Is Insteel Industries, Inc. overvalued or undervalued?

As of 22 August 2025, the valuation grade for Insteel Industries, Inc. has moved from expensive to fair. Based on the current metrics, the company appears to be fairly valued. Key valuation ratios include a P/E ratio of 29, a Price to Book Value of 2.04, and an EV to EBITDA of 15.04. In comparison, Olympic Steel, Inc. has a P/E of 26.63 and an EV to EBITDA of 8.79, while CompX International, Inc. shows a fair valuation with a P/E of 15.35 and an EV to EBITDA of 9.49.
In terms of stock performance, Insteel Industries has outperformed the S&P 500 year-to-date with a return of 45.65% compared to the index's 12.22%. However, over the last three years, the stock has lagged with a return of 41.87% against the S&P 500's 70.41%, suggesting a mixed performance relative to the benchmark.