WOR vs KALU vs STLD vs AA vs NUE

For growth investors, Kaiser Aluminum Corporation (KALU) is the stronger pick with 11.

5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -7. 4% for Worthington Industries, Inc. (WOR). Alcoa Corporation (AA) offers the better valuation at 14. 1x trailing P/E (9. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Worthington Industries, Inc. (WOR) a "Buy" — based on 15 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, Alcoa Corporation (AA) is the cheapest at 14.

1x versus Nucor Corporation at 30. 1x. On forward P/E, Alcoa Corporation is actually cheaper at 9. 0x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Steel Dynamics, Inc. wins at 0. 62x versus Worthington Industries, Inc. 's 2. 54x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Steel Dynamics, Inc.

(STLD) delivered a total return of +280. 6%, compared to +35. 1% for Worthington Industries, Inc. (WOR). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: STLD returned +940. 9% versus KALU's +135. 1%. 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), Worthington Industries, Inc.

(WOR) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 95β versus Alcoa Corporation's 1. 77β — meaning AA is approximately 87% more volatile than WOR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Alcoa Corporation (AA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 136% for Kaiser Aluminum Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Kaiser Aluminum Corporation (KALU) is pulling ahead at 11.

5% versus -7. 4% for Worthington Industries, Inc. (WOR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Alcoa Corporation grew EPS 1486% year-over-year, compared to -18. 8% for Steel Dynamics, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, AA leads at -0. 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.

Alcoa Corporation (AA) is the more profitable company, earning 9.

0% net margin versus 3. 3% for Kaiser Aluminum Corporation — meaning it keeps 9. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NUE leads at 8. 2% versus 4. 3% for WOR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — WOR leads at 27. 6%, 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, Steel Dynamics, Inc. (STLD) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 62x versus Worthington Industries, Inc. 's 2. 54x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Alcoa Corporation (AA) trades at 9. 0x forward P/E versus 18. 7x for Kaiser Aluminum Corporation — 9. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for WOR: 20. 4% to $67. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Kaiser Aluminum Corporation (KALU) offers the highest yield at 1. 8%, versus 0. 6% for Alcoa Corporation (AA).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Steel Dynamics, Inc.

(STLD) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (0. 8% yield, +940. 9% 10Y return). Alcoa Corporation (AA) carries a higher beta of 1. 77 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (STLD: +940. 9%, AA: +203. 5%), 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 (WOR (Industrials) and KALU (Basic Materials) and STLD (Basic Materials) and AA (Basic Materials) and NUE (Basic Materials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: WOR is a small-cap quality compounder stock; KALU is a small-cap quality compounder stock; STLD is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; AA is a mid-cap deep-value stock; NUE 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.