CLF vs STLD: which was the better investment?
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. against Steel Dynamics, Inc. on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Nov 22, 1996 to Oct 15, 2026.
Set up your comparison
What are you comparing?
Pick one investment — or add several to build a portfolio.
Compare against
The benchmark your investment has to beat.
Time & money
When the money goes in, and how much.
Leave empty for earliest
Leave empty for today
0 for a one-time investment
Daily total-return data — dividends reinvested. Monthly additions buy on the first trading day.
Track your entire portfolio in one free Google Sheet
Enter your trades once and values update automatically. We'll send it straight to your inbox.
Related comparisons
Browse all match-ups on the comparison hub, build your own in the Compare Investments tool, or check a single asset's exact-date returns with the Investment Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Did CLF beat STLD?
No — measured from Nov 22, 1996 to Oct 15, 2026 with dividends reinvested, STLD came out ahead: $822,903 versus $32,983 from a $10,000 start. That gap compounds from a 15.9% annual return against 4.1%.
What would $10,000 in CLF be worth today?
$10,000 invested in Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (CLF) on Nov 22, 1996 would be worth about $32,983 as of Oct 15, 2026, a total return of 229.8% (4.1% per year). The same $10,000 in STLD would be worth $822,903.
Which was riskier — CLF or STLD?
CLF swung with an annualized volatility of 61.8% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -98.8%; STLD ran at 46.9% volatility with a -87.0% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.03 for CLF vs 0.30 for STLD.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering Nov 22, 1996 through Oct 15, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.
Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?
Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with CLF vs STLD. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.