RPM International Inc. (RPM) vs Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. (RS)
RPM leads on 11 of 16 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of RPM International Inc. and Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of July 9, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
RPM
RPM International Inc.
$103.36Basic Materials
RS
Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.
$376.50Basic Materials
Total return — RPM vs RS
growth of $100 · last 30yRPM +727.9%RS +4866.3%RS compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
RPM RS
RPM vs RS: by the numbers
- •RS is the larger company ($19.22B vs $13.19B market cap).
- •RPM trades at the lower earnings multiple (19.92 vs 24.93 P/E).
- •RPM converts more revenue to profit (8.63% vs 5.43% net margin).
- •RS grew revenue faster over the past five years (10.33% vs 5.79% CAGR).
- •RPM pays the higher dividend yield (2.09% vs 1.31%).
Which is better, RPM or RS?
Metric tally: RPM 11 · RS 5It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueRPM(lower P/E)
GrowthRS(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeRPM(higher dividend yield)
QualityRPM(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | RPM | RS |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 19.92● | 24.93 |
| Forward P/E | 18.79 | 19.04 |
| P/S ratio | 1.71 | 1.34● |
| P/B ratio | 4.19 | 2.79● |
| PEG ratio | 1.21● | 1.27 |
| EV / EBITDA | 13.93● | 15.51 |
| FCF yield | 4.36%● | 3.08% |
Profitability
| Metric | RPM | RS |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 41.36%● | 27.22% |
| Operating margin | 11.99%● | 7.52% |
| Net margin | 8.63%● | 5.43% |
| ROE | 21.16%● | 11.32% |
| ROIC | 12.50%● | 8.16% |
Dividends
| Metric | RPM | RS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 2.09%● | 1.31% |
| Payout ratio | 40.15% | 35.54% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | RPM | RS |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 5.79% | 10.33%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 18.02% | 19.64%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -3.15%● | -9.42% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 4.59% | 22.77%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, RPM or RS?
- It depends on your goal. value: RPM (lower P/E); growth: RS (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: RPM (higher dividend yield); quality: RPM (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, RPM leads 11 to 5.
- Is RPM or RS cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, RPM is cheaper: RPM trades at a 19.92 P/E and RS at 24.93.
- Which has grown faster, RPM or RS?
- Over the past five years, RS grew revenue faster — RPM at a 5.79% CAGR versus RS at 10.33%.
- Does RPM or RS pay a bigger dividend?
- RPM yields 2.09% and RS yields 1.31% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is RPM or RS more profitable?
- RPM runs the higher net margin — RPM at 8.63% versus RS at 5.43%.
- Which has been the better investment, RPM or RS?
- Over the past 10-year, RS delivered the higher annualized total return — RPM at 9.39% versus RS at 19.20%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
RPM International P/E ratioReliance Steel & Aluminum P/E ratioRPM International dividend yieldReliance Steel & Aluminum dividend yieldRPM International ROEReliance Steel & Aluminum ROERPM International operating marginReliance Steel & Aluminum operating marginRPM International revenue growthReliance Steel & Aluminum revenue growthRPM International free cash flowReliance Steel & Aluminum free cash flow
RPM International & 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 July 9, 2026.