FF
FutureFuel Corp.
Chemicals
Market Cap$210M
5Y Perf.-63.4%
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Stock Comparison
FF vs GPRE
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
GPRE
Green Plains Inc.
Chemicals - Specialty
Market Cap$1.19B
5Y Perf.+98.5%
FF vs GPRE — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | FF | GPRE |
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Chemicals | Chemicals - Specialty |
| Market Cap | $210M | $1.19B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $96M | $2.09B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-49M | $-121M |
| Gross Margin | 0.1% | 1.8% |
| Operating Margin | -55.3% | -4.0% |
| Forward P/E | — | 48.1x |
| Total Debt | $0.00 | $508M |
| Cash & Equiv. | $51M | $230M |
FF vs GPRE — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
FF
GPRE
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| FutureFuel Corp. (FF) | 100 | 36.6 | -63.4% |
| Green Plains Inc. (GPRE) | 100 | 198.5 | +98.5% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: FF vs GPRE
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
Bottom line: GPRE leads in 4 of 6 categories, making it the strongest pick for growth and revenue expansion and profitability and margin quality. FutureFuel Corp. is the stronger pick specifically for capital preservation and lower volatility and dividend income and shareholder returns. As sector peers, any of these can serve as alternatives in the same allocation.
FF
FutureFuel Corp.
The Income Pick
FF is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability and long-term compounding.
- Dividend streak 0 yrs, beta 0.49, yield 0.0%
- 54.0% 10Y total return vs GPRE's 17.1%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.49, current ratio 5.67x
Best for: income & stability and long-term compounding
GPRE
Green Plains Inc.
The Growth Play
GPRE carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for growth exposure.
- Rev growth -14.9%, EPS growth -39.5%, 3Y rev CAGR -17.0%
- -14.9% revenue growth vs FF's -60.7%
- -5.8% margin vs FF's -51.6%
Best for: growth exposure
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | GPRE | -14.9% revenue growth vs FF's -60.7% |
| Quality / Margins | GPRE | -5.8% margin vs FF's -51.6% |
| Stability / Safety | FF | Beta 0.49 vs GPRE's 1.22 |
| Dividends | FF | 0.0% yield; the other pay no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | GPRE | +363.7% vs FF's +26.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | GPRE | -7.7% ROA vs FF's -23.5%, ROIC -5.3% vs -39.8% |
FF vs GPRE — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
FY 2025
FY 2024
FF vs GPRE — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
BEST OVERALLGPRELAGGINGFF
FFFutureFuel Corp.
2leads
GPREGreen Plains Inc.
3leads
6 Total Categories
CATEGORYLEADERvs FFMETRICS WON
Income & Cash FlowRevenue, margins, and cash flow strength
GPRE6/6
Valuation MetricsMultiples, price ratios, and targets
GPRE2/3
Profitability & EfficiencyROE, ROIC, leverage, and quality scores
GPRE6/8
Total Returns1Y, 3Y, 5Y total returns with dividends
FF4/6
Risk & VolatilityBeta, volatility, and downside exposure
FF2/2
Analyst OutlookRatings, price targets, and dividends
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Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
GPRE leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
GPRE is the larger business by revenue, generating $2.1B annually — 21.8x FF's $96M. GPRE is the more profitable business, keeping -5.8% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to FF's -51.6%. On growth, GPRE holds the edge at -26.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | FFFutureFuel Corp. | GPREGreen Plains Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $96M | $2.1B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$43M | $14M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$49M | -$121M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$46M | $74M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +0.1% | +1.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -55.3% | -4.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -51.6% | -5.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -48.0% | +3.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -67.7% | -26.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -5.2% | +119.8% |
GPRE leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
GPRE leads this category, winning 2 of 3 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | FFFutureFuel Corp. | GPREGreen Plains Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $210M | $1.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $159M | $1.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -4.24x | -9.43x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 48.06x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 102.96x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.19x | 0.57x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.36x | 1.48x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 16.09x |
GPRE leads this category, winning 2 of 3 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
GPRE leads this category, winning 6 of 8 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
GPRE delivers a -15.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-16 in annual profit, vs $-29 for FF. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), GPRE scores 4/9 vs FF's 3/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | FFFutureFuel Corp. | GPREGreen Plains Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -28.6% | -15.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -23.5% | -7.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -39.8% | -5.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -51.6% | -6.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 0.66x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$51M | $278M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $51M | $230M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $0 | $508M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -130.01x | -0.88x |
GPRE leads this category, winning 6 of 8 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
FF leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in FF five years ago would be worth $8,257 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $5,303 for GPRE. Over the past 12 months, GPRE leads with a +363.7% total return vs FF's +26.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors FF at 1.1% vs GPRE's -18.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | FFFutureFuel Corp. | GPREGreen Plains Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +52.5% | +65.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +26.7% | +363.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +3.5% | -45.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -17.4% | -47.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +54.0% | +17.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +1.1% | -18.2% |
FF leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
FF leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
FF is the less volatile stock with a 0.49 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than GPRE's 1.22 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. FF currently trades 93.6% from its 52-week high vs GPRE's 89.6% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | FFFutureFuel Corp. | GPREGreen Plains Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.49x | 1.22x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $5.12 | $18.94 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.09 | $3.39 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +93.6% | +89.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 71.3 | 68.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 523K | 1.4M |
FF leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates FF as "Buy" and GPRE as "Buy".
| Metric | FFFutureFuel Corp. | GPREGreen Plains Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $13.80 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 4 | 20 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.0% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.00 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +2.5% |
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Key Takeaway
GPRE leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Valuation Metrics). FF leads in 2 (Total Returns, Risk & Volatility).
Best OverallGreen Plains Inc. (GPRE)Leads 3 of 6 categories
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FF vs GPRE: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is FF or GPRE a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Green Plains Inc.
(GPRE) is the stronger pick with -14. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -60. 7% for FutureFuel Corp. (FF). Analysts rate FutureFuel Corp. (FF) a "Buy" — based on 4 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which is the better long-term investment — FF or GPRE?
Over the past 5 years, FutureFuel Corp.
(FF) delivered a total return of -17. 4%, compared to -47. 0% for Green Plains Inc. (GPRE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FF returned +54. 0% versus GPRE's +17. 1%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — FF or GPRE?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), FutureFuel Corp.
(FF) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 49β versus Green Plains Inc. 's 1. 22β — meaning GPRE is approximately 148% more volatile than FF relative to the S&P 500.
04Which is growing faster — FF or GPRE?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Green Plains Inc.
(GPRE) is pulling ahead at -14. 9% versus -60. 7% for FutureFuel Corp. (FF). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Green Plains Inc. grew EPS -39. 5% year-over-year, compared to -422. 9% for FutureFuel Corp.. Over a 3-year CAGR, GPRE leads at -17. 0% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
05Which has better profit margins — FF or GPRE?
Green Plains Inc.
(GPRE) is the more profitable company, earning -5. 8% net margin versus -51. 6% for FutureFuel Corp. — meaning it keeps -5. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GPRE leads at -4. 0% versus -55. 3% for FF. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — GPRE leads at 1. 8%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Which pays a better dividend — FF or GPRE?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.
All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
07Is FF or GPRE better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, FutureFuel Corp.
(FF) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 49)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (FF: +54. 0%, GPRE: +17. 1%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
08What are the main differences between FF and GPRE?
Both stocks operate in the Basic Materials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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