Seek Returns

MLI vs. WTS: Mueller Industries vs. Watts Water Stock Comparison

How do Mueller Industries (MLI) and Watts Water (WTS) 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 Watts Water (WTS) 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 Watts Water (WTS)
Profile ItemMLIWTS
NameMueller Industries, Inc.Watts Water Technologies, Inc. Class A Common Stock
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 USD11.55 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 25, 1991August 21, 1986
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MLI
WTS
GSPC
Loading price history…
Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watts Water (WTS), 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 Watts Water (WTS). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Watts Water (WTS). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Watts Water (WTS)
MetricMLIWTS
Total Return (1Y)3.68%33.85%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)44.56%25.59%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)32.39%12.56%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

MLI
WTS
GSPC
Loading price history…
Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watts Water (WTS), 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 Watts Water (WTS). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Watts Water (WTS)
MetricMLIWTS
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)34.44%27.38%
Beta (5Y)1.011.11
Max Drawdown (5Y)-27.79%-44.08%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.61M225.08K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
MLI and WTS 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 Watts Water (WTS)
MetricMLIWTS
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.021.08
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.021.78

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 26.26% and Watts Water (WTS) at 20.91% 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%

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

20.91%

Max
40.55%
WTS
20.91%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
Loading chart…
Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): 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 Watts Water (WTS) at 16.00% 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%

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

16.00%

Max
27.47%
WTS
16.00%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
Loading chart…
Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 19.53% and Watts Water (WTS) at 20.85% 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%

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

20.85%

Max
36.60%
WTS
20.85%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
Loading chart…
Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Watts Water (WTS)
MetricMLIWTS
ROE (TTM)26.26%20.91%
ROA (TTM)16.23%12.05%
Net Margin (TTM)17.27%16.00%
Operating Margin (TTM)19.53%20.85%
Gross Margin (TTM)27.25%49.09%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 10.87% and Watts Water (WTS) at 8.27% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 29.19% and Watts Water (WTS) at 17.03% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Watts Water (WTS)
MetricMLIWTS
Revenue Growth (YoY)10.87%8.27%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)1.62%7.20%
EPS Growth (YoY)29.19%17.03%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)5.63%10.78%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Watts Water (WTS) at 2.80 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Mueller Industries (MLI) at 4.39 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

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

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

2.80

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
WTS
2.80
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
Loading chart…
Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 0.01 and Watts Water (WTS) at 0.08 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

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

0.08

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
WTS
0.08
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): 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 Watts Water (WTS)
MetricMLIWTS
Current Ratio (MRQ)4.392.80
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.010.08
Net Debt / EBITDA-1.31-0.40

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 1.24% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Watts Water (WTS) at 0.66% 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%

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

0.66%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
WTS
0.66%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): 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 Watts Water (WTS) at 17.24% 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%

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

17.24%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
WTS
17.24%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Watts Water (WTS)
MetricMLIWTS
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.24%0.66%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)16.67%17.24%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 13.58 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Watts Water (WTS) at 25.95 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

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

25.95

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
WTS
25.95
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
Loading chart…
Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 2.31 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Watts Water (WTS) at 4.14 sits in the pricier quartile — WTS costs more per dollar of 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

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

4.14

Max
7.54
WTS
4.14
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
Loading chart…
Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): 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 Watts Water (WTS) at 4.98 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

WTS

Capital Goods industry group

4.98

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
WTS
4.98
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
Loading chart…
Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Watts Water (WTS): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Watts Water (WTS)
MetricMLIWTS
P/E Ratio (TTM)13.5825.95
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.314.14
P/B Ratio (MRQ)0.334.98
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)4.65%2.21%