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MLI vs. URI: Mueller Industries vs. United Rentals Stock Comparison

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

Company profile comparison for Mueller Industries (MLI) and United Rentals (URI)
Profile ItemMLIURI
NameMueller Industries, Inc.United Rentals Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryMachineryTrading Companies & Distributors
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & ComponentsTrading Companies & Distributors
Market Capitalization11.54 billion USD65.36 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 25, 1991December 18, 1997
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MLI
URI
GSPC
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. United Rentals (URI), 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 United Rentals (URI). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and United Rentals (URI)
MetricMLIURI
Total Return (1Y)3.68%35.39%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)44.56%38.68%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)32.39%24.76%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and United Rentals (URI)
MetricMLIURI
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)34.44%44.71%
Beta (5Y)1.011.81
Max Drawdown (5Y)-27.79%-39.76%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.61M496.78K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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MLI and URI 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 United Rentals (URI)
MetricMLIURI
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.020.70
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.021.16

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 26.26% and United Rentals (URI) at 30.56% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

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%

URI

Capital Goods industry group

30.56%

Max
40.55%
URI
30.56%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. United Rentals (URI): 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 United Rentals (URI) at 16.33% 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%

URI

Capital Goods industry group

16.33%

Max
27.47%
URI
16.33%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. United Rentals (URI): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 19.53% and United Rentals (URI) at 29.21% 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%

URI

Capital Goods industry group

29.21%

Max
36.60%
URI
29.21%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. United Rentals (URI): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and United Rentals (URI)
MetricMLIURI
ROE (TTM)26.26%30.56%
ROA (TTM)16.23%9.14%
Net Margin (TTM)17.27%16.33%
Operating Margin (TTM)19.53%29.21%
Gross Margin (TTM)27.25%39.19%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 10.87% and United Rentals (URI) at 4.91% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. United Rentals (URI): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 29.19% and United Rentals (URI) at -0.21% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. United Rentals (URI): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and United Rentals (URI)
MetricMLIURI
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.87%4.91%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)1.62%11.41%
EPS Growth (YoY)29.19%-0.21%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)5.63%9.20%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 4.39 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while United Rentals (URI) at 0.80 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

URI

Capital Goods industry group

0.80

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
URI
0.80
Min
0.36
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. United Rentals (URI): 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 United Rentals (URI) at 1.64 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

URI

Capital Goods industry group

1.64

Max
2.33
URI
1.64
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. United Rentals (URI): 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 United Rentals (URI)
MetricMLIURI
Current Ratio (MRQ)4.390.80
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.011.64
Net Debt / EBITDA-1.313.12

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 1.24% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while United Rentals (URI) at 0.74% 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%

URI

Capital Goods industry group

0.74%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
URI
0.74%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. United Rentals (URI): 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 United Rentals (URI) at 16.95% 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%

URI

Capital Goods industry group

16.95%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
URI
16.95%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. United Rentals (URI): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and United Rentals (URI)
MetricMLIURI
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.24%0.74%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)16.67%16.95%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 13.58 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while United Rentals (URI) at 23.24 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

URI

Capital Goods industry group

23.24

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
URI
23.24
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. United Rentals (URI): 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 United Rentals (URI) at 3.74 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

URI

Capital Goods industry group

3.74

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
URI
3.74
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. United Rentals (URI): 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 United Rentals (URI) at 6.75 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

URI

Capital Goods industry group

6.75

Max
9.66
URI
6.75
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. United Rentals (URI): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and United Rentals (URI)
MetricMLIURI
P/E Ratio (TTM)13.5823.24
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.313.74
P/B Ratio (MRQ)0.336.75
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.65%3.24%