MLM vs. PKX: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 30, 2025

Here’s a clear look at MLM and PKX, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

MLM is a standard domestic listing, while PKX trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.

Symbol	MLM	PKX
Company Name	Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.	POSCO Holdings Inc.
Country	United States	South Korea
GICS Sector	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry	Construction Materials	Metals & Mining
Market Capitalization	37.19 billion USD	16.19 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	February 17, 1994	October 14, 1994
Security Type	Common Stock	ADR

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of MLM and PKX by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

MLM vs. PKX: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	MLM	PKX
5-Day Price Return	2.65%	-2.81%
13-Week Price Return	8.66%	21.74%
26-Week Price Return	25.89%	18.31%
52-Week Price Return	13.47%	64.30%
Month-to-Date Return	7.26%	-4.70%
Year-to-Date Return	19.39%	15.98%
10-Day Avg. Volume	0.39M	0.21M
3-Month Avg. Volume	0.42M	0.33M
3-Month Volatility	21.29%	40.17%
Beta	1.03	1.52

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

MLM

11.88%

Construction Materials Industry

Max: 24.78%
Q3: 14.96%
Median: 10.37%
Q1: 4.14%
Min: -2.94%

MLM’s Return on Equity of 11.88% is on par with the norm for the Construction Materials industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

PKX

1.98%

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 31.09%
Q3: 16.14%
Median: 7.01%
Q1: 1.15%
Min: -19.85%

PKX’s Return on Equity of 1.98% is on par with the norm for the Metals & Mining industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

MLM vs. PKX: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Construction Materials and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

MLM

16.47%

Construction Materials Industry

Max: 28.01%
Q3: 15.18%
Median: 9.09%
Q1: 3.32%
Min: -4.30%

A Net Profit Margin of 16.47% places MLM in the upper quartile for the Construction Materials industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

PKX

1.19%

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 40.97%
Q3: 17.87%
Median: 7.03%
Q1: 1.82%
Min: -20.01%

Falling into the lower quartile for the Metals & Mining industry, PKX’s Net Profit Margin of 1.19% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

MLM vs. PKX: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Construction Materials and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

MLM

23.04%

Construction Materials Industry

Max: 31.67%
Q3: 18.49%
Median: 11.57%
Q1: 7.82%
Min: -1.44%

An Operating Profit Margin of 23.04% places MLM in the upper quartile for the Construction Materials industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

PKX

2.03%

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 59.48%
Q3: 26.06%
Median: 10.50%
Q1: 2.89%
Min: -21.46%

PKX’s Operating Profit Margin of 2.03% is in the lower quartile for the Metals & Mining industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.

MLM vs. PKX: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Construction Materials and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	MLM	PKX
Return on Equity (TTM)	11.88%	1.98%
Return on Assets (TTM)	6.25%	1.06%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	16.47%	1.19%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	23.04%	2.03%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	29.44%	7.52%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

MLM

2.35

Construction Materials Industry

Max: 5.14
Q3: 2.89
Median: 1.92
Q1: 1.25
Min: 0.79

MLM’s Current Ratio of 2.35 aligns with the median group of the Construction Materials industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

PKX

1.93

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 4.81
Q3: 2.86
Median: 1.94
Q1: 1.45
Min: 0.13

PKX’s Current Ratio of 1.93 aligns with the median group of the Metals & Mining industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

MLM vs. PKX: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Construction Materials and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

MLM

0.58

Construction Materials Industry

Max: 0.99
Q3: 0.72
Median: 0.55
Q1: 0.30
Min: 0.00

MLM’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.58 is typical for the Construction Materials industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

PKX

0.49

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 1.11
Q3: 0.52
Median: 0.29
Q1: 0.12
Min: 0.00

PKX’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.49 is typical for the Metals & Mining industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

MLM vs. PKX: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Construction Materials and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

MLM

16.36

Construction Materials Industry

Max: 54.89
Q3: 34.04
Median: 7.92
Q1: 4.28
Min: -6.24

MLM’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 16.36 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Construction Materials industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

PKX

22.24

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 65.47
Q3: 29.91
Median: 5.88
Q1: 0.91
Min: -26.49

PKX’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 22.24 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Metals & Mining industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

MLM vs. PKX: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Construction Materials and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	MLM	PKX
Current Ratio (MRQ)	2.35	1.93
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	1.21	1.28
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	0.58	0.49
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	16.36	22.24

Growth

Revenue Growth

MLM vs. PKX: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

MLM vs. PKX: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

MLM

0.53%

Construction Materials Industry

Max: 5.91%
Q3: 4.64%
Median: 2.57%
Q1: 1.11%
Min: 0.00%

MLM’s Dividend Yield of 0.53% is in the lower quartile for the Construction Materials industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.

PKX

3.71%

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 9.36%
Q3: 3.78%
Median: 1.41%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

PKX’s Dividend Yield of 3.71% is consistent with its peers in the Metals & Mining industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

MLM vs. PKX: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Construction Materials and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

MLM

17.62%

Construction Materials Industry

Max: 174.17%
Q3: 91.80%
Median: 44.42%
Q1: 23.07%
Min: 0.00%

MLM’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 17.62% is in the lower quartile for the Construction Materials industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.

PKX

51.19%

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 138.08%
Q3: 63.28%
Median: 38.78%
Q1: 12.84%
Min: 0.00%

PKX’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 51.19% is within the typical range for the Metals & Mining industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

MLM vs. PKX: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Construction Materials and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	MLM	PKX
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.53%	3.71%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	17.62%	51.19%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

MLM

33.15

Construction Materials Industry

Max: 49.05
Q3: 24.51
Median: 12.09
Q1: 7.70
Min: 4.06

A P/E Ratio of 33.15 places MLM in the upper quartile for the Construction Materials industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.

PKX

26.66

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 57.44
Q3: 32.87
Median: 18.04
Q1: 9.84
Min: 0.00

PKX’s P/E Ratio of 26.66 is within the middle range for the Metals & Mining industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

MLM vs. PKX: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Construction Materials and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

MLM

5.46

Construction Materials Industry

Max: 4.03
Q3: 2.26
Median: 1.31
Q1: 0.66
Min: 0.19

With a P/S Ratio of 5.46, MLM trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Construction Materials industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.

PKX

0.32

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 6.52
Q3: 3.19
Median: 1.97
Q1: 0.59
Min: 0.14

In the lower quartile for the Metals & Mining industry, PKX’s P/S Ratio of 0.32 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.

MLM vs. PKX: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Construction Materials and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

MLM

3.53

Construction Materials Industry

Max: 3.19
Q3: 1.80
Median: 1.08
Q1: 0.72
Min: 0.11

At 3.53, MLM’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Construction Materials industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.

PKX

0.34

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 3.92
Q3: 2.15
Median: 1.40
Q1: 0.84
Min: 0.25

PKX’s P/B Ratio of 0.34 is in the lower quartile for the Metals & Mining industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.

MLM vs. PKX: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Construction Materials and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	MLM	PKX
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	33.15	26.66
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	5.46	0.32
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	3.53	0.34
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	37.32	22.92