NJR vs NWN

For growth investors, New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) is the stronger pick with 13.

9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 11. 8% for Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN). New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) offers the better valuation at 16. 5x trailing P/E (16. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) a "Buy" — based on 16 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.

On trailing P/E, New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) is the cheapest at 16.

5x versus Northwest Natural Holding Company at 17. 6x. On forward P/E, Northwest Natural Holding Company is actually cheaper at 16. 0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) delivered a total return of +46.

8%, compared to +6. 8% for Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NJR returned +89. 9% versus NWN's +21. 3%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) is the lower-risk stock at -0.

13β versus Northwest Natural Holding Company's -0. 05β — meaning NWN is approximately -60% more volatile than NJR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 158% versus 187% for Northwest Natural Holding Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) is pulling ahead at 13.

9% versus 11. 8% for Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Northwest Natural Holding Company grew EPS 36. 5% year-over-year, compared to 14. 0% for New Jersey Resources Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, NWN leads at 7. 5% 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.

New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) is the more profitable company, earning 16.

5% net margin versus 8. 8% for Northwest Natural Holding Company — meaning it keeps 16. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NWN leads at 31. 4% versus 21. 4% for NJR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NWN leads at 39. 6%, 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.

On forward earnings alone, Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN) trades at 16.

0x forward P/E versus 16. 2x for New Jersey Resources Corporation — 0. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NWN: 17. 1% to $57. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN) offers the highest yield at 3. 9%, versus 3. 3% for New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR).

For long-horizon retirement investors, New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0.

13), 3. 3% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (NJR: +89. 9%, NWN: +21. 3%), 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.

Both stocks operate in the Utilities 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.