FSTR vs. CMC
FSTR (L.B. Foster Company) and CMC (Commercial Metals Company) are both stocks. FSTR operates in Railroads (Industrials), while CMC operates in Steel (Basic Materials). Over the past 10 years, FSTR returned 15.15%/yr vs 17.55%/yr for CMC. Their 0.25 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.
Performance
FSTR vs. CMC - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FSTR achieves a 52.62% return, which is significantly higher than CMC's 0.16% return. Over the past 10 years, FSTR has underperformed CMC with an annualized return of 15.15%, while CMC has yielded a comparatively higher 17.55% annualized return.
FSTR
- 1D
- -0.15%
- 1M
- -3.81%
- 6M
- 36.87%
- YTD
- 52.62%
- 1Y
- 84.27%
- 3Y*
- 41.92%
- 5Y*
- 17.76%
- 10Y*
- 15.15%
- ALL TIME*
- 6.20%
CMC
- 1D
- 0.45%
- 1M
- 11.69%
- 6M
- -10.02%
- YTD
- 0.16%
- 1Y
- 38.30%
- 3Y*
- 7.31%
- 5Y*
- 17.53%
- 10Y*
- 17.55%
- ALL TIME*
- 13.62%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $69.70M | $75.47M | $85.50M | |
| $3.04M | $3.01M | $4.24M |
FSTR vs. CMC - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FSTR L.B. Foster Company | 52.62% | 0.19% | 22.33% | 127.17% | -29.60% | -8.64% | -22.34% | 21.89% | -41.44% | 99.63% |
CMC Commercial Metals Company | 0.16% | 41.52% | 0.41% | 4.99% | 35.05% | 79.83% | -5.45% | 42.81% | -23.17% | 0.33% |
Correlation
The correlation between FSTR and CMC is 0.38, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.38 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.36 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.30 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.35 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 26, 1990 | 0.25 |
The correlation between FSTR and CMC shifts across timeframes, from 0.25 (all time) to 0.38 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
FSTR:
$430.17M
CMC:
$7.60B
FSTR:
$1.04
CMC:
$5.30
FSTR:
39.61
CMC:
12.96
FSTR:
0.06
CMC:
1.24
FSTR:
0.78
CMC:
0.87
FSTR:
2.51
CMC:
1.70
FSTR:
$563.36M
CMC:
$8.85B
FSTR:
$119.30M
CMC:
$392.81M
FSTR:
$37.88M
CMC:
$865.35M
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Return for Risk
FSTR vs. CMC — Risk / Return Rank
FSTR
CMC
FSTR vs. CMC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for L.B. Foster Company (FSTR) and Commercial Metals Company (CMC). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| FSTR | CMC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.90 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.54 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.17 | +0.18 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.90 | 1.14 | +3.76 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.34 | 2.71 | +10.63 |
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Drawdowns
FSTR vs. CMC - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FSTR drawdown since its inception was -84.47%, roughly equal to the maximum CMC drawdown of -83.77%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FSTR and CMC.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FSTR | CMC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -84.47% | -83.77% | -0.70% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.38% | -29.96% | +14.58% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -45.90% | -37.63% | -8.27% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -50.47% | -37.63% | -12.84% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -70.39% | -53.78% | -16.61% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -26.98% | -16.88% | -10.10% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -41.74% | -23.50% | -18.24% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.69% | 12.61% | -6.92% |
Volatility
FSTR vs. CMC - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for L.B. Foster Company (FSTR) is 8.89%, while Commercial Metals Company (CMC) has a volatility of 9.87%. This indicates that FSTR experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CMC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FSTR | CMC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.89% | 9.87% | -0.98% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 30.05% | 27.60% | +2.45% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 40.97% | 36.57% | +4.40% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 41.63% | 35.94% | +5.69% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 47.94% | 39.89% | +8.05% |
Dividends
FSTR vs. CMC - Dividend Comparison
FSTR has not paid dividends to shareholders, while CMC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.11%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CMC Commercial Metals Company | 1.11% | 1.04% | 1.41% | 1.28% | 1.20% | 1.38% | 2.34% | 2.16% | 3.00% | 2.25% | 2.20% | 3.51% |
FSTR L.B. Foster Company | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.88% | 1.17% |
Financials
FSTR vs. CMC - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between L.B. Foster Company and Commercial Metals Company. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
FSTR vs. CMC - Profitability Comparison
FSTR - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, L.B. Foster Company reported a gross profit of 25.70M and revenue of 121.14M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 21.2%.
CMC - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Commercial Metals Company reported a gross profit of -795.04M and revenue of 2.48B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was -32.0%.
FSTR - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, L.B. Foster Company reported an operating income of 2.05M and revenue of 121.14M, resulting in an operating margin of 1.7%.
CMC - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Commercial Metals Company reported an operating income of -366.25M and revenue of 2.48B, resulting in an operating margin of -14.8%.
FSTR - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, L.B. Foster Company reported a net income of 1.50M and revenue of 121.14M, resulting in a net margin of 1.2%.
CMC - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Commercial Metals Company reported a net income of 173.02M and revenue of 2.48B, resulting in a net margin of 7.0%.
Frequently Asked Questions
FSTR and CMC have a correlation of 0.38, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CMC has higher volatility (9.87%) compared to FSTR (8.89%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FSTR dropped -84.47% vs CMC's -83.77%.
FSTR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.84 vs 0.94), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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