net Margin (TTM)	17.27%	0.31%
Operating Margin (TTM)	19.53%	4.59%
Gross Margin (TTM)	27.25%	21.27%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Symbotic (SYM) at 25.65% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Mueller Industries (MLI) at 10.87% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for SYM.

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

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Mueller Industries (MLI) reports EPS growth of 29.19%, ranked against its industry; Symbotic (SYM) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Symbotic (SYM)
Metric	MLI	SYM
Revenue Growth (YoY)	10.87%	25.65%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	1.62%	55.87%
EPS Growth (YoY)	29.19%	--
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	5.63%	--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 4.39 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Symbotic (SYM) at 1.33 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

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

1.33

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.43
SYM: 1.33
Min: 0.36

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Symbotic (SYM): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 0.01 and Symbotic (SYM) at 0.02 keep leverage in the lower quartile of their industries, with less balance-sheet debt relative to equity than most peers.

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

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

0.02

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
Q1: 0.29
SYM: 0.02
Min: 0.00

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Symbotic (SYM): 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 Symbotic (SYM)
Metric	MLI	SYM
Current Ratio (MRQ)	4.39	1.33
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.01	0.02
Net Debt / EBITDA	-1.31	-30.44

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Symbotic (SYM) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Mueller Industries (MLI) reports a yield of 1.24%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
Median: 0.24%
SYM: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Symbotic (SYM) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Mueller Industries (MLI) reports a payout of 16.67%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
Median: 6.86%
SYM: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Symbotic (SYM)
Metric	MLI	SYM
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.24%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	16.67%	0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 13.58 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Symbotic (SYM) at 460.25 trades above its peer range — a wide earnings-valuation gap relative to industry peers.

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

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

460.25

SYM: 460.25
Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 2.31 prices around its industry’s typical P/S ratio, while Symbotic (SYM) at 8.42 clears its benchmark range — SYM looks notably rich on 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

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

8.42

SYM: 8.42
Max: 7.54
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Symbotic (SYM): 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 Symbotic (SYM) at 6.70 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

SYM

Capital Goods industry group

6.70

Max: 9.66
SYM: 6.70
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Symbotic (SYM)
Metric	MLI	SYM
P/E Ratio (TTM)	13.58	460.25
P/S Ratio (TTM)	2.31	8.42
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	0.33	6.70
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	4.65%	2.46%