MLI
Mueller Industries, Inc. Industrials - Metal Fabrication Investor Relations →
Mueller Industries, Inc. (MLI) closed at $117.86 as of 2026-02-02, trading 103.1% above its 200-week moving average of $58.04. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from 136.5% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 62, indicating neutral momentum.
Over the past 1775 weeks of data, MLI has crossed below its 200-week moving average 26 times. On average, these episodes lasted 13 weeks. Historically, investors who bought MLI at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +25.9%.
With a market cap of $13.1 billion, MLI is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 3.8%. Return on equity stands at 25.6%, indicating strong profitability. The stock trades at 4.0x book value.
MLI passes our Buffett quality screen: high return on equity, low debt, and positive free cash flow.
Over the past 33.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in MLI would have grown to $18844, compared to $2849 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 17.1% vs 10.6% for the index — confirming MLI as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been volatile over the past several years, making the quality of earnings harder to assess.
Growth of $100: MLI vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After MLI Crosses Below the Line?
Across 26 historical episodes, buying MLI when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +23.7% after 12 months (median +19.0%), compared to +4.5% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 73% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +35.0% vs +12.0% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment MLI crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
MLI has crossed below its 200-week MA 26 times with an average 1-year return of +25.9% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1992 | Mar 1992 | 5 | 16.5% | +143.1% | +47532.7% |
| Oct 1998 | Oct 1998 | 2 | 6.6% | +60.0% | +5615.9% |
| Dec 1998 | Jan 1999 | 4 | 6.3% | +83.3% | +5522.2% |
| Feb 1999 | Mar 1999 | 3 | 4.5% | +33.4% | +4973.3% |
| Jun 2000 | Jun 2000 | 1 | 0.1% | +18.2% | +3944.3% |
| Sep 2000 | Feb 2001 | 21 | 22.2% | +17.5% | +4650.1% |
| Sep 2001 | Oct 2001 | 3 | 9.0% | -0.3% | +3944.3% |
| Oct 2001 | Nov 2001 | 1 | 0.7% | -4.1% | +3595.6% |
| Jul 2002 | Oct 2003 | 64 | 21.1% | +1.5% | +3990.6% |
| Oct 2004 | Nov 2004 | 1 | 13.0% | +65.7% | +3885.1% |
| Dec 2007 | Dec 2007 | 1 | 2.4% | -23.4% | +2158.5% |
| Dec 2007 | Apr 2008 | 15 | 16.4% | -4.0% | +2327.0% |
| Jun 2008 | Jul 2008 | 1 | 0.7% | -30.5% | +2020.6% |
| Jul 2008 | Apr 2010 | 89 | 43.3% | -8.7% | +2325.9% |
| May 2010 | Sep 2010 | 21 | 11.9% | +39.8% | +2197.8% |
| Dec 2015 | Mar 2016 | 14 | 15.2% | +45.9% | +953.7% |
| May 2017 | May 2017 | 2 | 1.4% | +6.5% | +833.8% |
| Aug 2017 | Aug 2017 | 2 | 1.6% | +12.0% | +824.0% |
| Feb 2018 | May 2018 | 16 | 13.7% | +21.5% | +901.0% |
| Jun 2018 | Jul 2018 | 4 | 1.5% | +0.6% | +786.7% |
| Sep 2018 | Feb 2019 | 21 | 25.5% | +3.0% | +800.3% |
| May 2019 | Oct 2019 | 24 | 13.0% | -8.9% | +791.7% |
| Jan 2020 | Feb 2020 | 1 | 1.9% | +18.9% | +778.1% |
| Feb 2020 | Aug 2020 | 23 | 35.1% | +47.5% | +815.4% |
| Sep 2020 | Oct 2020 | 4 | 8.6% | +50.2% | +784.5% |
| Oct 2020 | Nov 2020 | 1 | 0.1% | +84.1% | +774.5% |
| Average | 13 | — | +25.9% | — |
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of Friday close, 2026-02-02