MLI vs SCCO vs FCX vs CMC

For growth investors, Southern Copper Corporation (SCCO) is the stronger pick with 17.

4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -1. 6% for Commercial Metals Company (CMC). Mueller Industries, Inc. (MLI) offers the better valuation at 20. 1x trailing P/E (17. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX) a "Buy" — based on 41 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Mueller Industries, Inc.

(MLI) is the cheapest at 20. 1x versus Commercial Metals Company at 95. 3x. On forward P/E, Commercial Metals Company is actually cheaper at 10. 8x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Mueller Industries, Inc. wins at 0. 42x versus Southern Copper Corporation's 1. 22x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Mueller Industries, Inc.

(MLI) delivered a total return of +490. 9%, compared to +44. 3% for Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MLI returned +847. 6% versus CMC's +356. 4%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Mueller Industries, Inc.

(MLI) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 11β versus Freeport-McMoRan Inc. 's 1. 79β — meaning FCX is approximately 61% more volatile than MLI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Mueller Industries, Inc. (MLI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 67% for Southern Copper Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Southern Copper Corporation (SCCO) is pulling ahead at 17.

4% versus -1. 6% for Commercial Metals Company (CMC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Mueller Industries, Inc. grew EPS 28. 9% year-over-year, compared to -82. 1% for Commercial Metals Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, SCCO leads at 10. 1% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Southern Copper Corporation (SCCO) is the more profitable company, earning 32.

3% net margin versus 1. 1% for Commercial Metals Company — meaning it keeps 32. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SCCO leads at 52. 2% versus 6. 7% for CMC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SCCO leads at 56. 7%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Mueller Industries, Inc. (MLI) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 42x versus Southern Copper Corporation's 1. 22x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Commercial Metals Company (CMC) trades at 10. 8x forward P/E versus 25. 4x for Southern Copper Corporation — 14. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CMC: 17. 4% to $82. 75.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Southern Copper Corporation (SCCO) offers the highest yield at 1. 7%, versus 0. 7% for Mueller Industries, Inc. (MLI).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Mueller Industries, Inc.

(MLI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 11), 0. 7% yield, +847. 6% 10Y return). Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX) carries a higher beta of 1. 79 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (MLI: +847. 6%, FCX: +507. 7%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

These companies operate in different sectors (MLI (Industrials) and SCCO (Basic Materials) and FCX (Basic Materials) and CMC (Basic Materials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: MLI is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; SCCO is a mid-cap high-growth stock; FCX is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; CMC is a small-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.