Home Compare AIT vs MLI
Stock Comparison · Structural lead, mixed market

Applied Industrial Technologies vs Mueller Industries: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with Mueller Industries carrying a narrow edge on growth. Applied Industrial Technologies still leads on growth and stability, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. The market setup is mixed, without a decisive signal in either direction. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels.

Updated 2026-04-05

The page question resolves through growth, where Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. holds the stronger read even though the broader score still favours Mueller Industries, Inc..

Trajectory Similarity
0.77
Similar
Peer-set rank: #75
within Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.'s functional peer set

This comparison is anchored in long-term financial trajectory similarity within the selected peer universe.

The pair sits on a clearly comparable long-term path, though it is not a near-twin match.

The strongest overlap appears in margin consistency and investment intensity.

Similarity drivers
margin consistencyinvestment intensity
How to read the score
0.85–1.00 · Very similar0.70–0.84 · Similar0.55–0.69 · Moderately similarbelow 0.55 · Loose match
Peer-Relative Score
AIT
Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.
62
Peer-Score
Signal qualityMedium
vs
MLI
Mueller Industries, Inc.
67
Peer-Score
Signal qualityMedium

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The largest gaps do not all point in the same direction.

Dimension spread: AIT vs MLI Profitability 56 76 Stability 61 51 Valuation 67 86 Growth 67 42 AIT MLI
Gap Ranking
#1 Growth +25
#2 Profitability +20
#3 Valuation +19
#4 Stability +10
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for AIT and MLI Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer AITMLI Relative valuation Structural strength

The structural gap is limited here, but current pricing still leans against Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc..

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Growth
Both rank well on growth, but Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. still holds a clear edge.
Profitability
On profitability, the edge still sits with Mueller Industries, Inc., even though both profiles look solid.
Growth — Dominant Gap
AIT
67
MLI
42
Gap+25in favour of AIT

The clearest distance comes from a stronger growth profile.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. still shows lower market-fundamental divergence, which keeps the wider picture mixed rather than completely one-sided.

What this means for the comparison

The lead is built on both growth and profitability — though growth still provides a counterweight.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the AIT vs MLI comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Other comparisons with conflicting dimension signals

Explore how AIT and MLI each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.