Albemarle Corporation (ALB) vs Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. (RS)
RS leads on 10 of 15 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Albemarle Corporation and Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 28, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
ALB
Albemarle Corporation
$133.70Basic Materials
RS
Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.
$385.78Basic Materials
Total return — ALB vs RS
growth of $100 · last 30yALB +1364.4%RS +4559.2%RS compounded faster
ALB RS
ALB vs RS: by the numbers
- •RS is the larger company ($19.69B vs $15.77B market cap).
- •RS is profitable (5.43% net margin) while ALB runs a net loss (-4.24%).
- •ALB grew revenue faster over the past five years (11.29% vs 10.33% CAGR).
- •RS pays the higher dividend yield (1.30% vs 1.21%).
Which is better, ALB or RS?
Metric tally: ALB 5 · RS 10It depends on what you're optimizing for:
GrowthALB(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeRS(higher dividend yield)
QualityRS(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | ALB | RS |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | — | 25.18 |
| Forward P/E | 10.68● | 17.95 |
| P/S ratio | 2.89 | 1.35● |
| P/B ratio | 1.61● | 2.81 |
| PEG ratio | — | 1.28 |
| EV / EBITDA | 17.35 | 15.65● |
| FCF yield | 3.64%● | 3.05% |
Profitability
| Metric | ALB | RS |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 18.53% | 27.22%● |
| Operating margin | 5.55% | 7.52%● |
| Net margin | -4.24% | 5.43%● |
| ROE | -2.36% | 11.32%● |
| ROIC | 0.64% | 8.16%● |
Dividends
| Metric | ALB | RS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.21% | 1.30%● |
| Payout ratio | — | 35.54% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | ALB | RS |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 11.29%● | 10.33% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 15.95% | 19.64%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 92.70%● | -9.42% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -3.17% | 22.21%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, ALB or RS?
- It depends on your goal. growth: ALB (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: RS (higher dividend yield); quality: RS (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, RS leads 10 to 5.
- Which has grown faster, ALB or RS?
- Over the past five years, ALB grew revenue faster — ALB at a 11.29% CAGR versus RS at 10.33%.
- Does ALB or RS pay a bigger dividend?
- ALB yields 1.21% and RS yields 1.30% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is ALB or RS more profitable?
- RS runs the higher net margin — ALB at -4.24% versus RS at 5.43%.
- Which has been the better investment, ALB or RS?
- Over the past 10-year, RS delivered the higher annualized total return — ALB at 6.83% versus RS at 20.24%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Albemarle P/E ratioReliance Steel & Aluminum P/E ratioAlbemarle dividend yieldReliance Steel & Aluminum dividend yieldAlbemarle ROEReliance Steel & Aluminum ROEAlbemarle operating marginReliance Steel & Aluminum operating marginAlbemarle revenue growthReliance Steel & Aluminum revenue growthAlbemarle free cash flowReliance Steel & Aluminum free cash flow
Albemarle & Reliance Steel & Aluminum 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 June 28, 2026.