TS vs RS

For growth investors, Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.

(RS) is the stronger pick with 3. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -4. 3% for Tenaris S. A. (TS). Tenaris S. A. (TS) offers the better valuation at 15. 8x trailing P/E (16. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Tenaris S. A. (TS) a "Buy" — based on 26 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, Tenaris S.

A. (TS) is the cheapest at 15. 8x versus Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. at 26. 4x. On forward P/E, Tenaris S. A. is actually cheaper at 16. 4x.

Over the past 5 years, Tenaris S.

A. (TS) delivered a total return of +171. 0%, compared to +119. 6% for Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. (RS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: RS returned +463. 7% versus TS's +170. 0%. 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), Tenaris S.

A. (TS) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 47β versus Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. 's 0. 75β — meaning RS is approximately 58% more volatile than TS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Tenaris S. A. (TS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 28% for Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.

(RS) is pulling ahead at 3. 3% versus -4. 3% for Tenaris S. A. (TS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. grew EPS -10. 2% year-over-year, compared to -48. 6% for Tenaris S. A.. Over a 3-year CAGR, TS leads at 0. 6% 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.

Tenaris S.

A. (TS) is the more profitable company, earning 16. 1% net margin versus 5. 2% for Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. — meaning it keeps 16. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: TS leads at 19. 1% versus 7. 2% for RS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — TS leads at 34. 4%, 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.

On forward earnings alone, Tenaris S.

A. (TS) trades at 16. 4x forward P/E versus 18. 9x for Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. — 2. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for RS: -1. 9% to $362. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Tenaris S. A. (TS) offers the highest yield at 2. 9%, versus 1. 3% for Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. (RS).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Tenaris S.

A. (TS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 47), 2. 9% yield, +170. 0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (TS: +170. 0%, RS: +463. 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 (TS (Energy) and RS (Basic Materials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: TS is a mid-cap deep-value stock; RS is a mid-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.