Howmet Aerospace (HWM) vs Reliance (RS)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
Reliance (RS) has outperformed Howmet Aerospace (HWM) over the past year, gaining 41.1% versus a gain of 16.1%. Over five years, HWM leads with a +610.4% price change compared with +168.5% for RS. Howmet Aerospace is the larger company by market cap ($89.68 billion vs $20.50 billion), about 4.4 times the size.
On valuation, Reliance trades at a lower forward P/E (17.0x vs 34.8x for Howmet Aerospace). Reliance offers the higher dividend yield (1.22% vs 0.21%). Howmet Aerospace converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 18.3% versus 5.2%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | HWM | RS |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $224.87 | $401.48 |
| Market cap | $89.68B | $20.50B |
| 1-day change | +1.04% | +1.15% |
| YTD return | +8.56% | +37.40% |
| 1-year return | +16.13% | +41.12% |
| 5-year return | +610.37% | +168.48% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 48.46 | 23.33 |
| Forward P/E | 34.82 | 17.00 |
| EPS (TTM) | $4.64 | $17.21 |
| Dividend yield | 0.21% | 1.22% |
| Annual dividend | $0.48 | $4.90 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $8.25B | $14.29B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +11.06% | +3.32% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $1.51B | $739.40M |
| Gross margin | 34.17% | 28.74% |
| Operating margin | 24.79% | 7.08% |
| Net margin | 18.27% | 5.17% |
| 52-week high | $310.00 | $433.02 |
| 52-week low | $183.83 | $260.31 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -27.46% | -7.28% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | hold |
| Avg. price target upside | +47.42% | +1.94% |
| Average volume | 2.74M | 317.88K |
| Shares outstanding | 398.80M | 51.05M |
| Employees | 25,430 | 15,700 |
| Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| Industry | Metal Fabrications | Metal Fabrications |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Howmet Aerospace is about 4.4 times larger than Reliance by market value ($89.68B vs $20.50B).
- RS has outperformed HWM by 25.0 percentage points over the past year.
- Howmet Aerospace trades at a higher earnings multiple (48.5x vs 23.3x trailing P/E).
- Reliance offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (1.22% vs 0.21%).
- Howmet Aerospace is more profitable, keeping 18.3 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 5.2 cents for Reliance.
- Howmet Aerospace grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+11.06% vs +3.32%).
About Howmet Aerospace
HWM stock →Howmet Aerospace Inc. provides advanced engineered solutions for the aerospace and transportation industries in the United States, Japan, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Italy, Canada, Poland, China, and internationally.
Industrials · Metal Fabrications · 25,430 employees
About Reliance
RS stock →Reliance, Inc. operates as a diversified metal solutions provider and metals service center company primarily in the United States and Canada.
Industrials · Metal Fabrications · 15,700 employees
HWM vs RS FAQ
Which is bigger, Howmet Aerospace or Reliance?
Howmet Aerospace (HWM) is larger, with a market capitalization of $89.68B compared with $20.50B for Reliance (RS).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, HWM or RS?
RS returned +41.12% over the past 12 months, compared with +16.13% for HWM (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, HWM or RS?
RS has the lower trailing P/E at 23.3, versus 48.5 for HWM. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Howmet Aerospace or Reliance?
Reliance has the higher yield at 1.22%, compared with 0.21% for Howmet Aerospace.
Are Howmet Aerospace and Reliance in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Metal Fabrications industry within the Industrials sector.