Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. (RS) vs Vulcan Materials Company (VMC)
A side-by-side comparison of Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. and Vulcan Materials Company across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of October 3, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
RS
Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.
$400.31Basic MaterialsDelayed quote: Oct 2, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
VMC
Vulcan Materials Company
$243.06Basic MaterialsDelayed quote: Oct 2, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — RS vs VMC
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yRS +588.2% (+21.3%/yr)VMC +130.6% (+8.7%/yr)RS compounded faster over this window
RS VMC
RS vs VMC: by the numbers
- •VMC is the larger company ($31.50B vs $20.44B market cap).
- •RS trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (23.29 vs 28.66 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •VMC converts more revenue to profit (13.82% vs 5.66% net margin).
- •VMC grew revenue faster over the past five years (10.53% vs 8.57% CAGR).
- •RS pays the higher dividend yield (1.24% vs 0.84%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | RS | VMC |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 23.29 | 28.66 |
| Forward P/E | 17.00 | 26.71 |
| PEG ratio | 1.17 | 2.19 |
| P/S ratio | 1.29 | 3.88 |
| P/B ratio | 2.76 | 3.72 |
| EV / EBITDA | 14.57 | 15.58 |
| FCF yield | 2.64% | 3.26% |
Profitability
| Metric | RS | VMC |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 26.89% | 27.43% |
| Operating margin | 7.88% | 19.92% |
| Net margin | 5.66% | 13.82% |
| ROE | 12.09% | 13.23% |
| ROIC | 9.36% | 8.25% |
Dividends
| Metric | RS | VMC |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.24% | 0.84% |
| Payout ratio | 28.80% | 24.17% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | RS | VMC |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 8.57% | 10.53% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 19.64% | 13.07% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -1.79% | 7.62% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 24.76% | 7.89% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, RS or VMC?
- RS has the lower trailing P/E: RS trades at 23.29 and VMC at 28.66. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, RS or VMC?
- Over the past five years, VMC grew revenue faster — RS at a 8.57% CAGR versus VMC at 10.53%.
- Does RS or VMC pay a bigger dividend?
- RS yields 1.24% and VMC yields 0.84% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is RS or VMC more profitable?
- VMC runs the higher net margin — RS at 5.66% versus VMC at 13.82%.
- How have RS and VMC total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, RS delivered 21.00% and VMC delivered 8.82% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Reliance Steel & Aluminum P/E ratioVulcan Materials P/E ratioReliance Steel & Aluminum dividend yieldVulcan Materials dividend yieldReliance Steel & Aluminum ROEVulcan Materials ROEReliance Steel & Aluminum operating marginVulcan Materials operating marginReliance Steel & Aluminum revenue growthVulcan Materials revenue growthReliance Steel & Aluminum free cash flowVulcan Materials free cash flow
Reliance Steel & Aluminum & Vulcan Materials 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 October 3, 2026.