Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. (RS) vs Steel Dynamics, Inc. (STLD)
STLD leads on 9 of 14 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. and Steel Dynamics, Inc. 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).
RS
Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.
$376.50Basic Materials
STLD
Steel Dynamics, Inc.
$222.06Basic Materials
Total return — RS vs STLD
growth of $100 · last 30yRS +4468.3%STLD +4809.0%STLD compounded faster
RS STLD
RS vs STLD: by the numbers
- •STLD is the larger company ($32.02B vs $19.22B market cap).
- •STLD trades at the lower earnings multiple (24.49 vs 24.93 P/E).
- •STLD converts more revenue to profit (7.22% vs 5.43% net margin).
- •STLD grew revenue faster over the past five years (12.46% vs 10.33% CAGR).
- •RS pays the higher dividend yield (1.31% vs 0.93%).
Which is better, RS or STLD?
Metric tally: RS 5 · STLD 9It depends on what you're optimizing for:
GrowthSTLD(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeRS(higher dividend yield)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | RS | STLD |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 24.93 | 24.49 |
| Forward P/E | 19.04 | 14.09● |
| P/S ratio | 1.34● | 1.74 |
| P/B ratio | 2.79● | 3.61 |
| PEG ratio | 1.27 | 0.97● |
| EV / EBITDA | 15.51 | 15.54 |
| FCF yield | 3.08%● | 2.01% |
Profitability
| Metric | RS | STLD |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 27.22%● | 14.00% |
| Operating margin | 7.52% | 9.41%● |
| Net margin | 5.43% | 7.22%● |
| ROE | 11.32% | 14.97%● |
| ROIC | 8.16% | 8.19% |
Dividends
| Metric | RS | STLD |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.31%● | 0.93% |
| Payout ratio | 35.54% | 26.43% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | RS | STLD |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 10.33% | 12.46%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 19.64% | 25.18%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -9.42% | 19.91%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 22.77% | 32.69%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, RS or STLD?
- It depends on your goal. growth: STLD (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: RS (higher dividend yield). Across all compared metrics, STLD leads 9 to 5.
- Is RS or STLD cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, STLD is cheaper: RS trades at a 24.93 P/E and STLD at 24.49.
- Which has grown faster, RS or STLD?
- Over the past five years, STLD grew revenue faster — RS at a 10.33% CAGR versus STLD at 12.46%.
- Does RS or STLD pay a bigger dividend?
- RS yields 1.31% and STLD yields 0.93% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is RS or STLD more profitable?
- STLD runs the higher net margin — RS at 5.43% versus STLD at 7.22%.
- Which has been the better investment, RS or STLD?
- Over the past 10-year, STLD delivered the higher annualized total return — RS at 19.20% versus STLD at 26.45%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Reliance Steel & Aluminum P/E ratioSteel Dynamics P/E ratioReliance Steel & Aluminum dividend yieldSteel Dynamics dividend yieldReliance Steel & Aluminum ROESteel Dynamics ROEReliance Steel & Aluminum operating marginSteel Dynamics operating marginReliance Steel & Aluminum revenue growthSteel Dynamics revenue growthReliance Steel & Aluminum free cash flowSteel Dynamics free cash flow
Reliance Steel & Aluminum & 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 July 9, 2026.