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MLI vs. WSO.B: Mueller Industries vs. Watsco Stock Comparison

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

Company profile comparison for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Watsco (WSO.B)
Profile ItemMLIWSO.B
NameMueller Industries, Inc.Watsco Inc. Class B Common Stock
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 USD12.92 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 25, 1991March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MLI
WSO.B
GSPC
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watsco (WSO.B), 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 Watsco (WSO.B). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricMLIWSO.B
Total Return (1Y)3.68%-11.21%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)44.56%-3.05%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)32.39%4.30%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Mueller Industries (MLI) trades around 1.61M shares per day on average, while Watsco (WSO.B) sees only 74 — a volume gap that can matter for position sizing, exit liquidity, and order execution.

Risk profile metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricMLIWSO.B
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)34.44%40.28%
Beta (5Y)1.010.64
Max Drawdown (5Y)-27.79%-43.41%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.61M74

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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MLI and WSO.B 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 Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricMLIWSO.B
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.02-0.38
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.02-0.57

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 26.26% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Watsco (WSO.B) at 16.21% 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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

16.21%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
WSO.B
16.21%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): 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 Watsco (WSO.B) at 6.31%, 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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

6.31%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
WSO.B
6.31%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): 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 Watsco (WSO.B) at 10.14%, 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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

10.14%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
WSO.B
10.14%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricMLIWSO.B
ROE (TTM)26.26%16.21%
ROA (TTM)16.23%8.27%
Net Margin (TTM)17.27%6.31%
Operating Margin (TTM)19.53%10.14%
Gross Margin (TTM)27.25%27.18%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 10.87% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Watsco (WSO.B) at -4.98% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 29.19% and Watsco (WSO.B) at -7.47% 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. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricMLIWSO.B
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.87%-4.98%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)1.62%-0.16%
EPS Growth (YoY)29.19%-7.47%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)5.63%-6.89%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 4.39 and Watsco (WSO.B) at 3.15 post current ratio above their industries’ typical mid-ranges — short-term liquidity appears comfortable, though unusually high readings can point to idle current assets.

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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

3.15

Max
5.22
WSO.B
3.15
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 0.01 and Watsco (WSO.B) at 0.16 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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

0.16

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
WSO.B
0.16
Min
0.00
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): 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 Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricMLIWSO.B
Current Ratio (MRQ)4.393.15
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.010.16
Net Debt / EBITDA-1.31-0.14

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 1.24% earns its spot in the top quartile of its industry’s yields; Watsco (WSO.B) at 4.02% 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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

4.02%

WSO.B
4.02%
Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Watsco (WSO.B) reports payout ratio above 100% at 109.66%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Mueller Industries (MLI) reports 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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

109.66%

WSO.B
109.66%
Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricMLIWSO.B
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.24%4.02%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)16.67%109.66%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 13.58 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Watsco (WSO.B) at 27.26 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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

27.26

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
WSO.B
27.26
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): 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 Watsco (WSO.B) at 1.74 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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

1.74

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
WSO.B
1.74
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): 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 Watsco (WSO.B) at 3.99 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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

3.99

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
WSO.B
3.99
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricMLIWSO.B
P/E Ratio (TTM)13.5827.26
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.311.74
P/B Ratio (MRQ)0.333.99
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.65%3.50%