Alcoa Corporation (AA) vs RPM International Inc. (RPM)
RPM leads on 9 of 17 compared metrics, though AA is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of Alcoa Corporation and RPM International Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of July 4, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
AA
Alcoa Corporation
$48.68Basic Materials
RPM
RPM International Inc.
$111.62Basic Materials
Total return — AA vs RPM
growth of $100 · last 30yAA +54.6%RPM +793.0%RPM compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
AA RPM
AA vs RPM: by the numbers
- •RPM is the larger company ($14.25B vs $12.85B market cap).
- •AA trades at the lower earnings multiple (12.20 vs 21.51 P/E).
- •RPM converts more revenue to profit (8.63% vs 8.17% net margin).
- •RPM grew revenue faster over the past five years (5.79% vs 5.08% CAGR).
- •RPM pays the higher dividend yield (1.94% vs 0.82%).
Which is better, AA or RPM?
Metric tally: AA 8 · RPM 9It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueAA(lower P/E)
GrowthRPM(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeRPM(higher dividend yield)
QualityRPM(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | AA | RPM |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 12.20● | 21.51 |
| Forward P/E | 6.40● | 20.30 |
| P/S ratio | 1.02● | 1.85 |
| P/B ratio | 1.89● | 4.53 |
| PEG ratio | 0.01● | 1.21 |
| EV / EBITDA | 12.49● | 14.86 |
| FCF yield | 2.22% | 4.04%● |
Profitability
| Metric | AA | RPM |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 15.20% | 41.36%● |
| Operating margin | 3.82% | 11.99%● |
| Net margin | 8.17% | 8.63%● |
| ROE | 15.15% | 21.16%● |
| ROIC | 6.12% | 12.50%● |
Dividends
| Metric | AA | RPM |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.82% | 1.94%● |
| Payout ratio | 8.95% | 40.15% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | AA | RPM |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 5.08% | 5.79%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 20.38%● | 18.02% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 13.41%● | -3.15% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 6.15% | 6.28%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, AA or RPM?
- It depends on your goal. value: AA (lower P/E); growth: RPM (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: RPM (higher dividend yield); quality: RPM (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, RPM leads 9 to 8.
- Is AA or RPM cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, AA is cheaper: AA trades at a 12.20 P/E and RPM at 21.51.
- Which has grown faster, AA or RPM?
- Over the past five years, RPM grew revenue faster — AA at a 5.08% CAGR versus RPM at 5.79%.
- Does AA or RPM pay a bigger dividend?
- AA yields 0.82% and RPM yields 1.94% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is AA or RPM more profitable?
- RPM runs the higher net margin — AA at 8.17% versus RPM at 8.63%.
- Which has been the better investment, AA or RPM?
- Over the past 10-year, RPM delivered the higher annualized total return — AA at 9.13% versus RPM at 10.49%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Alcoa P/E ratioRPM International P/E ratioAlcoa dividend yieldRPM International dividend yieldAlcoa ROERPM International ROEAlcoa operating marginRPM International operating marginAlcoa revenue growthRPM International revenue growthAlcoa free cash flowRPM International free cash flow
Alcoa & RPM International appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified July 4, 2026.