RS vs. SHW
RS (Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.) and SHW (The Sherwin-Williams Company) are both stocks. Both are in the Basic Materials sector — RS in Steel, SHW in Specialty Chemicals. Over the past 10 years, RS returned 20.38%/yr vs 14.02%/yr for SHW. Their 0.34 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.
Performance
RS vs. SHW - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, RS achieves a 41.64% return, which is significantly higher than SHW's 5.70% return. Over the past 10 years, RS has outperformed SHW with an annualized return of 20.38%, while SHW has yielded a comparatively lower 14.02% annualized return.
RS
- 1D
- 1.27%
- 1M
- 9.16%
- 6M
- 24.17%
- YTD
- 41.64%
- 1Y
- 45.61%
- 3Y*
- 13.21%
- 5Y*
- 22.89%
- 10Y*
- 20.38%
- ALL TIME*
- 17.74%
SHW
- 1D
- -1.16%
- 1M
- -3.30%
- 6M
- -3.43%
- YTD
- 5.70%
- 1Y
- 0.18%
- 3Y*
- 7.70%
- 5Y*
- 4.14%
- 10Y*
- 14.02%
- ALL TIME*
- 15.70%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $165.01M | $128.08M | $137.06M | |
| $789.11M | $700.63M | $775.31M |
RS vs. SHW - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RS Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. | 41.64% | 9.12% | -2.33% | 40.29% | 27.08% | 37.84% | 2.42% | 72.21% | -15.12% | 10.49% |
SHW The Sherwin-Williams Company | 5.70% | -3.83% | 9.90% | 32.73% | -31.96% | 44.90% | 27.05% | 49.70% | -3.23% | 54.11% |
Correlation
The correlation between RS and SHW is 0.37, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.37 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.43 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.40 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.41 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 16, 1994 | 0.34 |
Fundamentals
RS:
$20.73B
SHW:
$82.74B
RS:
$17.15
SHW:
$10.83
RS:
23.68
SHW:
31.48
RS:
1.34
SHW:
3.47
RS:
2.84
SHW:
21.85
RS:
$15.81B
SHW:
$24.41B
RS:
$1.92B
SHW:
$11.98B
RS:
$1.52B
SHW:
$4.46B
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Return for Risk
RS vs. SHW — Risk / Return Rank
RS
SHW
RS vs. SHW - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. (RS) and The Sherwin-Williams Company (SHW). 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.
| RS | SHW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.66 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.13 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.31 | 1.05 | +0.26 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.23 | 0.19 | +2.04 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.92 | 0.36 | +5.55 |
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Drawdowns
RS vs. SHW - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum RS drawdown since its inception was -83.80%, which is greater than SHW's maximum drawdown of -52.02%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RS and SHW.
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Drawdown Indicators
| RS | SHW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -83.80% | -52.02% | -31.78% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.05% | -21.36% | +2.31% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -22.30% | -25.69% | +3.39% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -22.32% | -42.46% | +20.14% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -40.83% | -42.46% | +1.63% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.99% | -13.55% | +11.56% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.43% | -11.64% | -4.79% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.16% | 10.94% | -3.78% |
Volatility
RS vs. SHW - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. (RS) is 7.17%, while The Sherwin-Williams Company (SHW) has a volatility of 11.95%. This indicates that RS experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SHW based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| RS | SHW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.17% | 11.95% | -4.78% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 18.96% | 21.80% | -2.84% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 23.63% | 27.30% | -3.67% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 27.95% | 26.85% | +1.10% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 29.58% | 26.76% | +2.82% |
Dividends
RS vs. SHW - Dividend Comparison
RS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.21%, more than SHW's 0.93% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RS Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. | 1.21% | 1.66% | 1.63% | 1.43% | 1.73% | 1.70% | 2.09% | 1.84% | 2.81% | 2.10% | 2.07% | 2.76% |
SHW The Sherwin-Williams Company | 0.93% | 0.98% | 0.84% | 0.78% | 1.01% | 0.62% | 0.73% | 0.77% | 0.87% | 0.83% | 1.25% | 1.03% |
Financials
RS vs. SHW - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. and The Sherwin-Williams 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
RS vs. SHW - Profitability Comparison
RS - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. reported a gross profit of -1.10B and revenue of 4.63B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was -23.8%.
SHW - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, The Sherwin-Williams Company reported a gross profit of 3.34B and revenue of 6.79B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 49.2%.
RS - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. reported an operating income of 441.60M and revenue of 4.63B, resulting in an operating margin of 9.5%.
SHW - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, The Sherwin-Williams Company reported an operating income of 1.23B and revenue of 6.79B, resulting in an operating margin of 18.1%.
RS - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. reported a net income of 322.90M and revenue of 4.63B, resulting in a net margin of 7.0%.
SHW - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, The Sherwin-Williams Company reported a net income of 843.60M and revenue of 6.79B, resulting in a net margin of 12.4%.
Frequently Asked Questions
RS and SHW have a correlation of 0.37, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SHW has higher volatility (11.95%) compared to RS (7.17%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RS dropped -83.80% vs SHW's -52.02%.
RS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.80 vs 0.15), 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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