Dow Inc. (DOW) vs Steel Dynamics, Inc. (STLD)
STLD leads on 10 of 14 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Dow Inc. and Steel Dynamics, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 19, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
Total return — DOW vs STLD
growth of $100 · last 7yDOW -36.3%STLD +604.8%STLD compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
DOW STLD
DOW vs STLD: by the numbers
- •STLD is the larger company ($36.04B vs $22.87B market cap).
- •STLD is profitable (7.22% net margin) while DOW runs a net loss (-7.02%).
- •STLD grew revenue faster over the past five years (12.46% vs -0.66% CAGR).
- •DOW pays the higher dividend yield (4.41% vs 0.81%).
Which is better, DOW or STLD?
Metric tally: DOW 4 · STLD 10It depends on what you're optimizing for:
GrowthSTLD(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeDOW(higher dividend yield)
QualitySTLD(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | DOW | STLD |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | — | 26.76 |
| Forward P/E | 9.93● | 15.72 |
| P/S ratio | 0.58● | 1.90 |
| P/B ratio | 1.50● | 3.95 |
| PEG ratio | — | 1.06 |
| EV / EBITDA | 45.72 | 15.66● |
| FCF yield | — | 1.84% |
Profitability
| Metric | DOW | STLD |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 6.16% | 14.00%● |
| Operating margin | -2.31% | 9.41%● |
| Net margin | -7.02% | 7.22%● |
| ROE | -18.11% | 14.97%● |
| ROIC | 0.51% | 8.19%● |
Dividends
| Metric | DOW | STLD |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 4.41%● | 0.81% |
| Payout ratio | — | 25.31% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | DOW | STLD |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | -0.66% | 12.46%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | -20.06% | 25.18%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -24.60% | 19.91%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -7.65% | 36.10%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, DOW or STLD?
- It depends on your goal. growth: STLD (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: DOW (higher dividend yield); quality: STLD (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, STLD leads 10 to 4.
- Which has grown faster, DOW or STLD?
- Over the past five years, STLD grew revenue faster — DOW at a -0.66% CAGR versus STLD at 12.46%.
- Does DOW or STLD pay a bigger dividend?
- DOW yields 4.41% and STLD yields 0.81% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is DOW or STLD more profitable?
- STLD runs the higher net margin — DOW at -7.02% versus STLD at 7.22%.
- Which has been the better investment, DOW or STLD?
- Over the past 5-year, STLD delivered the higher annualized total return — DOW at -7.65% versus STLD at 28.17%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Dow P/E ratioSteel Dynamics P/E ratioDow dividend yieldSteel Dynamics dividend yieldDow ROESteel Dynamics ROEDow operating marginSteel Dynamics operating marginDow revenue growthSteel Dynamics revenue growthDow free cash flowSteel Dynamics free cash flow
Dow & Steel Dynamics 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 19, 2026.