Sectors & IndustriesIndustrialsMetal Fabrication
Best Metal Fabrication Stocks to Buy Now (2026)
Top metal fabrication stocks in 2026 ranked by overall Zen Rating. "A" Rated stocks have returned an average of +32.52% per year, and are the best metal fabrication stocks to buy now. Learn More.

Industry: Metal Fabrication
A
Metal Fabrication is Zen Rated A and is the 19th ranked industry out of 145 stock market industries
Learn how the Zen Ratings work
Ticker
Company
Zen Rating
Financials
Market Cap
ROE
ROA
ROCE
ROIC
D/E
Current Ratio
Gross Margin
Profit Margin
Operating Margin
TG
TREDEGAR CORP
$333.67M16.70%9.00%16.50%14.70%0.721.6218.60%4.60%6.08%
MLI
MUELLER INDUSTRIES INC
$14.97B27.00%22.80%32.60%78.30%0.175.3529.70%19.40%25.67%
PRLB
PROTO LABS INC
$1.54B3.20%2.80%4.46%10.50%0.133.4944.50%4.00%5.83%
CRS
CARPENTER TECHNOLOGY CORP
$21.28B24.40%13.60%19.96%19.40%0.783.7329.70%15.80%20.89%
NWPX
NWPX INFRASTRUCTURE INC
$941.53M9.20%6.00%9.57%8.70%0.473.7819.70%6.70%9.33%
RYZ
RYERSON HOLDING CORP
$1.43B-7.10%-2.30%-1.93%-1.40%2.181.8317.10%-1.20%-0.74%
WOR
WORTHINGTON ENTERPRISES INC
$2.67B11.60%6.40%9.59%14.30%0.822.3627.80%8.40%11.63%
ATI
ATI INC
$21.22B24.20%8.40%14.90%11.80%1.892.6722.50%9.30%13.57%
ESAB
ESAB CORP
$5.97B11.00%5.00%9.26%15.90%1.181.9036.90%8.00%13.36%
MEC
MAYVILLE ENGINEERING COMPANY INC
$463.46M-3.30%-1.60%-0.79%-0.90%1.341.729.90%-1.50%-0.70%
AP
AMPCO PITTSBURGH CORP
$221.96M-120.10%-12.60%-14.96%-10.70%13.711.8418.40%-15.20%-12.57%
GPGI
GPGI INC
$4.47B-269.40%-33.30%-19.12%-31.80%1.136.3348.10%-227.30%-159.29%
IIIN
INSTEEL INDUSTRIES INC
$508.76M11.70%9.20%14.25%18.30%0.263.7113.60%6.20%8.04%
OLOX
OLENOX INDUSTRIES INC
$3.61M-165.70%-58.20%-69.55%1,937.70%1.170.18-64.60%-701.40%-618.14%
HIHO
HIGHWAY HOLDINGS LTD
$3.68MN/AN/AN/AN/A0.324.27N/AN/AN/A
TPCS
TECHPRECISION CORP
$42.25M-13.30%-3.40%-4.15%-2.30%3.110.9718.00%-3.40%-1.85%
TRSG
TUNGRAY TECHNOLOGIES INC
$20.93M-0.10%0.00%1.01%1.40%0.631.9445.90%-0.10%1.28%
MTEN
MINGTENG INTERNATIONAL CORP INC
$37.28k-81.50%-50.80%-89.25%-78.70%0.801.6626.90%-63.10%-61.27%

Metal Fabrication Stocks FAQ

What are the best metal fabrication stocks to buy right now in May 2026?

According to Zen Ratings, our proprietary rating system that evaluates 115 factors proven to drive growth in stocks and assigns each stock in our system an overall letter grade as well as 7 individual Component Grades for Value, Growth, Momentum, Sentiment, Safety, Financials, and proprietary AI algorithms, the 3 best metal fabrication stocks to buy right now are:

1. Tredegar (NYSE:TG)


Tredegar (NYSE:TG) is the #1 top metal fabrication stock out of 18 with a Zen Rating of A. Stocks with a rating of A have had an average return of +32.52% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Tredegar (NYSE:TG) is: Value: B, Growth: A, Momentum: C, Sentiment: C, Safety: C, Financials: B, and AI: B.

Tredegar (NYSE:TG) has a Due Diligence Score of 30, which is -1 points lower than the metal fabrication industry average of 31. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates TG as a "A".

TG passed 11 out of 38 due diligence checks and has average fundamentals. Tredegar has seen its stock return 23.55% over the past year, overperforming other metal fabrication stocks by 72 percentage points.

2. Mueller Industries (NYSE:MLI)


Mueller Industries (NYSE:MLI) is the #2 top metal fabrication stock out of 18 with a Zen Rating of A. Stocks with a rating of A have had an average return of +32.52% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Mueller Industries (NYSE:MLI) is: Value: C, Growth: C, Momentum: B, Sentiment: A, Safety: C, Financials: A, and AI: B.

Mueller Industries (NYSE:MLI) has a Due Diligence Score of 55, which is 24 points higher than the metal fabrication industry average of 31.

MLI passed 21 out of 38 due diligence checks and has strong fundamentals. Mueller Industries has seen its stock return 84.11% over the past year, overperforming other metal fabrication stocks by 132 percentage points.

Mueller Industries has an average 1 year price target of $130.00, a downside of -4.01% from Mueller Industries's current stock price of $135.43.

Mueller Industries stock has a consensus Strong Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 1 analyst covering Mueller Industries, 100% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 0% have issued a Buy, 0% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

3. Proto Labs (NYSE:PRLB)


Proto Labs (NYSE:PRLB) is the #3 top metal fabrication stock out of 18 with a Zen Rating of A. Stocks with a rating of A have had an average return of +32.52% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Proto Labs (NYSE:PRLB) is: Value: C, Growth: A, Momentum: B, Sentiment: B, Safety: B, Financials: B, and AI: C.

Proto Labs (NYSE:PRLB) has a Due Diligence Score of 48, which is 17 points higher than the metal fabrication industry average of 31.

PRLB passed 15 out of 33 due diligence checks and has strong fundamentals. Proto Labs has seen its stock return 84.33% over the past year, overperforming other metal fabrication stocks by 133 percentage points.

Proto Labs has an average 1 year price target of $55.00, a downside of -15.14% from Proto Labs's current stock price of $64.81.

Proto Labs stock has a consensus Strong Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 1 analyst covering Proto Labs, 100% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 0% have issued a Buy, 0% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

What are the metal fabrication stocks with highest dividends?

Out of 7 metal fabrication stocks that have issued dividends in the past year, the 3 metal fabrication stocks with the highest dividend yields are:

1. Insteel Industries (NYSE:IIIN)


Insteel Industries (NYSE:IIIN) has an annual dividend yield of 4.28%, which is 3 percentage points higher than the metal fabrication industry average of 1.33%. Insteel Industries's dividend payout is not stable, having dropped more than 10% eight times in the last 10 years. Insteel Industries's dividend has not shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Insteel Industries's dividend payout ratio of 51.1% indicates that its high dividend yield is sustainable for the long-term.

2. Ryerson Holding (NYSE:RYZ)


Ryerson Holding (NYSE:RYZ) has an annual dividend yield of 2.72%, which is 1 percentage points higher than the metal fabrication industry average of 1.33%. Ryerson Holding's dividend payout is stable, having never dropped by more than 10% in the last 10 years. Ryerson Holding's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Ryerson Holding's dividend payout ratio of -42.8% indicates that its dividend yield might not be sustainable for the long-term.

3. Worthington Enterprises (NYSE:WOR)


Worthington Enterprises (NYSE:WOR) has an annual dividend yield of 1.05%, which is the same as the metal fabrication industry average of 1.33%. Worthington Enterprises's dividend payout is not stable, having dropped more than 10% one times in the last 10 years. Worthington Enterprises's dividend has not shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Worthington Enterprises's dividend payout ratio of 32.5% indicates that its dividend yield is sustainable for the long-term.

Why are metal fabrication stocks up?

Metal fabrication stocks were up 5.04% in the last day, and up 1.52% over the last week. Nwpx Infrastructure was the among the top gainers in the metal fabrication industry, gaining 14.34% yesterday.

Shares of companies in the broader industrial sector are trading higher as FY26 capex guidance from hyperscalers underpins future demand. Also, Caterpillar Q1 financial results may also provide support given its strong backlog and confident outlook across diverse business units.

What are the most undervalued metal fabrication stocks?

Based on the Valuation rating, one of the 7 components of a stocks overall Zen Ratings grade, which evaluates factors including estimated earnings yield, earnings before interest and taxes/enterprise value, cash flow yield, free cash flow to price, and price-to-earnings growth (PEG ratio), the 3 most undervalued metal fabrication stocks right now are:

1. Esab (NYSE:ESAB)


Esab (NYSE:ESAB) is the most undervalued metal fabrication stock based on its Valuation Rating of B. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Esab has a valuation score of 43, which is 18 points higher than the metal fabrication industry average of 25. It passed 3 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Esab's stock has dropped -18.19% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the metal fabrication industry by 30 percentage points.

2. Worthington Enterprises (NYSE:WOR)


Worthington Enterprises (NYSE:WOR) is the second most undervalued metal fabrication stock based on its Valuation Rating of B. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Worthington Enterprises has a valuation score of 43, which is 18 points higher than the metal fabrication industry average of 25. It passed 3 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Worthington Enterprises's stock has gained 7.19% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the metal fabrication industry by 55 percentage points.

3. Tredegar (NYSE:TG)


Tredegar (NYSE:TG) is the third most undervalued metal fabrication stock based on its Valuation Rating of B. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Tredegar has a valuation score of 43, which is 18 points higher than the metal fabrication industry average of 25. It passed 3 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Tredegar's stock has gained 23.55% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the metal fabrication industry by 72 percentage points.

Are metal fabrication stocks a good buy now?

90% of metal fabrication stocks rated by analysts are a strong buy right now. On average, analysts expect metal fabrication stocks to rise by 6.02% over the next year.

21.43% of metal fabrication stocks have a Zen Rating of A (Strong Buy), 14.29% of metal fabrication stocks are rated B (Buy), 50% are rated C (Hold), 14.29% are rated D (Sell), and 0% are rated F (Strong Sell).

What is the average p/e ratio of the metal fabrication industry?

The average P/E ratio of the metal fabrication industry is 33.41x.
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Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes and is not advice. WallStreetZen does not bear any responsibility for any losses or damage that may occur as a result of reliance on this data.