Reliance, Inc. research snapshot
RS AI stock analysis currently views Reliance, Inc. as a disciplined metals service center operator whose local processing, fast delivery, and decentralized branches support repeat business and higher margins than a simple commodity distributor. At the July 10, 2026 data cutoff, RS traded near $379.07 with a $19.35 billion market cap. The latest reported quarter showed $4.03 billion of sales, $5.10 diluted EPS, record shipments, and $87.2 million of free cash flow. The tradeoff is that trailing earnings and cash flow remain exposed to metal prices, inventory timing, trade policy, end-market demand, and the price paid for acquisitions. At 24.73x TTM EPS and 32.54x TTM free cash flow per share, the stock requires execution beyond a normal cyclical recovery.
Current price
$379.07
Market cap
$19.35 billion reported market cap, $19.35 billion calculated from price and shares
AI score
67 / 100
Rating
Well-run metals service center with local scale and capital returns, but a cycle-sensitive earnings base and limited valuation margin of safety
Trend status
Neutral near the 50-day moving average, while price remains above the 200-day average
Data cutoff (updated weekly)
July 10, 2026
Informational use only. This page is not investment advice.
| Dimension | Conclusion | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Business quality | Reliance distributes and processes carbon steel, aluminum, stainless, alloy, copper, brass, titanium, and specialty metals for small orders that often require quick delivery and value-added work. | High |
| Moat | Local branch density, service speed, processing capability, customer relationships, a truck fleet, decentralized incentives, and acquisition scale provide advantages, though none remove commodity-cycle exposure. | Medium-high |
| Management | CEO Karla Lewis and the operating team have continued a decentralized acquisition model while returning capital through dividends and sizable share repurchases. | Medium-high |
| Financial trend | FY2025 revenue rose 3.3% to $14.29 billion while net income to common fell 15.5% to $739.4 million. Q1 2026 sales rose 15.5% year over year and diluted EPS rose 36.4%. | High |
| Valuation | At $379.07, financial_rigor.py calculates 24.73x TTM EPS, 2.70x book value, 32.54x TTM free cash flow per share, a 3.07% FCF yield, and a 1.32% dividend yield. | High |
| Technical trend | Price near $379.07 sat just below the 50-day moving average near $381.24 and above the 200-day moving average near $321.78, with RSI near 46.73. | Medium |
| Risk level | Risk is medium-high because profitability depends heavily on metals pricing, inventory replacement costs, volumes, acquisitions, tariffs, end-market demand, and a valuation multiple above many traditional cyclical peers. | High |
| AI confidence | Data confidence is high for reported facts and valuation arithmetic. Forecast confidence is medium because a modest change in price or gross margin can materially change earnings. | High data confidence |
| Investment certainty | Investment certainty is medium-low at this price. Reliance can compound through service, acquisitions, and buybacks, but the base case does not provide a large cushion for a weaker metal cycle. | Medium-low |
RS AI stock forecast
The RS AI stock forecast uses scenarios rather than a precise price prediction. Using the July 10, 2026 cutoff, a $379.07 share price, $15.33 TTM diluted EPS, and a three-year framework, financial_rigor.py produced valuation anchors of about $538 in a bull case, $365 in a base case, and $184 in a bear case before dividends.
$500 to $545
More likely if shipments and pricing remain firm, the AMI government awards convert into profitable volume, gross margin holds near current levels, acquisitions add returns, share repurchases continue, and investors sustain a premium multiple for execution.
$350 to $385
More likely if EPS grows around 6% annually, end markets stay mixed but healthy, metal pricing normalizes without a sharp inventory loss, and the market values RS near 20x earnings.
$175 to $200
More likely if metal prices fall faster than inventory costs reset, construction or manufacturing demand weakens, tariffs disrupt supply, margins compress, acquisitions disappoint, or the market rerates the stock toward a lower cycle-sensitive multiple.
RS AI technical analysis
RS AI technical analysis is neutral as of the July 10, 2026 data cutoff. StockAnalysis showed RS near $379.07, a 50-day moving average near $381.24, a 200-day moving average near $321.78, RSI near 46.73, beta near 0.96, and average 20-day volume near 400,099 shares.
| Level | Value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Current price | $379.07 | Current quote reference used for this static page and market-cap verification. |
| Immediate support | $370 to $375 | This recent-price area is the first zone to watch if the stock fails to retake the 50-day average. |
| Deeper support | $320 to $322 | The 200-day moving average marks the more meaningful intermediate trend support zone. |
| Near resistance | $381 to $420 | The 50-day average is the first hurdle. The 52-week high area near $420 needs stronger follow-through. |
| Moving averages | 50-day $381.24, 200-day $321.78 | Price is near the 50-day average and remains above the 200-day average. |
| Momentum | RSI near 46.73 | Momentum is neutral, leaving room for either a recovery or a failed retest of the 50-day average. |
| Volume | Average 20-day volume near 400,099 shares | A move above resistance should be evaluated against this baseline and the next earnings update. |
| Volatility | Beta near 0.96 | Market-like beta can still understate the impact of steel prices, tariffs, earnings, or acquisition news. |
| Invalidation | Close below $322, then below $260 | A close below the 200-day average weakens the intermediate setup. A break below the 52-week low near $260 would support the bear case. |
RS AI trading strategy
The RS AI trading strategy below is a rules-based research framework, not personal financial advice. It links price action with the July 22, 2026 earnings date, shipments, selling price per ton, gross margin, working-capital cash flow, buybacks, acquisitions, debt, and moving-average discipline.
Watch for RS to reclaim and hold above the $381 area, then make progress toward $420 with volume near or above its normal baseline while earnings confirm shipment, pricing, and margin strength.
Treat a failed recovery followed by a close below $322 as a warning because the stock would lose its 200-day moving-average support.
If RS pulls back toward $322 without a material deterioration in shipments, prices, gross margin, or balance-sheet flexibility, compare the revised valuation with the base and bear scenarios.
Do not average down solely because the business is a consolidator. Confirm that inventory, replacement costs, metal prices, customer demand, and acquisitions still support cash conversion.
Track Q2 2026 results, tons sold, average selling price per ton, gross margin, LIFO expense, cash flow, capital expenditures, buybacks, dividends, net debt, acquisitions, and the progress of AMI government contracts.
Lower the rating if gross profit or cash flow falls while the stock remains near a mid-20s earnings multiple, or if acquisition spending grows without evidence of processing, customer, or geographic benefits.
Investment research summary
Customers pay Reliance for metal availability, processing, small-order service, local inventory, and fast delivery. These services reduce downtime and working-capital burden for fabricators, machine shops, and other industrial customers.
Reliance benefits from branch proximity, processing equipment, local customer relationships, its own delivery fleet, decentralized decision making, supplier relationships, and acquisition-built scale. The moat improves service economics but does not fix metal-price cyclicality.
The thesis fails if prices fall before inventory costs reset, volumes weaken, end markets contract, tariffs disrupt supply and demand, acquisitions overpay, gross margins compress, or buybacks occur at prices that do not leave enough return for shareholders.
Karla Lewis and the operating teams are judged on pricing discipline, local execution, acquisition returns, working-capital control, safety, buyback timing, dividend growth, and balance-sheet restraint through the steel cycle.
Reliance serves North American construction, manufacturing, aerospace, transportation, energy, semiconductor, and defense customers. Data centers, energy infrastructure, defense programs, and reshoring can support demand, while the same markets remain cyclical.
At 24.73x TTM EPS and 32.54x TTM free cash flow per share, RS is not priced like a deep cyclical value stock. Margin of safety improves if the share price retreats while local service advantages, cash conversion, and capital allocation remain intact.
Source-backed data
Every metric below includes a source and last verification date.
| Metric | Value | Source | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| RS quote reference and market capitalization | $379.07 price, $19.35 billion reported market cap, and 51.05 million shares outstanding. Pineify financial_rigor.py calculates a $19.35 billion market cap from price and shares. | StockAnalysis RS statistics and Pineify financial_rigor.py | July 10, 2026 |
| FY2025 revenue and net income to common | $14.294 billion revenue and $739.4 million net income to common. SEC filing and StockAnalysis agree on both values. | Reliance 2025 Form 10-K and StockAnalysis financials | July 10, 2026 |
| TTM profitability and cash flow | $14.836 billion revenue, $804.6 million net income to common, $15.33 diluted EPS, and $612.1 million free cash flow for the twelve months through March 31, 2026. | StockAnalysis RS financials | July 10, 2026 |
| Q1 2026 operating update | $4.026 billion net sales, $264.9 million net income, $5.10 diluted EPS, 1.673 million tons sold, $151.4 million operating cash flow, and $87.2 million free cash flow. | Reliance Q1 2026 results release | July 10, 2026 |
| Balance sheet and shareholder returns | $249.7 million cash, $1.7 billion total debt, $234.2 million Q1 share repurchases, and a $5.00 annualized dividend rate. | Reliance Q1 2026 results release | July 10, 2026 |
| Technical levels and valuation inputs | 50-day moving average $381.24, 200-day moving average $321.78, RSI 46.73, average 20-day volume 400,099, trailing PE 24.77, and trailing P/FCF 31.40. | StockAnalysis RS statistics | July 10, 2026 |
| Operating model and risk factors | About 40% of 2025 orders were delivered within 24 hours, more than 90% of sales orders came from repeat customers, and the company identifies metal-price and inventory-cost volatility as material risks. | Reliance 2025 Form 10-K | July 10, 2026 |
This RS AI stock analysis page is an informational research tool only. It is not investment advice, a recommendation, or a guarantee of future performance. Forecast scenarios use public data available through the stated cutoff date and can be wrong if metal prices, inventory costs, demand, tariffs, acquisitions, market sentiment, or company fundamentals change.
Design trading strategies visually with 10+ indicators. Set entry/exit conditions and risk management, then generate Pine Script code with no coding required.
Filter and discover stocks based on market cap, dividend yield, P/E ratio, sector, and more. Screen thousands of stocks with real-time data.
Smart AI-driven stock selection with fundamental screening, analyst estimates, and key metrics. Filter by P/E, market cap, dividends, and more.
