MLI vs. WWD: Mueller Industries vs. Woodward Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Mueller Industries (MLI) and Woodward (WWD) 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 Woodward (WWD) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but MLI is classified in Machinery while WWD is classified in Aerospace & Defense.

Company profile comparison for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Woodward (WWD)
Profile Item	MLI	WWD
Name	Mueller Industries, Inc.	Woodward, Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry Group	Capital Goods	Capital Goods
GICS Industry	Machinery	Aerospace & Defense
GICS Sub-Industry	Industrial Machinery & Supplies & Components	Aerospace & Defense
Market Capitalization	11.54 billion USD	18.74 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	Nasdaq
Listing Date	February 25, 1991	April 4, 1994
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MLI

WWD

GSPC

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Woodward (WWD), 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 Woodward (WWD). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Woodward (WWD)
Metric	MLI	WWD
Total Return (1Y)	3.68%	25.66%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	44.56%	36.83%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	32.39%	23.54%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

MLI

WWD

GSPC

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Woodward (WWD)
Metric	MLI	WWD
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	34.44%	40.29%
Beta (5Y)	1.01	0.87
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-27.79%	-37.25%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.61M	665.85K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

MLI and WWD 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 Woodward (WWD)
Metric	MLI	WWD
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	-0.02	0.53
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	-0.02	0.85

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 26.26% and Woodward (WWD) at 22.34% 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%

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

22.34%

Max: 40.55%
WWD: 22.34%
Q3: 19.29%
Median: 12.12%
Q1: 4.08%
Min: -17.12%

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Woodward (WWD): 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 Woodward (WWD) at 13.17% 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%

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

13.17%

Max: 27.47%
WWD: 13.17%
Q3: 12.10%
Median: 6.30%
Q1: 1.40%
Min: -12.89%

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Woodward (WWD): 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 Woodward (WWD) at 17.76%, 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%

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

17.76%

Max: 36.60%
Q3: 18.33%
WWD: 17.76%
Median: 11.12%
Q1: 5.14%
Min: -12.63%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Woodward (WWD)
Metric	MLI	WWD
ROE (TTM)	26.26%	22.34%
ROA (TTM)	16.23%	8.62%
Net Margin (TTM)	17.27%	13.17%
Operating Margin (TTM)	19.53%	17.76%
Gross Margin (TTM)	27.25%	29.63%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 10.87% and Woodward (WWD) at 7.30% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

EPS Growth

Both Mueller Industries (MLI) at 29.19% and Woodward (WWD) at 19.63% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Woodward (WWD)
Metric	MLI	WWD
Revenue Growth (YoY)	10.87%	7.30%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	1.62%	14.40%
EPS Growth (YoY)	29.19%	19.63%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	5.63%	38.44%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Woodward (WWD) at 1.65 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

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

1.65

Max: 5.22
Q3: 2.95
Median: 2.08
WWD: 1.65
Q1: 1.43
Min: 0.36

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Woodward (WWD): 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 Woodward (WWD) at 0.56 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

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

0.56

Max: 2.33
Q3: 1.12
Median: 0.60
WWD: 0.56
Q1: 0.29
Min: 0.00

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Woodward (WWD): 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 Woodward (WWD)
Metric	MLI	WWD
Current Ratio (MRQ)	4.39	1.65
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.01	0.56
Net Debt / EBITDA	-1.31	1.13

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 1.24% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Woodward (WWD) at 0.32% 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%

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

0.32%

Max: 2.66%
Q3: 1.14%
WWD: 0.32%
Median: 0.24%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Woodward (WWD): 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 Woodward (WWD) at 13.35% 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%

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

13.35%

Max: 67.39%
Q3: 28.02%
WWD: 13.35%
Median: 6.86%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Woodward (WWD)
Metric	MLI	WWD
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.24%	0.32%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	16.67%	13.35%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Mueller Industries (MLI) at 13.58 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Woodward (WWD) at 35.30 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

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

35.30

Max: 59.38
Q3: 35.92
WWD: 35.30
Median: 25.41
Q1: 19.47
Min: 3.03

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Woodward (WWD): 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 Woodward (WWD) at 4.47 sits in the pricier quartile — WWD 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

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

4.47

Max: 7.54
WWD: 4.47
Q3: 3.76
Median: 2.15
Q1: 1.03
Min: 0.03

Mueller Industries (MLI) vs. Woodward (WWD): 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 Woodward (WWD) at 7.60 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

WWD

Capital Goods industry group

7.60

Max: 9.66
WWD: 7.60
Q3: 5.00
Median: 3.12
Q1: 1.81
Min: -1.08

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Mueller Industries (MLI) and Woodward (WWD)
Metric	MLI	WWD
P/E Ratio (TTM)	13.58	35.30
P/S Ratio (TTM)	2.31	4.47
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	0.33	7.60
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	4.65%	1.00%