MLI vs. COST
MLI (Mueller Industries, Inc.) and COST (Costco Wholesale Corporation) are both stocks. MLI operates in Metal Fabrication (Industrials), while COST operates in Discount Stores (Consumer Defensive). Over the past 10 years, MLI returned 27.18%/yr vs 21.90%/yr for COST. At a 0.28 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
MLI vs. COST - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MLI achieves a 22.23% return, which is significantly higher than COST's 10.63% return. Over the past 10 years, MLI has outperformed COST with an annualized return of 27.18%, while COST has yielded a comparatively lower 21.90% annualized return.
MLI
- 1D
- 1.54%
- 1M
- 4.86%
- YTD
- 22.23%
- 6M
- 19.55%
- 1Y
- 91.83%
- 3Y*
- 51.24%
- 5Y*
- 47.29%
- 10Y*
- 27.18%
COST
- 1D
- -0.01%
- 1M
- -7.48%
- YTD
- 10.63%
- 6M
- 12.24%
- 1Y
- -2.41%
- 3Y*
- 23.60%
- 5Y*
- 20.70%
- 10Y*
- 21.90%
MLI vs. COST - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MLI Mueller Industries, Inc. | 22.23% | 46.29% | 70.51% | 62.38% | 1.05% | 70.95% | 12.30% | 37.79% | -33.10% | -2.76% |
COST Costco Wholesale Corporation | 10.63% | -5.39% | 39.62% | 49.00% | -19.05% | 51.82% | 32.67% | 45.70% | 10.60% | 22.37% |
Correlation
The correlation between MLI and COST is -0.04, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.04 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 22, 1993 | 0.28 |
The correlation between MLI and COST shifts across timeframes, from -0.04 (1 year) to 0.28 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
MLI:
$10.18
COST:
$26.51
MLI:
13.71
COST:
35.89
MLI:
0.89
COST:
2.81
MLI:
2.66
COST:
1.08
MLI:
$4.37B
COST:
$293.59B
MLI:
$871.92M
COST:
$11.12B
MLI:
$1.03B
COST:
$12.48B
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Return for Risk
MLI vs. COST — Risk / Return Rank
MLI
COST
MLI vs. COST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Mueller Industries, Inc. (MLI) and Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST). 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.
| MLI | COST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +3.21 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.62 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.53 | 0.99 | +0.53 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.13 | -0.16 | +4.29 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.47 | -0.35 | +11.82 |
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Drawdowns
MLI vs. COST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MLI drawdown since its inception was -61.72%, which is greater than COST's maximum drawdown of -53.39%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MLI and COST.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MLI | COST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -61.72% | -53.39% | -8.33% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -22.33% | -15.14% | -7.19% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -27.79% | -20.74% | -7.05% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -27.79% | -31.40% | +3.61% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -52.95% | -31.40% | -21.55% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.68% | -13.06% | +12.38% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.03% | -13.36% | -2.67% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.03% | 6.86% | +1.17% |
Volatility
MLI vs. COST - Volatility Comparison
Mueller Industries, Inc. (MLI) has a higher volatility of 9.71% compared to Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) at 6.51%. This indicates that MLI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than COST based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MLI | COST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.71% | 6.51% | +3.20% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 25.79% | 14.49% | +11.30% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 30.01% | 18.95% | +11.06% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 32.99% | 22.73% | +10.26% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 35.79% | 21.98% | +13.81% |
Dividends
MLI vs. COST - Dividend Comparison
MLI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.86%, more than COST's 0.56% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
COST Costco Wholesale Corporation | 0.56% | 0.59% | 0.49% | 2.87% | 0.76% | 0.54% | 3.38% | 0.86% | 1.08% | 4.81% | 1.09% | 4.06% |
MLI Mueller Industries, Inc. | 0.86% | 0.87% | 1.01% | 1.27% | 1.69% | 0.88% | 1.14% | 1.26% | 1.71% | 9.60% | 0.94% | 1.11% |
Financials
MLI vs. COST - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Mueller Industries, Inc. and Costco Wholesale Corporation. 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
MLI vs. COST - Profitability Comparison
MLI - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Mueller Industries, Inc. reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 1.19B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.
COST - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Costco Wholesale Corporation reported a gross profit of -17.68B and revenue of 70.53B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was -25.1%.
MLI - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Mueller Industries, Inc. reported an operating income of 312.23M and revenue of 1.19B, resulting in an operating margin of 26.2%.
COST - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Costco Wholesale Corporation reported an operating income of 2.82B and revenue of 70.53B, resulting in an operating margin of 4.0%.
MLI - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Mueller Industries, Inc. reported a net income of 239.02M and revenue of 1.19B, resulting in a net margin of 20.0%.
COST - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Costco Wholesale Corporation reported a net income of 2.19B and revenue of 70.53B, resulting in a net margin of 3.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions
MLI and COST have a correlation of -0.04, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MLI has higher volatility (9.71%) compared to COST (6.51%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MLI dropped -61.72% vs COST's -53.39%.
MLI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.08 vs -0.13), 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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