RS vs. STLD: Reliance vs. Steel Dynamics Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Reliance (RS) and Steel Dynamics (STLD) 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

Reliance (RS) and Steel Dynamics (STLD) are both classified in the Steel sub-industry within the broader Metals & Mining industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Reliance (RS) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
Profile Item	RS	STLD
Name	Reliance, Inc.	Steel Dynamics, Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry Group	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry	Metals & Mining	Metals & Mining
GICS Sub-Industry	Steel	Steel
Market Capitalization	21.24 billion USD	31.70 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	Nasdaq
Listing Date	September 16, 1994	November 22, 1996
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

STLD

GSPC

Reliance (RS) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD), 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 Reliance (RS) and Steel Dynamics (STLD). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Reliance (RS) and Steel Dynamics (STLD). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Reliance (RS) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
Metric	RS	STLD
Total Return (1Y)	54.53%	52.02%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	18.36%	29.83%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	22.28%	30.20%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

STLD

GSPC

Reliance (RS) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD), 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 Reliance (RS) and Steel Dynamics (STLD). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Reliance (RS) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
Metric	RS	STLD
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	25.64%	36.62%
Beta (5Y)	0.97	1.46
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-22.32%	-32.20%
Avg. Volume (3M)	311.43K	1.06M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

RS and STLD 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 Reliance (RS) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
Metric	RS	STLD
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.96	1.30
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	2.92	1.92

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 20.81% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Reliance (RS) at 14.75% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for STLD.

RS

Materials industry group

14.75%

Max: 52.88%
Q3: 19.49%
RS: 14.75%
Median: 8.76%
Q1: -3.41%
Min: -32.81%

STLD

Materials industry group

20.81%

Max: 52.88%
STLD: 20.81%
Q3: 19.49%
Median: 8.76%
Q1: -3.41%
Min: -32.81%

Reliance (RS) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Reliance (RS) at 6.38% and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 8.82% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

RS

Materials industry group

6.38%

Max: 38.66%
Q3: 15.98%
RS: 6.38%
Median: 5.28%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.40%

STLD

Materials industry group

8.82%

Max: 38.66%
Q3: 15.98%
STLD: 8.82%
Median: 5.28%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.40%

Reliance (RS) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Reliance (RS) at 10.63% and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 15.46% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

RS

Materials industry group

10.63%

Max: 66.70%
Q3: 28.92%
Median: 12.56%
RS: 10.63%
Q1: 3.28%
Min: -14.07%

STLD

Materials industry group

15.46%

Max: 66.70%
Q3: 28.92%
STLD: 15.46%
Median: 12.56%
Q1: 3.28%
Min: -14.07%

Reliance (RS) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Reliance (RS) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
Metric	RS	STLD
ROE (TTM)	14.75%	20.81%
ROA (TTM)	8.83%	9.45%
Net Margin (TTM)	6.38%	8.82%
Operating Margin (TTM)	10.63%	15.46%
Gross Margin (TTM)	28.17%	15.90%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Reliance (RS) at 3.32% and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 3.63% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Reliance (RS) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Reliance (RS) at -10.15% and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at -18.80% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Reliance (RS) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Reliance (RS) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
Metric	RS	STLD
Revenue Growth (YoY)	3.32%	3.63%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	-5.66%	-6.53%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-10.15%	-18.80%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-22.40%	-27.45%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 3.15 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Reliance (RS) at 4.12 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

RS

Materials industry group

4.12

Max: 5.96
RS: 4.12
Q3: 3.30
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.45
Min: 0.16

STLD

Materials industry group

3.15

Max: 5.96
Q3: 3.30
STLD: 3.15
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.45
Min: 0.16

Reliance (RS) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Reliance (RS) at 0.25 and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 0.45 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

RS

Materials industry group

0.25

Max: 1.98
Q3: 0.89
Median: 0.47
RS: 0.25
Q1: 0.13
Min: 0.00

STLD

Materials industry group

0.45

Max: 1.98
Q3: 0.89
Median: 0.47
STLD: 0.45
Q1: 0.13
Min: 0.00

Reliance (RS) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Reliance (RS) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
Metric	RS	STLD
Current Ratio (MRQ)	4.12	3.15
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.25	0.45
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.93	1.09

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Reliance (RS) at 1.20% and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 0.94% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

RS

Materials industry group

1.20%

Max: 4.52%
Q3: 1.85%
RS: 1.20%
Median: 0.38%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

STLD

Materials industry group

0.94%

Max: 4.52%
Q3: 1.85%
STLD: 0.94%
Median: 0.38%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Reliance (RS) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Reliance (RS) at 23.08% and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 15.44% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

RS

Materials industry group

23.08%

Max: 83.62%
Q3: 41.37%
RS: 23.08%
Median: 9.54%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

STLD

Materials industry group

15.44%

Max: 83.62%
Q3: 41.37%
STLD: 15.44%
Median: 9.54%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Reliance (RS) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Reliance (RS) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
Metric	RS	STLD
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.20%	0.94%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	23.08%	15.44%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Reliance (RS) at 19.44 and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 16.46 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

RS

Materials industry group

19.44

Max: 59.00
Q3: 32.93
RS: 19.44
Median: 18.82
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93

STLD

Materials industry group

16.46

Max: 59.00
Q3: 32.93
Median: 18.82
STLD: 16.46
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93

Reliance (RS) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Reliance (RS) at 1.22 and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 1.43 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

RS

Materials industry group

1.22

Max: 9.62
Q3: 4.34
Median: 1.87
RS: 1.22
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.00

STLD

Materials industry group

1.43

Max: 9.62
Q3: 4.34
Median: 1.87
STLD: 1.43
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.00

Reliance (RS) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Reliance (RS) at 2.75 and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 3.23 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

RS

Materials industry group

2.75

Max: 6.59
Q3: 3.55
RS: 2.75
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.26
Min: -0.17

STLD

Materials industry group

3.23

Max: 6.59
Q3: 3.55
STLD: 3.23
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.26
Min: -0.17

Reliance (RS) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Reliance (RS) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
Metric	RS	STLD
P/E Ratio (TTM)	19.44	16.46
P/S Ratio (TTM)	1.22	1.43
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	2.75	3.23
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	1.19%	1.36%